The exhibition "Theo Jansen: Life Forms of the Sand Dunes" will be held at the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum from October 9th to December 7th. Dutch artist Theo Jansen began creating his "Strandbeest" works using plastic tubes in 1990. The word "Strandbeest" is a coined word by Theo Jansen himself, combining the Dutch words "strand" (sand beach) and "beest" (living organism), and in Japanese means "beach creature." Born as a virtual computer-generated organism, the Strandbeest has evolved in various ways in its quest for survival. Originally a single line, it now possesses a stomach (a plastic bottle), sensory organs (detectors), nerve cells (tubes and valves), and even a brain (instruments), allowing it to move smoothly across the sand and avoid being blown away by the wind or waves. The exhibition will feature a total of 15 beasts, including an early work called "Animaris Vulgaris," as well as related materials, showcasing the evolutionary process and overall appearance of this new species. In addition, the new work, "Animaris Praudens Weera II," will be unveiled for the first time in the world. This new work, created exclusively for the exhibition as an homage to the 400-year history of friendship between Nagasaki and the Netherlands, is based on the motif of sailing ships of the time, and its name, "Fluttering Sails," in Japanese, will feature a demonstration of the work's movement every hour throughout the exhibition. Additionally, as a related event, Janssen himself will be visiting the museum for an artist talk at 1:30 PM on October 12th, and will hold a signing session from October 9th to 13th. Born in Scheveningen, Netherlands, in 1948, Theo Janssen studied physics at the Delft University of Technology before turning to painting in 1975. In 2009, he was awarded the ECHO Award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) at the 1st ECHO Festival held in Brussels, Belgium. He has held solo exhibitions in countries around the world, including the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Odaiba, Tokyo, as well as South Korea, Taiwan, Argentina, Uruguay, France, and Russia.
【Event Information】
Theo Jansen Exhibition - Life Forms in the Dunes-
Venue: Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, Special Exhibition Room
Address: 2-1 Dejima-cho, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Date: October 9th to December 7th
Time: 10:00 to 20:00 (last entrance 19:30)
Closed: October 14th, 27th, November 10th, 25th
Admission Fee: Adults 1,200 yen; Over 70 years old, university students, and high school students 1,000 yen; Elementary and junior high school students 700 yen; Free for children under elementary school age
