TARO NASU is pleased to host a group exhibition entitled “Sculpting the Space”.
Lawrence Weiner, renowned for his language-based works, often referred to his text pieces on the walls as “my sculpture”. For Weiner, texts painted directly on the walls, floors, and other surfaces of the exhibition space were more three-dimensional than paintings. To him, they were more like sculptures. By reading and understanding the exhibition space and adding characters composed of colors and shapes, Weiner’s attempt to change the meaning and function of the space and, at the same time, engage the viewer’s reason and sensibility was effectively his “sculpting” of the space.
This exhibition will feature works by artists who maintain an interest in this experience that Weiner favored; one that presumes a sort of complicity between artwork and viewer. The participating artists include Haim Steinbach and John Knight, who were almost contemporaries of Weiner. Liam Gillick was directly influenced by them, David Horvitz who meddles with systems of language and networks, and Ryan Gander, who was part of the generation that began a new exploration of conceptual art. The exhibition will introduce the unique tension-filled appeal of text-based works.
Ryan Gander
Born in Chester, UK in 1976. Lives and works in Suffolk.
Recent exhibitions include The 54th Vienna Biennale in 2011, documenta 13 (Kassel) in 2012, One artist / two films / one week’ (Center Pompidou, Paris) in 2019, ‘Sydney Biennale’ (Sydney) in 2018, ‘These wings aren’t for flying’ (National Museum Art of Osaka) in 2017, ‘Okayama Art Summit 2016: Development’ (Okayama) in 2016, ‘Ouverture’ (Bourse de Commerce, Paris) in 2021, ’THE MARKERS OF OUR TIME’ (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery) in 2022, and more.
Liam Gillick
Born in 1964 in Aylesbury, UK. Lives and works in New York City.
Gillick’s work has been included in numerous important exhibitions including documenta, Berlin and Istanbul Biennales – representing Germany in 2009 in The 53rd Venice Biennale. Solo museum exhibitions have taken place at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Tate in London. He participated Okayama Art Summit 2016: Development as the artistic director, From April, 2023, his solo show “Filtered Time” (Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin, Germany) has been held.
David Horvitz
Born in 1982 in Los Angeles. Lives and works in Los Angeles.
Recent exhibitions include “Le Retour [The Return]” (Mrac Occitanie, Serignan, France) in 2023, “snap+share: transmitting photographs from mail art to social networks” (SF MoMA, California, US) in 2019, “Ocean of Images: New Photography” (Museum of Modern Art in New York, New York, US) and more.
John Knight
Born in 1945 in Los Angeles. Lives and works in Los Angeles.
Recent solo exhibitions include “John Knight” (Portikus, Frankfurt, Germany) in 2013, “Museotypes” (The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, US) in 2015, and more. Participated Whitney Biennial 2012.
Haim Steinbach
Born in 1944 in Rehovot, Israel. Lives and works in New York
Recent solo exhibitions include “fresh: Haim Steinbach and Objects from the Permanent Collection” (The Menil collection, Houston, US) in 2014, “every single day” (Museum Kurhaus Kleve, Germany) in 2018, “Public Space Artist Commissions” (The Museum of Modern Art, New York, US) in 2019, and more.
Lawrence Weiner
Born in New York, 1942-2021. Lived and worked in New York.
Recent solo exhibitions include “Some Moved Pictures of Lawrence Weiner” (Glasgow Museum of Contemporary Art, UK) in 2014, “As Far as The Eye Can See USA” (Whitney Museum of American Art, USA) in 2007. Exhibited internationally, including Documenta 2012 (Germany) and Sharjah Biennale 2007 (United Arab Emirates Federation), Okayama Art Summit 2016: Development (Japan) and many more.
