In the previous fiscal year, the museum acquired A Theory of Sculpture (Counting) & Primer (1969-73), an important work by the American conceptual artist Mel Bochner. In this edition of the collection exhibition, we consider conceptual art by presenting this new acquisition as well as a selection of works from the same period by Japanese artists.
Over his nearly 60-year career, Mel Bochner (b. 1940) has played a central role in conceptual art, creating work in a wide range of media, including sculptures, installations, paintings, drawings, and photographs. A Theory of Sculpture (Counting) & Primer exemplifies Bochner’s overall sense of inquisitiveness, particularly as it relates to the fundamental concepts that lie at the heart of sculpture. Meanwhile, Bochner’s drawings have been lauded for his trademark approach of challenging rigid definitions of drawing while also consistently questioning what it means to draw.
In conjunction with Bochner’s works, we present works by a number of Japanese artists who were active during the same period, including Arakawa Shusaku, Kawara On, Takamatsu Jiro, Yoko Ono, Saito Takako, and Shiomi Mieko (aka Chieko).
