The Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2022

2022/3/31: Post-screening talk videos, Concept book overview, Review by Iioka Riku, etc. are available.

The pandemic, an event that none of us had ever experienced before, has caused significant changes in everyday life. The visual media that are increasingly penetrating our daily routine, have become familiar tools for reflecting the various transformations in the realms of society, politics, economics and culture.
In this day and age, easy access to visual media on multiple levels and dimensions, through communication on social media platforms in particular, has made information on any kind of event – be it a festive occasion, a war or a natural disaster – come across as a spectacle of sorts.*
The term “spectacle” is commonly used for describing a magnificent landscape or scenery, and often also some kind of show event. Being partly an optical technical term, the original Latin word “spectaculum” referred at once to such extraordinary natural occurrences as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. With the emergence of modern states in the 19th century, our perception of natural disasters was transformed by expositions, photographs and movies, through visual recreations of such events as great spectacles and magnificent sights.
Themed “After the Spectacle,” the 14th edition of the Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions examines the history of the (moving) image and expositions from the 19th and 20th century up to the present. In addition to displays and screenings of pieces by contemporary artists, and related events, the program was expanded with the aim to further explore the possibilities of visual media. Among others, this time it encompasses a project in which guest curator Kohara Masashi links documents related to the history of expositions to the museum’s own collection; an online movie project by the up-and-coming filmmaker Endo Maiko; and educational programs aimed to connect visitors to a rather broad range of works.

*In The Society of the Spectacle, published in 1967, French philosopher Guy Debord proposed the concept of the “spectacle” as referring to a contemporary society based on “images,” rather than limiting the term to the meaning of a “spectacular event.” Society of the spectacle is what he calls a society that passively identifies with images that are implanted in it through the media.

Yebisu International Festival for Art and Alternative Visions 2022 published a concept book　for the first time. This book contains 11 keywords to decipher the theme 'After the Spectacle', as well as essays by four of the festival's most prestigious authors (KOHARA Masashi, FUJIHATA Masaki, May Adadol INGAWANIJ and HASE Masato).

DETAILS

Exhibition | 3F/2F/B1F Exhibition Galleries, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

As part of the Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2022, various types of exhibits will be on display at three exhibition spaces of the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, in line with the festival’s general theme, “After the Spectacle.” Revolving around a project in which guest curator, filmmaker and photography researcher Kohara Masashi links the museum’s collection to documents related to expositions, the program on the third floor examines the subject matter from the viewpoint of history, from international expositions in the 19th century up to the present. On the second and basement floors, a broad array of works by contemporary artists further stimulate the visitor’s experience and exploration of the festival’s general theme.

Screening | 1F Hall, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

The 1F Hall of the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum functions as a venue for daily screening programs that were assembled specifically for the Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions. The diverse lineup of works by creators from Japan and abroad ranges from feature-length movies to experimental films, documentaries and animations, as well as pieces of contemporary art. Some of the titles are shown in Japan for the first time. The screenings will be followed by talk sessions with the respective movies’ directors and other special guests.

Live Event | 2F Exhibition Gallery/2F Lobby/1F Hall, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

Staged in the Hall, Lobby and Exhibition Gallery of the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum’s first and second floors, are performances that push the boundaries of conventional visual expression. Visitors can look forward to experiencing the museum setting in a completely different kind of light.

Off-site Project | Center Square of Yebisu Garden Place

An artwork will be installed for all visitors to experience at the outdoor location of the Center Square right in the middle of Yebisu Garden Place.

YEBIZO MEETS Partnership Program | Affiliated local facilities, galleries, online platforms, etc.

YEBIZO MEETS Partnership Program is organized by the Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions, together with local cultural facilities and networks. Exhibitions and other events realized in cooperation with the local community, take place at various locations during the Festival.

YEBIZO MEETS Educational Program｜1F Studio, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

A range of educational programs, including viewing support programs that can be carried out unaffected by the situation with COVID-19, will be offered as additional options to enjoy the festival in yet new ways.

Online Film

Also during the period of the Festival, the up-and-coming filmmaker Endo Maiko will present her latest online film project. This will be an opportunity for the audience to take a step further from online viewing/listening as a familiar practice during the pandemic, and discover an excitingly new kind of visual experience.

Lounge Talk

The list of the festival’s attractions is completed by talk sessions with featured artists and other special guests, which will take place on an open Internet platform that is freely accessible to anyone.