Article
Eyes on Japanese sexuality
Masashi Iwasaki is a Japanese contemporary artist who has explored the interaction between man and media, creating a series of artworks through computer graphics since the late ´80s. His current concern is the visualisation for "information" and "body",
creating a series of self-portrait works.
The Japanese photographer, Masashi Iwasaki, focuses his lens on body and sexuality.
Masashi Iwasaki has made a funny photo exhibition, called Inertia, together with Tadasu Takamine and Masashi Iwasaki.
Not so much a bare-knuckle ride as a frightening bare-crotch trip across Japan on the roof of the bullet train. A woman lies on the train roof, a camera aimed between her legs. The world is a furious blur, except for that view of her pantyhose as her dress flails up in the slipstream. This, surely, is about sex, with the possibility of catastrophe and death adding to its terrible energy.
With Inertia Iwasaki continue in the vein of minimalist performance video with an undeniable Japanese sensibility. The approach is both simple and extreme, raising many questions on sex and violence, speed and technology, control and chaos and infatuation and fear. The sheer exhilaration of Inertia forces the viewer to quickly puzzle together signs and meanings; the installation becomes a sort of intellectual video game where the heroine needs to be saved by semiotics. Luckily, the artists´ playfulness makes Inertia an accessible work, which will excite anyone courageous enough to stand in front of it.
Masashi Iwasaki has made a funny photo exhibition, called Inertia, together with Tadasu Takamine and Masashi Iwasaki.
Not so much a bare-knuckle ride as a frightening bare-crotch trip across Japan on the roof of the bullet train. A woman lies on the train roof, a camera aimed between her legs. The world is a furious blur, except for that view of her pantyhose as her dress flails up in the slipstream. This, surely, is about sex, with the possibility of catastrophe and death adding to its terrible energy.
With Inertia Iwasaki continue in the vein of minimalist performance video with an undeniable Japanese sensibility. The approach is both simple and extreme, raising many questions on sex and violence, speed and technology, control and chaos and infatuation and fear. The sheer exhilaration of Inertia forces the viewer to quickly puzzle together signs and meanings; the installation becomes a sort of intellectual video game where the heroine needs to be saved by semiotics. Luckily, the artists´ playfulness makes Inertia an accessible work, which will excite anyone courageous enough to stand in front of it.
Author: Karin Bergquist
Bio
1966: Masashi Iwasaki was born in Osaka, Japan
1987: Graduated from Kyoto College of Art Computer Graphics Course
1989: Graduated from Kyoto College of Art Computer Graphics Honors Course
2002: Conferred the Bachelor´s Degree in Fine Art by National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation
Masashi Iwasaki lives and works in Kyoto, Japan.
Selected Recent Solo Exhibitions:
2002: Roundandround, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
2000:Fragmentation, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
1999:Quiet Quadrangle, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Selected Recent Group Exhibition:
2003:Kyoto Art and Craft Fresh Selection; New Wave 2003, The Museum of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
The Honeycomb Show, Honenin Temple, Kyoto, Japan
2002:Iwaki CG Festival 2002, Kameda Castle Museum of the Art, Akita, Japan
2001: The Underneath, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Exit, Cretail Maison des Arts, Paris, France
Facts of Life, Contemporary Japenese Art, Hayward Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Stay with Art; the Room that View is Good, Hotel;Point, Osaka, Japan
2000: The flower of 100 blooms all over, Gallery Raku, Kyoto, Japan
Art Wort on ZP 4, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Figurative Sense, Kyoto Art Center, Kyoto, Japan
1987: Graduated from Kyoto College of Art Computer Graphics Course
1989: Graduated from Kyoto College of Art Computer Graphics Honors Course
2002: Conferred the Bachelor´s Degree in Fine Art by National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation
Masashi Iwasaki lives and works in Kyoto, Japan.
Selected Recent Solo Exhibitions:
2002: Roundandround, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
2000:Fragmentation, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
1999:Quiet Quadrangle, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Selected Recent Group Exhibition:
2003:Kyoto Art and Craft Fresh Selection; New Wave 2003, The Museum of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
The Honeycomb Show, Honenin Temple, Kyoto, Japan
2002:Iwaki CG Festival 2002, Kameda Castle Museum of the Art, Akita, Japan
2001: The Underneath, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Exit, Cretail Maison des Arts, Paris, France
Facts of Life, Contemporary Japenese Art, Hayward Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Stay with Art; the Room that View is Good, Hotel;Point, Osaka, Japan
2000: The flower of 100 blooms all over, Gallery Raku, Kyoto, Japan
Art Wort on ZP 4, Voice Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Figurative Sense, Kyoto Art Center, Kyoto, Japan
Works
Inertia
Exhibition / Installation,
2003
Projects
This artist took part in the following project(s) organized/funded by the culturebase.net partner institutions.
Images of Asia
(08 August 03 - 26 September 03)
