Tai Kwun | Tai Kwun Contemporary Art Museum presents the new exhibition "On Kawara: Law of Freedom, Freedom of Law"

Description

Media preview of "On Kawara: Law of Freedom, Freedom of Law", the world's first large-scale museum solo exhibition curated by Japanese avant-garde conceptual artist On Kawara after his death. The exhibition title echoes Kawara’s ongoing negotiation between self-regulation and the embrace of freedom, exploring his unique and consistent artistic practice to confront the “fate” shaped by the biopolitical conditions of contemporary society.

On Kawara's rich creations are highly conceptual, promoting an artistic language centered on text, transcending traditional aesthetics, and demonstrating subversive expression of ideas. This exhibition is the first to be held ten years after the artist’s death in 2014. It presents his representative “Date Painting” series as well as famous works created using postcards, telegrams and other communication tools of the time, thereby marking his existence as a global citizen and establishing connections with others. These ritual practices, which silently accumulate, record and share moments of life, are still thought-provoking today, reflecting the habit of contemporary people to check in and update their status on digital platforms.

On Kawara visited Hong Kong on his 46th birthday in 1978. A special exhibition area of ​​the exhibition focuses on his visit to Hong Kong, highlighting his deep ties with the Asia-Pacific region. During his stay in Hong Kong, Kawara continued his daily ritual of creating “date paintings” and meticulously documented his every move through other ongoing series, including “I Meet,” “I Walk,” “I Get Up,” and “I’m Still Alive.” These works not only trace Kawara On’s footprints in Hong Kong, but also integrate his global works into the local context. In addition, the exhibition will also feature live readings of "One Million Years" every day to continue the vitality of the exhibition.

This exhibition is one of the important summer exhibition series of Tai Kwun Contemporary Art Museum, focusing on artistic pioneers who have had a profound impact on contemporary art and life.