KANA KAWANISHI GALLERY is pleased to announce the opening of Junya Kataoka + Rie Iwatake’s solo exhibition, As the inevitable spin of a light bulb and a fan on a marble slab, which will be the first occasion to showcase the works of the artist duo at our gallery.

Junya Kataoka + Rie Iwatake started showcasing their works together as combined installations in 2013 while they both participated in a residency program in Paris, and since then, have been showcasing actively and internationally in projects such as Bloc Projects (Sheffield, UK, 2019) and Ostrale Biennale 019 (Dresden, Germany, 2019) both already in 2019. Their works consist of kinetic works that feature unique behaviors of mundane everyday objects such as light bulbs and tableware, as well as delicate collage works combining various materials and fragments that visually transcend the layers of time and space.

The title of this exhibition, As the inevitable spin of a light bulb and a fan on a marble slab, refers to the quote "As the encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella on an operation table" by Comte de Lautréamount (Isidore Lucien Ducasse / 1846-1870 / France). (*1) The quote has been heavily featured by Surrealist artists who follow the dépaysement philosophy; the method used in art to evoke a situation of discomfort by displacing matters away from its original context. (*2)

Artists such as Giorgio de Chirico, René Magritte, Salvador Dali, Man Ray, and Marcel Duchamp have created works directly referring to this quote, however, the uniqueness in the works of Kataoka + Iwatake lay in how the works connote a sense of neutrality even while having displacement within themselves. 

For example, hidden attributions of everyday materials such as a smooth turn of a light bulb or a movement created by tracing the rugged surfaces of sea cucumber are featured in their kinetic works, while they naturally become reallocated into daily life. Their collage work feature motifs transcending dimensions of time and space and layers of printing and hand-drawings, while they result as an exquisite piece of two-dimensional work that continuously stimulates the viewers’ curiosity.

This exhibition will not only introduce their representative works, but also the new works of the artist duo. We cordially look forward to welcoming all to the first occasion of introducing the solo exhibition by Junya Kataoka + Rie Iwatake at our gallery.