This exhibition, entitled Paradoxa: Japanese Art Today, celebrates the 150th anniversary of relations between Japan and Italy, bringing together five of the most important representatives of Japanese contemporary art, including the artist Tatzu Nishi, whose debut in Italy is to be marked by a special site-specific installation here in Udine.

The exhibition is but one of a series of events to be held throughout the country in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Italian-Japanese relations and has been planned as part of the annual Far East Film Festival events programme. Running until 28 August 2016, the event includes a group exhibition at Casa Cavazzini and a special art project in Piazza Libertà.

Site specific installation in Piazza Libertà

Paradoxa releases itself from the confines of the museum and in Udine, the first of the Italian cities to host the nationwide event, this takes the form of a site specific installation by Nishi, the Japanese artist who is forever changing his name - on this occasion, assuming the pseudonym Taturo Atzu – and who seeks through his artistic interventions to transform monumental art and hence the visual and public identity of cities,  changing them into intimate and private spaces accessible to users, i.e. the public.  Siting his installation around one of the most famous symbols of Piazza Libertà, the Statue of Justice, the artist will build a true living space, surrounding the monument with household objects

The Venetian square, enclosed by important historical buildings of the 15th and 16th centuries and dominated by the Castle, will enter into an interplay with contemporary art, one which, with disruptive effect, invites citizens to reclaim urban spaces.

Exhibition at Casa Cavazzini showcasing works realized specifically for Paradoxa  

To stimulate further reflection, Udine’s modern and contemporary art museum, Casa Cavazzini, will be hosting a complimentary exhibition of Japanese artists’ works realized specifically for the occasion, together with examples of object art. 

Designed remotely, these artworks will be produced and installed by young local artists and will include works by Takahiro Iwasaki, Manya Kato, Taro Izumi, and Yuuki Matsumura. Iwasaki’s work, which is visible only with the aid of a special telescope, recreates tiny miniatures of buildings from the surrounding landscape fashioned from fragile and perishable materials, such as hair and textile fibres, while Manya Kato, with similar intent, converts objects, placing them in irrational contexts that challenge conventional cognitive models. For his part, Taro Izumi focuses on the deconstruction of everyday objects, whereas Yuuki Matsumura reproduces an array of absurd and highly creative pieces from damaged objects.  

Building on the legacy established by the Far East Film Festival, which explores the cinematography of the Far East,   Paradoxa is a three-year project initiated by the Civic Museums of Udine with the aim of exploring the contemporary art scene of the region. Following this initial edition on Japan, the project will continue in 2017 and 2018 with monographic exhibitions of China and South Korea. 

Paradoxa: Arte giapponese oggi

- Udine, Piazza Libertà (site-specific installation)
- Udine, Casa Cavazzini (Museo d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea), Via Cavour 14.

Duration: 17 April to 28 August 2016
Opening hours: 17 to 21 April: 10:30 to 17:00; from April 22 to August 28: 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays

Admission: Adults € 5.00; concessions € 2.50
Information: tel. 0432 1273772; email - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; website -  www.casacavazzini.it
Curator: Denis Viva
Patronage: Embassy of Japan - 150th Anniversary of relations between Japan and Italy
Main Sponsor - Illycaffè
Technical sponsor - Calligaris S.p.A.