Katsumi Asaba chose the title for this exhibition in resonance with the concept of "assimilation" put forward by art historian Yuji Yamashita as a keyword connecting Japanese art traditions and contemporary design. The exhibition space was of extreme density – intermingling works inimitably sublimated from everything that Asaba, a man of intense curiosity and ambition, sees, hears and ingests, from the most noble pursuits to sub- and pop culture, together with paste-ups related to his past works, collages of his manuscript materials, and his own diaries of enormous bulk.
ID
ddd_206
Exhibition Name
Asaba's Assimilation: Katsumi Asaba Exhibition
Period
January 15, 2016–March 19, 2016
Exhibition Type
Traveling exhibition from ggg to ddd
Venue
ddd Uzumasa, Kyoto
Featured Designers
Poster Designers
January 15, 2016
Gallery Talk
kyoto ddd gallery- Participants: ASABA Katsumi、YAMASHITA Yuji
The talk guest, Mr. Yanashita advanced the concept of "assimilation" as his keyword linking Japanese art traditions and contemporary design, and Mr. Asaba, in whom this word resonated deeply, chose it for the title of his exhibition. The talk between these two highly compatible men, was thus an extremely enjoyable occasion. "Asaba-san, you assimilate not only Japanese art but everything under the sun!" Mr. Yamashita quipped, and from there the topics expanded out in all directions: to Mr. Asaba's quest after writing systems around the world, to his table tennis tour, to the Tokyo Olympics, to Shizuka Shirakawa, to the "power of growing old2 espoused by Genpei Akasegawa. They also spoke at length about the enormous volume of Mr. Asaba's diaries and pasteup collages on exhibit, as well as unknown facts behind the creation of his representative posters and advertisements. They also touched on writing systems, calligraphy, and the importance of moving one's hand.
Gallery
Photographer: YOSHIDA Akihito