PROJECTS. INSTALLATIONS 1979 - 2002

Exhibition opening: 21.09, 6 p.m.
Meeting with the artist: 22 09, (Saturday)
11 a.m., Cinema/Auditorium Room

Patronage:
The Embassy of Japan in Warsaw

Media patronage:
Gazeta Wyborcza Daily
Telewizja Polska S.A./Polish Television
Architektura - Murator Monthly

Sponsors
THE JAPAN FOUNDATION
ANTALIS Poland - Paper Distribution
MURATOR Publishing House
HUTA SZK£A JAROSZOWIEC
TRADEX Sp. z o.o.,PAGED S.A.,
PROSPER S.A., K Grupa Konsultanci,
FAXON COLOR,
Hochtief Polska S.A. - BUDOKOR

TADASHI KAWAMATA

was born in 1953 on the island of Hokkaido and is one of the most outstanding Japanese artists who has been winning international acclaim since 1980. He has exhibited in the most prestigious galleries worldwide (projects in Paris, London, Toronto, Huston, New York), and participated in the Venice Biennial, documenta in Kassel and Biennial in Sao Paulo, to mention just a few.

Tadashi Kawamata - Toronto 1989

Kawamata creates projects which border on installation and architecture, his artistic interventions are focused on urban sites. The artist refers to the relationship between the artistic creation /material/ existing space, by composing the work into the existing environment and building a structural connection. Kawamata's works are ingenious simulations of urban situations - roads, bridges, passages, "private" spaces - they are unreal, unrealistic and non-functional objects. The artist relates to the urban chaos of modern cities which is invisible at first glance because it is hidden behind rational, planned structures. Kawamata builds over existing urban objects, facades and interiors with complicated labyrinths of scaffolding, creating a resemblance of architectural "cancer". He defies the rules of logic and symmetry, the laws of architectural rhythm and multi-level hierarchy, questioning the systems of habits linked to utility and aesthetics. His projects provoke associations with the polymorphous and equivocal nature of fractals.

Kawamata also introduces other elements into his installations, which are derived from the specific nature of the sites where he builds his objects. In France he built works with the use of thousands of chairs. In the old synagogue in Metz (Les chaises de traverse, 1998) he installed a structure which penetrated from the outside to inside the architectural object. The installation was spread out in space, located at bus stops over a distance of 25 kilometres, with chairs which connected the installation site with the distant city centre. Kawamata's projects which are currently implemented in Japan are strictly connected with the urban situation of cities and particular regions.

Tadashi Kawamata - Venice Biennal 1982

Kawamata will present a site specific work in the Centre for Contemporary Art. It will be created on site, within the architectural structure of Ujazdowski Castle.

The exhibition of Tadashi Kawamata's works will inaugurate a project which the artist has titled Reconstruction. The project will culminate in May of 2002 with the opening of a permanent installation by the artist in the excavated 19th century cellars located in the square just in front of Ujazdowski Castle.

22.09 (Saturday), 11 a.m., Cinema/Auditorium Room
Meeting with the artist

17.10 (Wednesday), 6 p.m., Cinema/Auditorium Room
Jaroslaw Lubiak, Margins of Architecture - Tadashi Kawamata