artists & participants
press release
The National Art Center, Tokyo & Mori Art Museum (Held simultaneously at two museums)
SUNSHOWER. Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now
Exhibition Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN / SUNSHOWER:
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 - Monday, October 23, 2017
The National Art Center, Tokyo, Mori Art Museum and the Japan Foundation Asia Center are proud to present “ SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now ” exhibition from Wednesday, July 5 through Monday, October 23, 2017. This is an aspiring exhibition to commemorate the year 2017 which happens to be the 50th anniversary of ASEAN ( Association of Southeast Asian Nations ) by showcasing the contemporary art of the region, and will be one of the largest Southeast Asian contemporary art exhibitions in history. Originally, the idea for the exhibition was conceived by the Director-General of the National Art Center, Tokyo, and Director of the Mori Art Museum - both located in the same Roppongi area of Tokyo - and was assented by The Japan Foundation. Three parties came together and set up a 14-member curatorial team for this first-ever joint exhibition. After a two-and-a-half-year-long field research conducted in the Southeast Asian region, the team selected approximately 180 artworks by 86 artist groups from the 10 ASEAN member countries to exhibit in the two museums.
This exhibition seeks to explore the development of contemporary art in Southeast Asia since the 1980s against the backdrop of the currents and fluctuations of the times from 9 different perspectives, and aims to capture its dynamism and diversity.
Sunshower - rain falling from clear skies – is a frequently-seen meteorological phenomenon in Southeast Asia. The post-WWII decolonization led the countries to democratization and internationalization despite periods of turmoil, but with the rapid economic and urban development that they have undergone in more recent years came truly drastic changes. It thus serves as a poetic metaphor for the region that has passed through various vicissitudes as well.