"SPACE ODYSSEY : The Mystery and Beauty of Outer Space"
2001-02-10 until 2001-05-06
Art Tower Mito
Mito-shi, IB, JP

One of the footprints left by humankind in the 20th century has been its venture into outer space. Thanks to the development of science and technology and the activities of astronauts/cosmonauts, space has been brought into our living rooms, so to speak, becoming ever more familiar. In the 1990s, the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope beyond the confines of the atmosphere has enabled us those of us back on earth to see photographs revealing aspects of space never known (or knowable) before. In 1999, also, Japan completed the construction of the Subaru Telescope on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. Those telescopes have allowed us to further apprehend and appreciate the beautiful appearance of the cosmos. Spatial objects have captured the imagination of artists as well as scientists, as one can regard the appearance of spatial objects as a kind of abstract painting, with their mysterious and multifarious shapes and colors. Some of those artists have been compelled to produce artistic works based on planetary, stellar and galactic forms.

Art Tower Mito's SPACE ODYSSEY exhibition focuses on the mystery and beauty of outer space, particularly the ties that link human beings and space. It consists of paintings, photographs, installations and images. Furthermore, we have arranged lectures, with the cooperation of astronomers, dwelling on the theme of human beings amidst the vastness and greatness of space. We also plan to hold a workshop for participants to personally experience space.

Featured Artists and Works: Michael Light (US), Charles & Ray Eames (US), Thomas Shannon (US), John McCracken(US), David Malin (Australia), Wenyon & Gamble (US & Britain), Thomas Ruff (Germany), Hiroyuki Moriwaki(Japan), Jiro Hirano (Japan), Akira Kanayama(Japan) Photographs by the Hubble space telescope and by the Subaru telescope, etc.

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for Japan

Other Important Exhibitions in Japan