On the Agenda of the Arts　What game shall we play today?

Cultural diversity and the activities of New Art Centers

• Date：

  2008.10.25(Sat) - 2008.11.16(Sun)

  Closed：

  Mondays (or Tuesdays when Monday is a national holiday)

  Time：

  11:00 - 19:00

  Admission：

  Free

  Organize：

  Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, Tokyo Wonder Site

  Venue：

  TWS Shibuya

  Artist：

  Markus Ambach / Sara Dolatabadi / Deniz Gül / Iswanto Hartono / Ali Kays / Takashi Kuribayashi / Avi Sabah / Yanai Segal / Masha Zusman

  download event flyer (574.3 KB)

Tokyo Wonder Site and GOETHE-INSTITUT JAPAN continue the discussion about "On the Agenda of the Arts" from 2007. In today's globalized world, communities in industrialized countries are challenged by transformation. Traditional bonds are degrading, once homogeneous societies are becoming multi-cultural and diverse as a result of immigration. The meaning of being a community and the functions it needs to perform to accomplish its aims are shared issues in cities all over the world. How can we build a community which finds value in difference? It seems to us that the arts and its institutions can play an important role in this process. The sphere of the arts has unique ways of posing questions and initiating dialogue, thus providing new outlooks and contributing to the way we deal with issues in society.

With ever increasing social complexity and growing interdependencies in view, the potential of art and culture for community building should be tapped on. This project will examine the role of the arts and art institutions and their communicative performance in society.
The meaning of art in society is changing at the outset of the new century. Together with its protagonists we would like to have a close look at the direction and the meaning of this process.

■Related Event:
Round Table 1　　*Finished 　

What should be the role of the arts in a multicultural society? What are the challenges of art centers in society? In this round table artists and curators will discuss those and other questions and explore the potential of today's art in a global context.

・Date: October 25 (Sat.) 15:00-
・Venue: Tokyo Wonder Site Shibuya
・Admission: Free
・Participants: Melanie Bono(Germany) / Agung Hujatnika(Indonesia) /Yoshitaka Mouri(Japan)

Round Table 2　"1968-2008"　　*Finished 　

How do the 60´s and their climate of social transformation relate to today's society?
To what extent do we share similar issues and challenges with a time, which brought about change in many fields of society? In the international round table "1968 - 2008" curators and experts will discuss the relevance of "1968" for today, particularly in the field of the arts and the role of new art centers in society.

・Date: November 16 (Sun.) 15:00-
・Venue: Tokyo Wonder Site Shibuya
・Admission: Free
・Participants: Manuel Gogos (Germany) / Anke Hoffmann (Germany) / Yusaku Imamura (Japan) / Vasif Kortun (Turkey) / Bradley McCallum (U.S.A.) / Joji Yuasa (Japan)

"On the Agenda of the Arts" Website

Markus Ambach≪THE GARDENER - SERVICE. CARE. SUPPORT≫　2006、 SHOPWINDOW、TOOLS、PLANTS、400 x 150 x 100cm

Iswanto Hartono≪BLUE≫　2007、 STEEL、NEON LAMP、12 X 15 X 3 M、GALERI SOEMARDJA（Indonesia）

Avi Sabah≪JOSE≫　oil on paper、 3 panels、 65 x 165 cm

Yanai Segal≪Flies≫　2003、oil on linen、 30 x 40 cm

Masha Zusman≪House≫　2004、Ballpoint pen on wood、400 x 240 x 240cm

Sara Dolatabadi ≪ordinary fruit≫　2008、mono print on paper、40 x 30 cm

Takashi Kuribayashi≪Aquarium : I feel like I am in a fishbowl≫　2006、Mixed media、Singapore

Ali Kays≪Raafat Al Hajjan the third.≫ 2007、 video、 14min

Deniz Gül≪Wings of Desire≫　2004、roof tiles、 9.10 x 10 M