biscuit gallery Curator Projects Vol. 2 − Group Exhibition Curated by Waxogawa Enlightened Things in a Way to Home

This time, biscuit gallery will hold a group exhibition curated by waxogawa, “帰路にまざまざと知る,” as the second installment of “biscuit gallery Curator Projects,” a project supporting the activities of emerging curators. The exhibition will run from February 1, 2024, across all three floors of biscuit gallery.

On Saturday, February 3rd, a talk show “長い沈黙。” [Long silence.] will also be held, featuring curator waxogawa and Rintaro Fuse.

biscuit gallery launched “biscuit gallery Curator Projects” in 2022 to support the activities of emerging curators. The first installment was a two-person exhibition “影をしたためる notes of shadows” by Tatsushi Kikutani and Harubi Maeda, curated by Riho Matsue (currently curator at Saitama Museum of Modern Art), held in September 2022.

The exhibition was well-received, and subsequently the gallery broadly solicited proposals for new projects, receiving many submissions. The new project selected from these proposals is the group exhibition “帰路にまざまざと知る,” curated by waxogawa, which is being held this time. The selection was based not only on the strength of the concept but also on the realistic content of the plan and concrete action plans for its realization.

The six participating artists are Christos Mavrodis (Netherlands), Yuan Fangzhou (China), Kotaro Tanaka, Lily Spacey, Nana Soeda, and pelonmi (all domestic). The exhibition runs from February 1 to February 18, 2024.

Yuan Fangzhou “海のあおをここに持ってくる” glass, 230×610×410mm, 2020

The curator for this project, waxogawa, is currently enrolled in the Master’s program at Keio University’s Graduate School of Policy and Media. Previous exhibitions include “cubed of conjunction” (2022, Shinjuku Ophthalmology Gallery) and “kɯ̟ᵝzɨᵝɾe̞^崩れ” (2023, Decameron).

waxogawa, who has congenital severe bilateral hearing loss, has curated exhibitions from a position not belonging to any specific field, but rather from the margins of academia and art education, and from the periphery of majority/minority positions.

waxogawa From past exhibitions. From kɯ̟ᵝzɨᵝɾe̞^崩れ (2023, Decameron).

The “帰路” (return journey) in the exhibition title symbolizes the journey home from language training that waxogawa experienced in childhood—the memories of parents dropping off and picking up, the weekly trips to the hospital ward spanning five hours round trip, the succession of taillights on the highway, and the opening to society through the process of language acquisition.

This project embodies waxogawa’s desire to practice “standing alone and solitary yet joyfully” from their own position and experience.

The new works of the six artists who sympathize with waxogawa’s vision will be presented in this exhibition using all three floors of biscuit gallery.

This project is planned to continue in the future.

 

Curator Profile

Rakuo Ogawa | waxogawa

Born in 2001, deaf with congenital severe bilateral hearing loss. Acquired language through language training. Currently enrolled in the Master’s program at Keio University’s Graduate School of Policy and Media.

Previously served as a third-generation fellow in the Art Management Development Program for Art-Oriented Society at Tokyo University’s AMSEA, and as co-director of the regional art festival “Minato Media Museum,” engaging in art management theory and practice. Currently active as a member of the artist-run residence “6okken” located in Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture. Curator at NEORT++ (Nihonbashi, Bakurocho).

https://waxogawa.pb.online/

Artist Profiles

Yuan Fangzhou

Born in Liaoning Province, China. After graduating from Tsinghua University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, Craft Specialization in 2018, relocated to Japan. Completed the Master’s program in the Department of Craft at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2020. Currently enrolled in the doctoral program of the Department of Craft at Tokyo University of the Arts and active mainly in Tokyo. Focusing on the relationships between people, objects, and nature, based on their own philosophy influenced by post-minimalism and Eastern philosophy such as Buddhism, waxogawa develops works that intersect multiple media and techniques including three-dimensional forms, paintings, and video centered on glass materials.

https://www.yuanfangzhou.com/

Christos Mavrodis

Born in Greece in 1995. After specializing in audio-visual art, currently based in the Netherlands. Engaging in artistic practice in spaces where fictional works appear, reflecting the complexity of contemporary life. His creative process emphasizes improvisation and intuition, presenting a semantic environment that evokes a sense of reflection and introspection through organic connections between works. This becomes an opportunity to confront fundamental questions about existence and the mystery of experience.

https://christosmavrodis.com/

Nana Soeda

Studied art in Japan and London. Influenced by Asian toys, signage, and junk, expresses affection for “cheapness” and anger and sadness toward the indiscriminate aspects of society through flat works, three-dimensional pieces, and animation. Held a solo exhibition at “YUKIKO MIZUTANI” in Terada Art Complex II in 2023. Additionally participates in various projects and exhibitions including the “3D ART PROJECT” organized by Mitsukoshi Isetan and the festival “P.O.N.D” at Shibuya Parco.

https://www.nanasoeda.com/

Kotaro Tanaka

Born in 2001. Primarily creates three-dimensional expressions dealing with reverberations born within materials. After graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts’ Faculty of Music, continues creative activities while working on exhibition installation.

https://www.instagram.com/kota.ko.t/

pelonmi

Born in 1987. Paints things seen and felt daily.

https://www.instagram.com/pelonmi_/

Lily Spacey

Born in Aomori in 1998. After graduating from Keio University’s Faculty of Environmental Information, relocated to Osaka and creates music and animation.

https://www.instagram.com/lilyspacey/

 

waxogawa (Rakuo Ogawa) × Rintaro Fuse Talk Event “長い沈黙。” [Long silence.]

Date and Time: Saturday, February 3rd, 2024, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Venue: biscuit gallery 3F
Capacity: 10 people (advance registration required)
Free admission

To apply, please click here

We will hold a talk event “長い沈黙。” with Ogawa, who takes the stance that “speaking using words is not a given,” and Fuse, who considers the recovery of “solitude” and “being two.”

In this exhibition, “poetry” is woven into various places, but what is “silence” in this “poetry”? Or do words still have possibilities unique to “poetry”? With themes such as disability as a wound encoded at the DNA level and translation as self-introduction, we will open the “silence” that slowly and sporadically begins to speak.

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