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Quote by Yasumasa Morimura

“When we talk about contemporary art and contemporary artists, we usually imagine artists who are alive. But I feel very uncomfortable about placing a border between living artists and dead artists.”

Quote by Yasumasa Morimura

Author

Yasumasa Morimura

Yasumasa Morimura is a Japanese artist renowned for his unique photographic works. His art often involves exploring identity and challenging gender roles, conveying his views through imitating and portraying historical and contemporary celebrities. more

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“By putting a border line between life and death, we separate the world of death from our world of life, casting the dead away into the "world of oblivion".”

World Lines Borders Life And Death Our World Casting Oblivion Between Life And Death

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“The artists could be dead, but some of them are not so distant from us, and make us feel as if they are alive with us. Such artists are worth calling "contemporary artists".”

Ifs Feels Artist Alive Calling Contemporary

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“Leonard de Vinci, for example, is a great artist, but he is living in the past. However, I don't feel John Cage and Matsuzawa Yutaka as artists who live in the past. Their ideas are still alive in our world because they express the very important concerns of our age. That is why I could trust them as "contemporary artists".”

World Feels Stills Important Ideas Age Past Artist Alive Example Concern Contemporary Our World Cages Great Art Great Artist Living In The Past

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury raised cautions against mass media, especially the television, which dumb down human sensibilities and coerce everybody's thoughts into a single uniform value, allowing human to forget the fundamental action of "having one's opinion". As a result, the society deteriorates. I decided to exhibit [Edward] Kienholz's work which features television as its subject, as well as the Big Double Cross as works that represent this warning.”

“I think it is important to be aware that the Internet has replaced the television, and has become a place where the uniformity of human society is accelerated.”

Thinking Humans Important Television Internet Replaced Human Society Uniformity

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“I put priority on such artists who focus on the world of "oblivion" and who consider placing themselves into the world of "oblivion" as fundamental to their attitude for their expression.”

World Artist Attitude Focus Expression Fundamentals Priorities Oblivion

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“This is why there is not any artist who takes Internet as the theme. My position is quite the opposite to the current trend of art, but this is exactly why the title of my exhibition is "ART Fahrenheit 451".”

Art Artist Position Internet Opposites Currents Titles Theme Trends Exhibitions

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“"Triennale in the City" is a scheme that is of priority for the sponsoring local government. For many local governments, revitalization is an important mission for the local community, and, therefore, the attitude to achieve this mission through the cultural and/or artistic activities should not be denied.”

Should Important Government Community Cities Attitude Achieve Activity Missions Priorities Locals Artistic Denied Schemes Local Government Local Community Revitalization

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“Of course, I, like the sponsoring government, would like to have as many people as possible visit Yokohama Triennale. This is because I believe that art should not be monopolized by professionals and specialists.”

People Should Believe Art Government Courses I Believe Specialists

Author:Yasumasa Morimura

“I have always thought that it would be nice to not complete the exhibition in one place and close off the others as a result. Exhibitions should connect with various locations and promote exchange and interaction.”

Should Would Be Results Nice Various Interaction Being Nice Location Exhibitions

Author:Yasumasa Morimura