June 1st – July 7th, 2024
Open: Wed.-Fri. 13:00-19:00 / Sat.& Sun. 12:00-18:00
Closed: Mon.& Tue.
Opening reception: Sat. June 1st, 17:00-19:00

Special Screening Event : Saturday June 22, 18:30 – 19:30
Fee: 500yen (with souvenir)

MUJIN-TO Production is pleased to announce solo exhibition contact by Yoko Asakai.

This exhibition is a continuation of Asakai’s previous exhibition touch held over the winter of 2021 – 2022. Two years after her last solo exhibition, which featured a series of works created during the state of emergency declared amid the Covid-19 pandemic, when movement and action were restricted, she will present a new video work, Distance, in which she continued to film furthermore on these years.

During the pandemic, “keep distance from each other” was an important issue as part of infection control measures. In order to minimize contact with people, people were required to wear masks, avoid enclosed space, and ensure social distancing, which forced drastic changes in daily life.

These restrictions also affected a variety of events and occasions. Fireworks festivals across Japan were forced to cancel one after another, but fireworks remained popular as a summer tradition despite changes in the format and viewing style, such as “surprise fireworks festivals” where the date, time, and location were kept secret to avoid overcrowding, and handheld fireworks that can be easily enjoyed by individuals, once again gaining popularity.

Distance, the main work in this exhibition is a sequel to Bubble (2021) which was exhibited in previous exhibition.

The two video works are taking themes on the phenomenon around the fireworks during the pandemic that emerged as a byproduct of social restrictions from different perspectives. Bubble left a strong impression on viewers with its depiction of a deserted city under a state of emergency, the view from a window, and people gathering in a park at night to enjoy handheld fireworks while wearing masks and keeping their distance. In the new work Distance, the distance between people and the crowds watching the fireworks is recorded as it changed during the period of self-restraint and the resumption of the fireworks festivals.

The “new normal” advocated during the pandemic created a situation that was reversed from the norm, with people feeling a strong need to maintain physical distance, while at the same time seeking emotional connection. While the title of the previous solo exhibition, touch, was given to a situation in which the touch of the everyday became scarce under the state of emergency declaration, the title of this exhibition, contact, focuses on physical contact and emotional connection.

One year has passed since covid-19 moved to the 5th category, and in the “everyday life as it was before,” has the sense of distance from the world we live in changed or not? Through Asakai’s images, we would like you to reconfirm Distance – the pandemic and the current situation, which we are already beginning to see as a thing of the past.

A special screening of Bubble and Distance will be held on July 22nd.