PRESS RELEASE
2021.7.

GENKYO YOKOO TADANORI
Sat. 17 Jul - Sun. 17 Oct, 2021 ／ Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

It’s not what to paint. It’s not how to paint. It’s not how to live…… – Tadanori Yokoo
We are delighted to announce the “GENKYO YOKOO TADANORI” exhibition to be held at Museum ofContemporary Art Tokyo from July 17 to October 17, 2021.
Since debuting in 1960s, Tadanori Yokoo has always been active on
the front lines as one of the leading contemporary artists, keeping
fascinating Japan and the world. The exhibition showcases thecomprehensive collection of Yokoo’s creative work that stretches
over 60 years. Yokoo himself supervised this exhibition for theMuseum of Contemporary Art Tokyo by reorganizing his successful
exhibition titled “GENKYO YOKOO TADANORI”, which was held at
the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art and drew much attention as theartist’s largest-ever exhibition. In this exhibition, more than 600
items will be on display, including his latest works shown to thepublic for the first time.
Yokoo has been depicting the “realm of imagination” ( 幻 境 ,Tadanori Yokoo, T+Y Self-portrait,

pronounced “genkyo”) as a wildly splendorous world of images that 2018 Private Collection
draw from the “original homeland” (原郷, also pronounced “genkyo”)
of all human souls. The exhibition will be an opportunity for witnessing
the “present state” (現況, again pronounced “genkyo”) of Tadanori Yokoo’s art.

Highlights
1. The largest-ever exhibition with the comprehensive look at Yokoo’s art
For 40 years since his so-called “painter’s declaration” in early 1980s, theartist Tadanori Yokoo has created a countless number of works using
everything in nature as motifs without adhering to any given style. “GENKYOYOKOO TADANORI” in Tokyo is the largest-ever exhibition featuring thecomprehensive collection of Yokoo’s art with more than 600 items, centeringon paintings. The exhibits also include his early graphic works.
Tadanori Yokoo, The Planet W,
2005 Collection of the Artist

2. Exhibition supervised by Tadanori Yokoo himself
Under the supervision of Tadanori Yokoo, the successful “GENKYOYOKOO TADANORI” exhibition held at Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art
under the theme of “A Visual Autobiography” has been reconstructedfrom the bottom up and reborn into a totally new one with more thanhalf of the works from the "GENKYO" exhibition replaced.
Tadanori Yokoo, Hanshan and Shide 2020,2019 Collection of the Artist

3. Unseen latest works revealed
The whole world is facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Under theunprecedented situation, Yokoo has shut himself up in his studio day
after day devoting himself to paintings, while refraining from going out
and receiving visitors. In this exhibition, more than 30 large paintings
Yokoo created between the last year and this year will be presented forthe first time.
Tadanori Yokoo, Expensive Purchase,2020 Collection of the Artist

4. Large sensory installation
In “Waterfall Installation”, the gallery walls are lined with over
10,000 postcards of waterfalls, which Yokoo collected as areference for drawing waterfall paintings.
The exhibits also include works from “WITH CORONA” series, which
are scattered throughout the museum. Yokoo has been posting the“WITH CORONA” series, a collage of his works or photos with amask motif, on Twitter and his blog since May, 2020.

[Reference photo] “Waterfall Installation”
at Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art

Profile of Tadanori Yokoo
Tadanori Yokoo
Tadanori Yokoo was born in 1936 in Nishiwaki, Hyogo Prefecture. After graduating fromhigh school, he started his career as a designer in Kobe, went to Tokyo in 1960 and became
widely known as a graphic designer and illustrator. In 1980, after seeing a comprehensive
Picasso retrospective exhibition at MoMA in New York, he set out to become a full-fledgedpainter. Using various techniques and styles, Yokoo has produced paintings on various
themes relating to all things in the universe, which made him an internationally acclaimed
artist. After 2000s, his works have been exhibited at many museums in Japan and the world;
Yokoo’s solo exhibitions were held at national and public museums in Japan and at thePhoto: Noriko Sunami,
2020

Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in Paris (2006). Yokoo Tadanori Museum ofContemporary Art opened in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture in 2012 and Teshima Yokoo House
opened in Teshima, Kagawa Prefecture in 2013.

Information◼

Exhibition Period ： Sat. 17 July - Sun. 17 October 2021◼

Venue ： Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo Exhibition Gallery 1F/3F (4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku, Tokyo)◼

Closed： Mondays (except 26 July, 2 August, 9 August, 30 August,20 September), 10 August, 21September◼

Opening Hours ： 10:00 - 18:00 (Tickets available until 30 minutes before closing.)◼

Admission ：Adults – 2,000yen / University & College Students, Over 65 – 1,300yen /High School & Junior High School Students – 800yen /Elementary School Students & Younger – Free◼

Organized by : Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for
History and Culture, The Asahi Shimbun, TV Asahi, Agency for Cultural Affairs,
Government of Japan, Japan Arts Council◼

Specially cooperated by : Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art, The National Museum of Art,
Osaka◼

Sponsored by : TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.

◼

Curated by : Yusuke Minami (Former Director, Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art)◼

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo website ：https://www.mot-art-museum.jp/◼

Exhibition special website ：https://genkyo-tadanoriyokoo.exhibit.jp/◼

Exhibition official Twitter ：@GENKYO_Yokooten◼

Contact

050-5541-8600 (Hello Dial) 7 days a week 9:00 - 20:00*Please note that schedules and other details are subject to change.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture
are carrying out this exhibition as part of the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL.

★Exhibition Official Catalogue
Official Guidebook“GENKYO YOKOO TADANORI Ⅰ”
Published by: Kokushokankokai Inc.
Price: 2,420 yen (2,200 yen without tax)
Official Catalogue
The definitive collection of works by an artist Tadanori Yokoo. A comprehensive
compilation covering about 900 images of Yokoo’s works. To be published in mid-NO IMAGE

July, 2021.
Touring Exhibitions Schedule
Sat. December 4, 2021 – Sun. January 23, 2022
Organized by: Oita Prefectural Art Museum operated by Oita Prefectural Arts, Culture and Sports Promotion
Foundation, The Asahi Shimbun
Specially cooperated by: Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art, The National Museum of Art, Osaka★Concurrent Exhibitions
MOT Annual 2021: A sea, a living room and a skull
MOT Collection
Press Contact“GENKYO YOKOO TADANORI” Exhibition Press Office (within Kyodo) Contact: Mitsui
Mail：genkyo-tadanoriyokoo.exhibit-pr@kyodo-pr.co.jp
Tel：+81-3-6264-2382