Postcards From Japan: A Message From Tohoku Artists at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

Postcards From Japan – A Message From Tohoku Artists
15 February – 22 April 2012

Yoshitomo Saito (1976–), Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture Building Up Hope, 2011 35 mm film mount, inkjet print on paper 5 3/4 x 8 1/4 in. (14.8 x 21 cm)

Ikon presents Postcards From Japan – A Message From Tohoku Artists, an exhibition marking the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit north east Japan on 11 March 2011.

In the aftermath of the disaster, electronic means of communication largely failed, making the use of landlines, mobile phones and internet extremely difficult. The post office, however, was quickly up and running and in many cases the first opportunity to report news of survival to loved ones was by postcard.

Postcards From Japan – A Message From Tohoku Artists is a collection of A5 artwork postcards by 22 artists from north east Japan who, in the face of tragedy, give an insight into the grace and resilience of the Japanese spirit. It will be exhibited in Ikon’s wooden stairwell, previously used for the presentation of recorded readings from On Kawara’s One Million Years, a seminal work concerned with human vulnerability.

The postcards include Leaves Painting: SUMI (2011), a composition using gold, platinum and silver leaf by respected artist Hisashi Momose; his wife lost eight members of her family from three generations in the tsunami. Yoshitomo Saito lost his studio and all his video equipment, but his family survived. His Building up Hope (2011) shows the artist with his child, illustrating the desire for recovery in time for the next generation. Megumi Honda’s Tenshin 2011 (2011) is made of shells collected from the shore in her hometown of Higashi-Matsushima after the disaster. Her six-year-old nephew just escaped the tsunami, but saw many of his friends and neighbours drown.

The exhibition is curated by Kate Thomson and Hironori Katagiri, who were working in Tohoku when the earthquake struck. Together the pair have voluntarily organised international exhibitions and projects to support recovery in Tohoku, encouraging local artists and their communities, and developing international cultural links.

The curators also invite artists and poets, of any age or stage in their career, to send tangible messages of support to communities affected by the earthquake by making A5 size original artwork or poetry postcards. These works will feature in Postcards to Japan, an exhibition to tour Japan. For more information visit www.postcardproject.org

Shigenobu Yoshida (1958–), Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture Light Bird, 2011 Acrylic on acrylic board 5 3/4 x 8 1/4 in. (14.8 x 21 cm)

A full colour catalogue is available from Ikon Shop, priced £5, with all profits going to support artists in Tohoku working on recovery projects in the regions hit by the tsunami.

Postcards From Japan – A Message From Tohoku Artists is supported by the Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

Associated Events

Meet the curators
Wednesday 15 February, 4–5pm – FREE
Café Ikon
Kate Thomson and Hironori Katagiri, curators of Postcards From Japan lead an
informal discussion about the exhibition and their personal experiences and
observations on the effect of the Japanese tsunami. They will also be signing copies
of the catalogue. No need to book, just drop in. Join us afterwards at the opening of
Ikon’s new exhibitions (6-8pm).

One Year On
Artist workshop with Elizabeth Rowe
Sunday 11 March 2012, 1–4pm – FREE*
To mark the first anniversary of the Japanese tsunami, artist Elizabeth Rowe leads an
afternoon of collage activity, giving visitors a chance to make their own creative
response to this poignant date. Suitable for all ages. No need to book, just drop in.
*We will be collecting donations for the Japanese Red Cross.