Mai Yamashita + Naoto Kobayashi
03 - 19 Dec 2010
MAI YAMASHITA + NAOTO KOBAYASHI
Going Mainstream
3rd - 19th December 2010
Mai Yamashita + Naoto Kobayashi's works show the two artists themselves, usually attempting to master apparently impossible and seemingly absurd ‘tasks’, whereby this process of realisation is always recorded on video. The seriousness and tenacity of Yamashita + Kobayashi's approach to their time-consuming, self-imposed tasks lends a characteristic comedy to their works, pointing with a mischievous wink to all kinds of human weaknesses and absurd everyday rituals.
In their latest project "Going Mainstream", Yamashita + Kobayashi ridicule the efforts to become famous - a part of the 'mainstream' - generally made by artists, themselves included. They do so by deliberately misinterpreting the term and 'going mainstream' by navigating the two biggest rivers in the world - the Amazon and the Nile - in a simple rubber dinghy, thereby exposing the pettiness of human ambition in face of nature and its magnificence. Impressions of this trip can now be seen at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in the form of a video projection, together with the original dinghy. The new work "Rubbing a Camel" is also being shown; a bronze camel sculpture and a short video, which is concerned in the humorous style typical of Yamashita + Kobayashi with people's hope that touching a sculpture or object in a special location - a 'lucky charm' - will bring good fortune.
More: http://www.yamashita-kobayashi.com
In addition to their project "Going Mainstream", Yamashita+Kobayashi will also present a video projection entitled "Many people ask me 'Don’t you miss Japan when you live abroad?'" which assembles works by Yu Araki, Are You Meaning Company, Atsushi Kaga, Fumiko Kobayashi, Aki Nakazawa, Yuki Okumura, Poh Wang and Yamashita + Kobayashi themselves concerning the topic of 'Living Abroad'. More: http://www.dontyoumissjapan.com
Mai Yamashita and Naoto Kobayashi have been working together as an artist couple since 2000.
They are currently participating in Künstlerhaus Bethanien's International Studio Programme.
Going Mainstream
3rd - 19th December 2010
Mai Yamashita + Naoto Kobayashi's works show the two artists themselves, usually attempting to master apparently impossible and seemingly absurd ‘tasks’, whereby this process of realisation is always recorded on video. The seriousness and tenacity of Yamashita + Kobayashi's approach to their time-consuming, self-imposed tasks lends a characteristic comedy to their works, pointing with a mischievous wink to all kinds of human weaknesses and absurd everyday rituals.
In their latest project "Going Mainstream", Yamashita + Kobayashi ridicule the efforts to become famous - a part of the 'mainstream' - generally made by artists, themselves included. They do so by deliberately misinterpreting the term and 'going mainstream' by navigating the two biggest rivers in the world - the Amazon and the Nile - in a simple rubber dinghy, thereby exposing the pettiness of human ambition in face of nature and its magnificence. Impressions of this trip can now be seen at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in the form of a video projection, together with the original dinghy. The new work "Rubbing a Camel" is also being shown; a bronze camel sculpture and a short video, which is concerned in the humorous style typical of Yamashita + Kobayashi with people's hope that touching a sculpture or object in a special location - a 'lucky charm' - will bring good fortune.
More: http://www.yamashita-kobayashi.com
In addition to their project "Going Mainstream", Yamashita+Kobayashi will also present a video projection entitled "Many people ask me 'Don’t you miss Japan when you live abroad?'" which assembles works by Yu Araki, Are You Meaning Company, Atsushi Kaga, Fumiko Kobayashi, Aki Nakazawa, Yuki Okumura, Poh Wang and Yamashita + Kobayashi themselves concerning the topic of 'Living Abroad'. More: http://www.dontyoumissjapan.com
Mai Yamashita and Naoto Kobayashi have been working together as an artist couple since 2000.
They are currently participating in Künstlerhaus Bethanien's International Studio Programme.