Rethinking a "Happy Future" Envisioned by Technology at KOTARO NUKAGA
Exploring R&D material from the field of art/design (No.7)

KOTARO NUKAGA

KOTARO NUKAGA (Tennozu)

Have you ever been in a gallery or art gallery? Generally speaking, most people are not familiar with galleries, as they are places where works of art are displayed and sold. When I was a student, I was extremely nervous about stepping across the threshold of a gallery, thinking, "I don't have any money, so why should I enter a place like this? But you don't have to be so nervous. You can go and look at the exhibits without the intention of making a purchase. Incidentally, the gallery's exhibitions are basically free of charge. Just stroll in and stroll out. Such a way of enjoying the gallery like a stroll is also allowed.

There are several areas in Tokyo that are home to many galleries, and the Ginza neighborhood has long been famous. In recent years, galleries have also been gathering in Tennozu, Shinagawa Ward, centering on TERRADA ART COMPLEX, a facility operated by Terada Warehouse Co.

In the corner of TERRADA ART COMPLEX is the "TERRADA ART COMPLEX", which we visited this time.KOTARO NUKAGA". The gallery is developing a highly unique program with cutting-edge artists from Japan and abroad.

Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow? Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow?

Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow? Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow?

The exhibition at KOTARO NUKAGA will be held from Saturday, November 2, 2024 to Saturday, January 25, 2025.Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow? Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow?". This exhibition is a solo exhibition consisting of three series of AI-based works by artist Sputniko! (Sputniko!), a solo exhibition consisting of three series of AI-based works. Sputniko! (Sputniko!), who states that this exhibition "reexamines the current location of the 'happy future' that we once envisioned with technology" (from the artist statement). "Are efficiency and convenience really connected to our happiness?" Does technology liberate us or become a new constraint? Can we still believe in the future?" These are the questions posed by the artists in this exhibition.

Is the act of efficiently searching for "four-leaf clovers" with the latest technology "happy?

Drone in Search for a Four-Leaf Clover.

The four-leaf clover, or four-leaf clover, is a well-known symbol of happiness. It is difficult to find, and when I was a child, people around me would look at me with envy if I found a four-leaf clover in a spring field. In this work, a drone flying slowly over the field took pictures of clovers growing in clusters, and the AI analyzed the images on the spot to find four-leaf clovers. The four-leaf clover, which I had been looking for so enthusiastically and happily, thinking that I would be happy if I found it, is now so easily found by the latest technology. I am forced to think, "Was this what I was looking for in technological progress?

Is there "happiness" in false "good omens"?

Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow?

Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow?", which has the same name as the title of this exhibition, is a video work that uses AI to simulate "colored clouds" (a phenomenon in which clouds near the sun appear to have seven colors, like a rainbow), which is said to be a good omen if seen. It is very beautiful, but it is a fake image, so to speak. Is this a good omen? I asked myself, "Is this a good omen? As I pondered why I felt so uncomfortable, I wondered if I was being too preoccupied with the "real thing" or "rarity.

Future possibilities indicated by art

Sputniko! (Sputniko!) Mr.

At the talk event "Intersection of Art and Technology to Change Society," held on November 9 (Sat.), Sputniko Sputniko, a Japanese artist, talked about the device she invented in 2010 to allow men to experience female menstruation and the video work that she created! mentioned a device she invented in 2010 that allows men to experience a woman's period, as well as her video work. At the time, this work was perceived as radical. Now, however, "it is more socially acceptable to support women's menstruation," said Sputniko! says. One sign of this is the recent emergence of the term "Femtech," which refers to products and services that use technology to solve women's specific health issues.
Thus, the question posed by the artwork, even if it seems radical at the moment, may be "something" in the future that we will eventually face.

Now, how about stopping by Tennozu to review your "happy future"?

Event Name

Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow? Can I Believe in a Fortunate Tomorrow?

session (of a legislature)

Saturday, November 2, 2024 - Saturday, January 25, 2025

venue

KOTARO NUKAGA (Tennozu)
TERRADA Art Complex II 1F, 1-32-8 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0002, Japan

opening hours of a gallery

11:00 - 18:00 (Tue-Sat)
Closed on Sundays, Mondays and holidays
Year-end and New Year holidays: December 27, 2024 (Fri.) - January 6, 2025 (Mon.)