The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto has regularly held specially-themed small-scale exhibitions within its Collection Gallery, showcasing the research results of their curators. Beginning in April 2008, this practice will be expanded in the form of a new program entitled Curatorial Studies. This program will extend the subject of research beyond the works in the collection, including issues that the curators have faced in the course of their work. Experts and artists from outside of the museum will be invited to participate according to each topic, and the results will be presented in various forms, such as exhibits, essays, and oral presentations. The museum hopes that the Curatorial Studies series will serve as the foundation of future exhibitions and further studies. The inaugural theme is fashion. Yuko Nakahigashi, who works in the borderline territory of Clothes\Fashion and is the director of CENTER EAST, was selected as the research partner. With the curators of The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, the exhibition will contemplate Clothes\Fashion in the context of art museums. *Exhibiting at a section of 1F [Image: From "CENTER EAST No. 7 [costume 2] —clothes as existence—" (2007) Photo: KAWAMOTO Shiori Place: Gallery Gallery]

*For more information visit the URL below.

*For more information, please visit the URL below.

"Art Rules" is an ongoing performance/installation project featuring Chicks on Speed, a multinational art/music/fashion group that is also well-known as an electroclash band, and artist Douglas Gordon. Focusing on themes such as feminism and punk, the multidisciplinary collective has taken their project to major museums around the world, such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York, 2006) and the Pompidou Centre (Paris, 2007). The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto is the only venue scheduled in Japan. Live performance: May 3rd (Sat/Holiday) 19:30- Fee 3000 yen Lecture: April 29th (Tue/Holiday) 18:00-19:30 Free *For more information please visit the URL below.

The exhibition features works by students at Osaka Geijutsu University's design department. The artists have used daisy as their theme, expressing a girl's innocence, peacefulness, and hopefulness.

This presentation is in two parts and will change the way people look at things around them. Part one teaches a method of how to raise one's visual awareness in general. Part two shows a way how to use random images in all kinds of design projects. *The presentation will be conducted in English.

After WWII, "Kasutori," a secretly-made alcoholic beverage made from rice or potatoes became very popular. During this time, Japan was facing a post-war crisis along with a rapidly growing black market and constant drama both socially and politically. The photographs of the exhibition reflect this state.

[Image: "Trois veres d'aperitif" (1960) lithograph 71x103cm]

This exhibition attempts to examine Kansai in the 1980s through the movement called "Kansai New Wave". The first part of this series features Kodai Nakahara and Noriyasu Fukushima. In 1983, Fukushima was an assistant professor and Nakahara was a student at the sculpture department of Kyoto City University of Arts. For some reason, both artists were obsessed with depicting pine trees... In conjunction with the exhibition, a special book will be released. [Image: "Pine tree Installation Atom Boy" (1983)]

Sanae Nishio creates minimalist works inspired by electronic music. After completing her master's degree in Hioshima, this will be her first solo exhibition featuring works created between 2007 and now. Her series titled "surface," utilizes a Japanese painting method using pigment and Japanese paper. The subjects depicted range from the sky, light, people, and high-rise buildings, and through Nishio's touch, look like they are photographs taken with a high-speed camera. During the exhibition period, artist Takanori Shiraishi will provide a sound installation mixing techno, hip hop, and electronica. *Exhibiting at space 1F/2F Party: March 29th (Sat) 18:00-20:00

For this year's artist in residence program, Johannes Lenhart from Dusseldorf, Germany, was selected. Beginning February 18th, the artist will build the sculptural piece "Concha (Seashell)" with cardboard. The exhibition that will start in March will have the piece on display along with in-process sketches, drawings, and photographs. Through workshops and open studio sessions, the artist will reveal the process of creating the piece. *Exhibiting at Gallery North and South. *The atelier will be open at all times during 2/18 - 29. Open Studio: February 24th (Sun) 14:00-16:00 Workshop: March 9th (Sun) 13:00-16:00 *For more information, visit the URL below (Japanese). [Image: "LARA-ARAL" (1989-94)]

Brief expressions that capture the essentials are composed of appropriately extracted minimal elements. Numerous works of art direction offering glimpses of a humor that somehow relaxes people and puts them at ease. Kenjiro Sano, the hottest advertising creator around, is taking the stage. This exhibition is titled Ginza Salone Osaka, showing the latest original goods that suggest a variety of forms of communication, from graphics to products. They validate Sano's unique design theory that "the purpose of design is not to create form; the process itself must be designed." The basement presents numerous representative works from the past, including KDDI’s LISMO! music service; Nyanmage, the mascot of Nikko Edo Village; the Nissan Murano car; Hikaru Utada’s hit "Flavor of Life," and "T Boo! S" for the TBS broadcasting company. Art talk: February 29th (Fri) 16:00-17:30 Party: February 29th (Fri) 17:30-19:00

Yuko Tada's works depict the relationship between nature and people in the grassy nature-abundant areas of Nara. Inspired by Japanese poetry, temples, shrines, and traditional Japanese arts, Tada captures elements from these influences through her work. The three-dimensional aspect in Keiko Daichi's works are created by mounting the photographs on a panel. Daichi is interested in the images one encounters in daily life such as waves, streetscapes, and the imprints that tires leave on the snow. The two artists were both enrolled in the photography course offered at the university. *Exhibiting on the exhibition wall [Image: Yuko Tada]

Hitomi Noda creates works that reflect the girl-like elements we encounter in daily life. She depicts the reality by drawing, printing and simple words. Since 2007, her works have received recognition and been exhibited mainly in Tokyo. Opening Party: March 15th (Sat) 15:00-18:00

The exhibition features illustrations by the group Cream Puff.

This exhibition features photographs that ignite nostalgia.

This exhibition is the first solo exhibition for Kazuto Tanaka, and features his color prints with which he pursues the possibility of photography. Opening Party: March 17th (Mon) 18:00-

*Exhibiting at space 1F