May 18 2023

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  Exhibition design concept drawing, 2023 ©︎o+h

The Japan Foundation will organize the Japan Pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, which will take place from May 20 to November 26, 2023. With architect Maki Onishi serving as curator and Yuki Hyakuda as deputy curator, co-directors of the architecture office o+h, this year’s Japan Pavilion will shine a spotlight on the Japan Pavilion itself, through an exhibition representing the works of architect Takamasa Yoshizaka, under the theme of Architecture, a place to be loved.

Takamasa Yoshizaka, who studied under Wajiro Kon and modern architecture pioneer Le Corbusier, was active from the post-war reconstruction period until 1980. The Japan Pavilion, Yoshizaka’s masterpiece, was completed in 1956 and has served as a base for introducing Japan’s art and architecture to the rest of the world for over half a century. In this exhibition, team members with expertise in diverse fields, including architecture, textiles, ceramics, design, editing, metalwork, and animation, will consider the architecture of the Japan Pavilion itself as the focus of various exhibits based on Architecture, a place to be loved, a theme that Onishi and Hyakuda have pursued for many years.

A diverse range of creators have taken a thoughtful look at the Japan Pavilion to create a space where visitors can consider the meaning of Architecture, a place to be loved through the design of the space and exhibits, including the tent roof attached to the building facade; the mobiles hanging from the apertures; the piloti space serving as a bar-like resting area where people can interact; and the animated works projected onto the structural walls, which are essential to any discussion about the characteristics of the Japan Pavilion. In addition, there will be models, fixtures, re-edited books, and other objects on display inside, made to match the concept and forms of the building.
In addition, talks, workshops, and various other events will be held throughout the exhibition period with the aim of ensuring that the Japan Pavilion continues to be nurtured as a living place.
Before the exhibition opens to the public, a pre-opening event will be held on May 18 and 19, 2023, with a reception on May 18 at the Japan Pavilion.

Related Materials

• ［Announcement］The Japan Pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia Architecture, a place to be loved - when architecture is seen as a living creature Exhibition curated by Maki Onishi to open on May 20 (PDF: 572KB)

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