MARIKO MORI
REBIRTH
Royal Academy
Burlington House, Piccadilly - London
13/12/2012 - 17/2/2013
This is the next major exibition taking place in the Royal Academy's new space for art and architecture, Burlington Gardens. A solo exhibition of work by New York based Japanese artist Mariko Mori, this will be the first major exhibition of the artist’s work in London for over 14 years.
The exhibition will include some of Mori’s most acclaimed works from the last 11 years, many of which have never been shown in the UK, alongside new works created for the exhibition. Starting and ending with the death and birth of a star, the cycle of life and rebirth is an important theme of the show, which will include photography, works on paper, sound works, as well as sculpture and large scale immersive installations and environments that invite contemplation.
The exhibition has been developed in close collaboration with the artist, and is timed to coincide with the winter solstice in 2012. According to ancient calendars, this year’s solstice will either mark the end of the world or the birth of a new era.
Since her first exhibitions in the mid-1990s, Mori’s practice has been rooted in both traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, and between East and West. Her works juxtapose contrasting aesthetic languages that have ranged from traditional tea ceremonies to Manga and cyber culture, fusing Shintoism and Buddhism with the hard planes of science and technology.
Mori’s recent practice has evolved around a fascination with ancient cultures, among them prehistoric Jomon (c.14,000 – 300 BC) in Japan and Celtic traditions in Europe. Founded on a belief in cycles of death and rebirth, these were marked by a holistic world view that placed mankind in a more harmonious relationship with our surroundings. These interests are expressed through emerging technologies and digital media, which the artist embraces as tools to be harnessed in order to reconnect with our environment.
