Tsubasa Kato

Tsubasa Kato

They Do Not Understand Each Other, 2014
Pull and Raise: The Lighthouses - 11.3 PROJECT, 2011
Woodstock 2017
 

Tsubasa Kato (b. 1984, Saitama) currently lives and works in Tokyo, Japan.

Tsubasa Kato is a performance artist whose work relies largely on the participation of others. He is most well known for his Pull and Raise project, an ongoing series of performances in which spontaneously formed groups work together to pull down large-scale structures with ropes. This work challenges us to see each project site’s environment as a narrative reflected in the shape and the weight of the structure. By employing communal action to pull and manipulate this structure, he represents the social order in terms of an alterable, physical form, in other words, provides a platform for people to spontaneously and unconsciously cooperate in order to envision change.

Kato has participated in many important exhibitions, festivals and biennials, including: “They Do Not Understand Each Other”, Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong (CN, 2020); “Co/ Inspiration in Catastrophes”, Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei (TW, 2019); “Taming Y/Our Passion”, Aichi Triennale (JP, 2019); “21st DOMANI: The Art of Tomorrow,” The National Art Center, Tokyo (JP, 2019); “Catastrophe and the Power of Art”, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (JP, 2018); “Encounters”, PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR (US,2018); “Retrospective of the museum collection: 2014 → 1890”, The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan (JP, 2018); “Reenacting History_Collective Actions and Everyday Gestures”, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon (KR, 2018); “Uprisings”, Jeu de Paume, Paris (FR, 2016-17); “Roppongi Crossing 2010: Can There Be Art?”, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (JP, 2010).

Kato has received the Kengo Kuma Prize (JP, 2010); Bronze Prize and Jury Prize (Sakata Kazumi) of GEISAI#12, Tokyo (JP, 2009) and shortlisted of The 13th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art, Kawasaki, Japan.


GALLERY EXHIBITION

“Every Man is an Artist” - Talking About Artists’ Social Engagement

January 17 – March 28, 2020


PUBLIC EXHIBITION

They Do Not Understand Each Other

Tai Kwun Contemporary

May 25 – September 13, 2020

Co/Inspiration in Catastrophes

Taipei Contemporary Art Museum

November 23, 2019 – February 9, 2020

Taming Y/Our Passion

Aichi Triennale 2019

August 1 – October 14, 2019

21st DOMANI: The Art of Tomorrow

The National Art Center

January 23 – March 3, 2019

Catastrophe and the Power of Art

Mori Art Museum

October 6, 2018 –  January 20, 2019


 

SELECTED PRESS

Questioning and Connecting: Aichi Triennale Artist Interviews

Tokyo Art Beat

August 26, 2019

(Drawing) Fractions of the Longest Distance

Artforum

April, 2018

Tsubasa Kato In Conversation with Laura Thomson

Ocula

March 24, 2015

Tsubasa Kato, Fukugawa.Future. Humanity

eyeline

August, 2011