christian boltanski exhibits 'lifetime' at the national art center, tokyo

marking one of the largest retrospectives ever held in japan of christian boltanski, the national art center, tokyo presents lifetime, displaying work from the french contemporary artist’s 50-year-long career. designed by boltanski, who describes himself as a ‘spatial artist’, the exhibition is arranged not in chronological order, but as one large-scale installation combining individual works in unique ways.

photo by noriko yamamoto, courtesy of the asahi shimbun

after making short films in the late 1960s, boltanski (b.1944) worked extensively with photography in the 1970s, garnering attention for works dealing with his own memories and those of others. in the 1980s, the paris-born artist began producing installations utilizing light and exploring religious themes, for which he earned international acclaim. since then, he has continued producing and exhibiting works worldwide under the themes of history, memory, and the vestiges of human existence.

photo by noriko yamamoto, courtesy of the asahi shimbun

lifetime introduces the artist’s diverse world with a total of 47 pieces, including his latest work, which, in recent years, has focused on the theme of narratives handed down from person to person. tracing his activities over the past 50 years, the retrospective is presented ‘as a single work of art,’ according to boltanski, where visitors are invited to experience it with the map distributed at the venue.

photo by noriko yamamoto, courtesy of the asahi shimbun

although having been extensively exhibited in japan since the 1970s, boltanski’s exhibition at the national art center, tokyo is among his largest retrospectives held in the country thus far. previously, the artist has participated in the echigo-tsumari art triennale and the setouchi triennale, as well as in solo exhibitions at ICA, nagoya and art tower mito (1990-91) and the tokyo metropolitan teien art museum (2016).

photo by noriko yamamoto, courtesy of the asahi shimbun

misterios 2017 / video projection (hd, approx. 12h.) and 3 screens / collection of the artist
© christian boltanski / adagp, paris, 2019, photo © angelika markul

le manteau 2000 / coat, sockets and light bulbs / collection of the artist
© christian boltanski / adagp, paris, 2019, courtesy power station of art, shanghai, photo by jiang wenyi