Kohei Nawa, one of Japan’s leading sculptors with both foresight and creativity, “Metamorphosis Garden”

© Kohei Nawa | Sandwich Inc.

An installation with the theme of a world where life, matter, and the vague existence at the boundary coexist

At GINZA SIX, the largest commercial facility in the Ginza area, an installation by sculptor Kohei Nawa will be held in the atrium space located in the center of the facility from April 12, 2021 (Monday) to April 2022 (scheduled). Metamorphosis Garden
(Garden of Transformation) ”will be exhibited.

GINZA SIX will carry out the first large-scale renewal since its opening this spring, which marks the 4th anniversary of its opening. Kohei Nawa, one of Japan's leading sculptors, has both foresight and creativity to create the new art that will be the face of the new GINZA SIX.
"Metamorphosis Garden" is an installation with the theme of a world where life, matter, and the vague existence at the boundary coexist.

Amorphous islands and drops, "Ether" and "Trans-Deer" as symbols of life rising there. A group of sculptures covered with alumina and microbead grains floats in the atrium space. The AR performance, co-written with choreographer Damian Jare, unfolds there, and the constantly changing world overlaps with real objects as images of AR.

※The image is an image. Subject to change without notice.

In the central atrium space, which can be said to be the symbol of GINZA SIX, the works of artists active in the world, including Yayoi Kusama, who became a hot topic at the time of opening, will be exhibited, stimulating sensibilities full of creative energy and surprising elements. We have developed an art program.
I think that the power of art is extremely important at this time when people's lives, jobs, and values change drastically. GINZA SIX will create new value together with artists and share the vision for the next era with our customers.

Installation overview

"Metamorphosis Garden" is an installation with the theme of a world where life and matter, or the vague things at the boundary, coexist. As a development of the installation of "Biota (Fauna / Flora)" (2013) by Inujima, Seto Inland Sea, he expressed a new story that arises from chaos.
Amorphous islands and drops, "Ether" and "Trans-Deer" as symbols of life rising there. A group of sculptures covered with alumina and microbead grains floats in the atrium space. There, the AR performance developed in collaboration with choreographer Damian Jare develops, and the constantly changing world overlaps as a real object and an image of AR.

[Product name] Metamorphosis Garden
[Artist name] Kohei Nawa [Exhibition hall] GINZA SIX 2F Central atrium [Exhibition period] April 12, 2021 (Monday) -April 2022 (planned)
* AR will be available after the end of April

Kohei Nawa Profile

Sculptor / Sandwich Inc. Presided over / Professor, Kyoto University of the Arts
Born in 1975. Based in Kyoto. Completed the doctoral course in sculpture at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Kyoto City University of Arts in 2003. Obtained the first doctoral degree. Founded "Sandwich" in 2009.

Nawa focused on the "epidermis" of sculpture as an interface that connects to the senses, and announced "PixCell" in 2002, which symbolizes the information age, centered on the concept of cells (cells / grains). With the theme of the relationship between life and the universe, sensibility and technology, the painting "Direction" drawn by gravity, "Force" where silicone oil falls into the space, "Biomatrix" of bubbles and grids appearing on the liquid surface, and the bubbles themselves are huge. We have flexibly interpreted the definition of sculpture, such as "Foam," which grows in volume, and created a perceptual experience that reveals the physical properties of the material to the viewer.

In recent years, he has also been involved in architectural projects such as the art pavilion "Kotei". Since 2015, he has been performing the performance work "VESSEL" in collaboration with Belgian choreographer / dancer Damian Jare in Japan and overseas. In 2018, a special exhibition of the sculpture "Throne" was made in the Pyramid of the Louvre Museum in France.

<Representative work>

《VESSEL》 (2016)
A performance work in which Nawa performed the performing arts, Damian Jare choreographed, and elite dancers such as Mirai Moriyama appeared. Even now, replays continue at theaters around the world.

"Biota (Fauna / Flora)" (2013)
A group of works that were permanently installed on Inujima in Setouchi and installed inside a structure designed by SANAA. In the small garden, there are sculptures of the islands and plants that were the prototype of this work.

"White Deer (Oshika)" (2017)
A sculpture exhibited on the Oshika Peninsula in Ishinomaki at the "Reborn-Art Festival" created by music producer Takeshi Kobayashi. It was permanently installed as a symbol of reconstruction after the earthquake.

"Foam" (2013)
"Foam" that springs up one after another with a slight amplitude of liquid. The small bubbles (cells) gradually gather to cover the liquid surface and autonomously form an organic structure as an aggregate (foam) of bubbles.

Damian Jare Profile

In addition to choreographer dance, he collaborates with sculptor Antony Gormley, musicians, choreographers, film directors, designers, etc., and also choreographs operas and music videos, and his activities are diverse. At the 2013 Paris Opera, he premiered "Boléro", which was co-created with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Marina Abramovic, and was well received and received the Chevalier Medal of French Arts and Culture. Recent works include "THR (O) UGH" (2015) and "BABEL 7.16" (2016, "Avignon Theater Festival 2016") in collaboration with Jim Hodges and others. In 2017, he was appointed Artistic Director of the National Youth Dance Company in the United Kingdom. Associate artist at the National Chaillot Theater in Paris.

About AR

In GINZA SIX, the floor around the 3rd to 5th floor atrium is the au 5G area. By performing complex graphic processing on the MEC server * 1 that cannot be achieved with a smartphone alone, and streaming 3D data to the iPhone via 5G communication, we aim to realize an unprecedented rich and emotional AR expression. It is designed to enable the best viewing experience on iPhone 5G compatible models * 2.

Planning / Development: KDDI CORPORATION au Design project [ARTS & CULTURE PROGRAM]

* 1
Multi-access Edge Computing server. Low latency is achieved by installing a server within the network of the mobile phone operator.

* 2
-The 5G compatible models of iPhone are iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max (as of February 2021).
・ The performance program for au 5G can be viewed on iPhone 5G compatible models with au 5G exclusive data unlimited plan contract.
・ You can watch the performance program for 4G on iPhones other than au (the content is different from that for au 5G).
・ To watch, you need to download the iOS app "AR x ART by aug ART" and register as a member.
AR x ART KOHEI NAWA website https://adp.au.com/augart/arart_kn
・ "AugART" is an initiative of KDDI's au Design project [ARTS & CULTURE PROGRAM] to experience new culture and art with cutting-edge technologies such as 5G and XR.
This is a project to promote DX.
・ Not compatible with Android smartphones.

<GINZA SIX basic information>
[TEL] 03-6891-3390 (GINZA SIX General Information Reception Hours 10: 30-20: 30)
[ADDRESS] 6-10-1, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
[HP] https://ginza6.tokyo/

□ Business hours Shops and cafes (B2F-5F) 10: 30-20: 30
Restaurant (6F, 13F) 11: 00-23: 00
* Some stores and restaurants have different business hours.
* Please check the official website for details.
□ Closed days Irregular holidays □ Access Directly connected to Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line, Hibiya Line "Ginza" station by underground passage Parking lot available (services available according to purchase price)