Monika Mogi
VISION GATE – “Day of a Full Moon”
I wanted to show Japan’s otherworldly nature and a strong image of the modern woman.
At a time when travelling and discovering new cultures has become difficult, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, has launched an initiative to promote the uniqueness and multi-dimensional appeal of the Japanese culture. Called CULTURE GATE to JAPAN, the project consists in a series of exhibitions held at seven airports across the country. The Tokyo International Haneda Airport and the Narita International Airport are both hosting VISION GATE as part of the initiative: an exhibition of eight groups of Japanese artists from all generations curated by MoMA Senior Curator of Architecture & Design Paola Antonelli. While Yuri Suzuki and Miyu Hosoi present the sound installation « Crowd Cloud », six groups of artists present their vision of Japanese tradition and future through a series of videos displayed in the airport’s arrival concourse and various places. acky bright, Jun Inoue, Mariko Mori, Monika Mogi, PARTY, and Sachiko Kodama all give their own interpretation of their country’s unique culture for people to experience just as they get off the plane…
What does the idea of ‘vision’ evoke to you as an artist?
Vision is believing in my world and sharing emotions that hopefully people can connect with.
How much is your work influenced by your Japanese roots, and the tension between past and present, tradition and innovation in Japanese culture?
I have been part of the Tokyo scene since I was a teenager and it has been interesting to see how much things have changed and progressed. I am personally very inspired by Japanese art, music, cinema… especially from the 70s – 90s. I also love experiencing tradition with nature: the hot spring (onsens) and the motifs in temples and shrines, for example. I think Japanese folklore is very mystical and traditional artworks are magic.
Can you tell us about your work presented for ‘VISION GATE’ and displaying it in an airport as opposed to an art gallery?
I wanted to create something personal to me and show my vision of Japan. I captured my close friends Sayaka and Kiko with a 16mm camera, in a very intimate way. I wanted to show Japan’s otherworldly nature and a strong image of the modern woman. Sayaka, an experimental musician, wears her mother’s purple kimono and plays her grandmother’s shamisen. My best friend, Kiko, stands powerfully on volcanic rocks in Gunma wearing my grandmother’s suit designed from an upcycled kimono. Each element has a strong personal bond to me and I try to only create work that comes from a place of love.
www.monikamogi.com
