Noh theater transformed into an art museum! An artistic world where you think about deep themes while grinning.

Visit, see and feel the world of art
File.10 Yokohama Noh Theater Special Exhibition Akira Yamaguchi “Daytime Shura”
Miyuki Inoue (Magcal Editorial Department)

Akira Yamaguchi, who continues to release works that combine traditional Japanese painting styles with modern motifs, will present an installation work at the Yokohama Noh Theater—this is a must-see! This is because Mr. Yamaguchi is a handsome contemporary writer who is popular among art-oriented girls for his humorous and cool style. What is he trying to do at the Noh theater, which can be called the temple of Japanese classical music? I was curious so I went out and tried it out.

This exhibition is in conjunction with the Yokohama Noh Theater special performance, ``Elegance and Impermanence: The World of Shura Noh''. In other words, while depicting the characters and battles of ``The Tale of the Heike,'' a world of impermanence unfolds.
Passing through the same lobby as usual, we headed to the first floor seating area. A bow is placed on each seat, and when you look around, it looks like a ``Qinghai wave'' pattern. The faint sound of running water can be heard from behind the scenes, evoking the world of water in which the Heike people sank in Dan-no-ura.

When I heard that there was an exhibition in the lobby on the first floor, I returned and found an old wall clock hanging in one corner. Is this also an installation?
On the stage, you can feel the passage of time through water, and in the lobby, you can sense time through the ticking sound. Perhaps you are interested in experiencing various time axes? By the way, the time on the wall clock may be far off, but this seems to lead to a space where time flows in parallel - the world of Noh where the past and present exist in parallel.

When I went up to the second floor, I saw chairs and tables piled up in front of the break room. This, of course, is also part of the installation.
The party-like table setting in the back room is said to be reminiscent of the ``phantom banquet'' where ``Earless Hoichi'' was taken away by the ghost of the Heike clan. So, are the chairs and tables piled up in the foreground the real world, a graveyard?

A world that is visible to those who can see and invisible to those who cannot.

Inside the glass case, where Noh theater materials and other materials are usually displayed, Yamaguchi's paintings and various tools pulled out of the Noh theater's storage room are displayed as ``works.'' Noh masks, wig buckets used on stage, kimono holders used to display costumes, water jugs from the dressing room, and even screws and nails found in tool boxes. Mr. Yamaguchi walked throughout the Noh theater and assembled the whole by combining selected objects with his own paintings.
Some of the paintings were unfinished at the time of the opening, but according to the artist, ``I plan to complete them using the museum's closed days.'' If you visit several times, you may be able to enjoy the "evolution" of the works.

A panel was placed casually in front of a glass case. Is it still in production? Of course, this is also part of the installation. The information board with a clear expression on display in a glass case seems to be a piece of contemporary art.
The theme that runs throughout is "sea" or "waves." It is the rise and fall of the Heike family, and it also coincides with the tragedy that struck the Tohoku region.

Recognize? I don't know?

Rather than thinking about it too hard, I think it's better to feel free and enjoy it...

In the video corner, videos of Mr. Yamaguchi performing himself (?) are playing endlessly.
The title of the work is "Hosha Noh".
I felt like there was a message that artists should send out, and that there were things that art could do.

This event has ended.
Yokohama Noh Theater Special Exhibition: Akira Yamaguchi's "Daytime Shura"
[Event period] Until March 23rd (Sat) 9:00-20:00
*Closed on February 26th (Tuesday), March 4th (Monday), March 5th (Tuesday), and March 6th (Wednesday).
[Venue] Yokohama Noh Theater
[Admission fee] Free *If there is a paid event, those who do not have a ticket will not be able to enter.
[Inquiry] Yokohama Noh Theater Tei.045-263-3055