The Yokohama Triennale is an international exhibition of contemporary art that is held in Yokohama, Japan once every three years. The fifth edition of the Triennale, titled ART Fahrenheit 451: Sailing into the sea of oblivion, features Yasumasa Morimura as the artistic director.

On view from August 1 – November 3, 2014, the Triennale includes a selection of international artists, including Luhring Augustine artist Josh Smith. The primary venues will be Yokohama Museum of Art and Shinko Pier Exhibition Hall.

Yasumasa Morimura
Portrait (Futago), 1988
Color photograph

“Being an artist, I’ve never had the chance to serve as the artistic director of any international exhibitions. I’m taking the wheel for the first time and the ship has already left port without my having had a chance to learn how to steer.

But it seems to me that this kind of slightly reckless launch is exactly what’s needed for an international exhibition today.

Since 2000, international exhibitions have sprung up everywhere, both in Japan and abroad, and there is no longer anything special or different about them. The scale is merely large. And the festive air is merely an amusement. Many are reduced to a symbol of populism, globalism, and localism. Market principles have exerted a consciously strong influence on the art world, prompting questions not only from those concerned but also from viewers. And though these people may still be in the minority, they are bound to increase as time goes by.” - Yasumasa Morimura

Yasumasa Morimura
Self-Portrait (Actress)/ After Elizabeth Taylor 1, 1996
Ilfochrome/Acrylic sheet

Yasumasa Morimura An Inner Dialogue with Frida Kahlo (Festive Decorations), 2001 Color photograph

Born 1951 in Osaka, where he continues to live and work.
Completed undergraduate and graduate degrees at Kyoto City University of Arts.

He made his debut in 1985 with self-portrait works based on his personal interpretation of Vincent Van Gogh. He has since produced a number of self-portraits in diligently staged photography and video works, identifying with art-historical images, famous film actresses, and iconic figures from the 20th century.

In 1988, Morimura was invited to take part in the Aperto section of the 43rd Venice Biennale, and over the years, he has participated in countless important exhibitions.

Selected solo exhibitions in Japan include, “The Sickness unto Beauty: Self-portrait as Actress” (Yokohama Museum of Art, 1996), “Self-Portrait as Art History” (Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, and two other venues, 1998), Morimura Self-Portraits: An Inner Dialogue with Frida Kahlo (Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 2001), “Bi [bi:]-Class, Be Quiet” (Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto, and Yokohama Museum of Art, 2007), and “A Requiem: Art on Top of the Battlefield” (Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, and three other venues, 2010 and 2011). His most recent solo exhibitions overseas is “Requiem for the XX Century: Twilight of the Turbulent Gods” (La Galleria di Piazza San Marco, Venice, and two other venues, 2007 and 2008), but has previously held shows in major museums in the United States, France, Spain, Australia, Thailand, and India.

Yasumasa Morimura
An Inner Dialogue with Frida Kahlo (Standing Firm), 2001
Digital chromogenic print mounted on aluminum

His works are part of major national and public collections in Japan and also overseas, including Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Museum of Fine Art, Boston, and Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane. He is a prolific writer, and author of many Japanese titled books. He has received a number of awards for his achievements, including Kyoto Prefecture Culture Prize, Merits Prize (2006), Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize of Fine Arts (2007), Photographic Society of Japan Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award (2011), and also one of the most prestigious awards in the field of art and science, Order of Purple Ribbon, Shiju Hosho (2011). He was also recently commended for a Person of Cultural Merit, Bunka Korosha, by Kyoto City (2013).

Yasumasa Morimura
Look, this is in fashion!, 2004
Los Nuevos Caprichos

Yasumasa Morimura
Self-Portrait (Actress)/After Brigitte Bardot 2, 1996
Ilfochrome/Acrylic Sheet

Yasumasa Morimura
Where are we from? Who are we? Where are we going?, 2004
C-Print

Yasumasa Morimura
A Requiem: Red Dream / Mao , 2007
C-print mounted on alpolic, color

Yasumasa Morimura
A Requiem: Where is the Dictator? 3, 2007

Yasumasa Morimura will also be exhibiting Las Meninas Renacen de Noche (Las Meninas Reborn in the Night) in Chelsea, at the Luhring Augustine Gallery, Dec 13, 2014 – Jan 31, 2015 .

Yasumasa Morimura
Las Meninas renacen de noche IV: Peering at the secret scene behind the artist, 2013

- via luhringaugustine.com, yokohamatriennale.jp