Yu Araki: LONELY PLANETS

The Towada Art Center is pleased to present LONELY PLANETS, the first solo museum exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist and filmmaker Yu ARAKI, from Saturday, December 9, 2023, to Sunday, March 31, 2024.

Having spent his youth moving between Japan and the United States, Yu Araki explores the nuances of language and culture, examining the mistranslations and misunderstandings that arise, as well as the dynamics between originals and copies and the power structures they reveal. His film and video works, which often employ a blend of documentary and animation, are known for their humorous yet insightful approach.

The exhibition’s title, LONELY PLANETS, was inspired by a misheard song lyric that resonated with Araki due to its similarity to the name of the globally recognized travel guidebook series. This title reflects Araki’s journey through Aomori and his experiences and encounters with the people, landscapes, and motifs that appear in the exhibition as if he were a traveler exploring unfamiliar territory. The exhibition showcases four new video works developed through Araki’s extensive research, alongside three past works (tentative). These pieces, like independent planets, each with their own orbits, coincidentally converge in the heart of winter in Towada, inviting viewers into one galaxy within Araki’s creative universe.