“MAM Screen 005” will showcase the works on video of artist Niwa Yoshinori (b. 1982). Setting his work in the streets and other public spaces of various countries, and locations with political connections, Niwa stages social and historical interventions by engaging in what at first glance appear to be meaningless and absurd acts and schemes, and presents on video a portion of these happenings in their entirety, including the unexpected outcomes resulting from the negotiation, its failures and reactions from others.
In this exhibition, we present a special edition of Niwa’s four-part “Communism” series which is in the Collection of the Mori Art Museum: Tossing Socialist in the Air in Romania, Looking for Vladimir Lenin at Moscow Apartments, Proposing Holding up Karl Marx to Japanese Communist Party, and Celebrating Karl Marx’s Birthday with Japanese Communist Party, newly re-edited for this showing. Through “nonsensical” actions and sense of humor that emerge from the series of attempts made by the artists (as indicted by the titles), Niwa’s will have us reconsider the various value systems and significance in our society.

Works Screened

• 1. Tossing Socialist in the Air in Romania (single-channel version), 2010/2016, 25 min. 24 sec.
• 2. Looking for Vladimir Lenin at Moscow Apartments (single-channel version), 2012/2016, 22 min. 32 sec.
• 3. Proposing Holding up Karl Marx to Japanese Communist Party (single-channel version), 2013/2016, 18 min. 27 sec.
• 4. Celebrating Karl Marx’s Birthday with Japanese Communist Party (single-channel version), 2013/2016, 22 min. 56 sec.