Sharjapan: Poetics of Space at Sharjah Art Foundation
Sharjapan: Poetics of Space is an exhibition about book design from Japan and includes work from early 20th century to the present day. It opened on November 21 and is on until January 15, 2019.
I strongly recommend you go to this exhibition which showcases photography books, architecture, art books, publications and books as art objects.
The exhibition is in Al Hamriyah Studio Spaces and is split into 6 sections, spread out quite nicely giving visitors room to move around the books (some you can pick up and look through).
Books created in the 1930s and 1940s with unique materials such as umbrella-paper, bagworm moths and edible seaweed.
Photobooks containing photographs by Ikko Narahara of Piazza San Marco in Venice, with the books becoming an installation that recreates an architectural space.
Books as satisfying objects, presenting varied ideas for 2D and 3D designs
Books becoming art and artists creating works with a book as their theme, including works by artist, graphic designer and book designer Shinro Ohtake; artist and photographer Asami Kiyokawa, who creates objects by adding embroidery to books; and poet Gozo Yoshimasu, who returns to books the primal elements of his words.
Pre- and postwar magazine designs and washi paper sample books that highlight iconic designer Hiromu Hara’s deconstructivist approach.
Photobooks that become an exhibition space.
Curated by Yuko Hasegawa for Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjapan: The Poetics of Space is the first in a three-year-long series of exhibitions. This is a great start and look forward to what comes next.
Al Hamriya Studio Spaces is a good looking building in itself and it is also close to the sea, so it’s well worth the drive and you can enjoy some fresh sea air whilst you are there too. Here’s the link on Google Map.
[Photos of the exhibition by Hind Mezaina]