The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam proudly presents an art exhibition “the plastic model of paramodel is paramodel” by an internationally acclaimed art unit paramodel from 17 February – 11 March 2012 in Hanoi.

paramodel is an art unit formed in 2001 by Hayashi Yasuhiko and Nakano Yusuke. Their title is essentially a manifesto in sum – fusing the words Paradise, Paradox, and Model. In addition, it plays upon the Japanese word Puramoderu (toy plastic dioramas). Through elaborate combinations of plastic toys parts with other everyday objects, they attempt to create blueprints of Paradise whilst underscoring life’s paradoxes. paramodel’s expansive artworks range from massive, room-scaling installations, to mini-sculptures, with videos, drawing, and photography, and other media in between.

Their artworks are fun, pop and eye-catching, and always invite viewers to feel back in their childhood. They simply use toys and everyday objects in ways that anyone, without any knowledge of art, can easily understand.

Through two weeks residency in Hanoi, paramodel will cover the whole space of the Japan Foundation’s house with Japanese and Vietnamese toys and everyday objects to create their site-specific installation. They will also conduct a workshop from 14:00 to 16:00 on Friday 17 February at Vietnam University of Fine Arts (42 Yet Kieu Str., Hanoi). Admission is free but pre-registration is required for the workshop.

Organized by

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam

Duration

Duration: Friday 17 February – Sunday 11 March 2012
[Exhibition hours] 09:30 – 18:00 (no closed days)

Venue

The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Opening

18:00 – Thursday 16 February 2012

Admission

Free

Workshop

[Date & time] 14:00 – 16:00 Friday 17 February 2012
[Venue] Vietnam University of Fine Arts / 42 Yet Kieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
[Contents] paramodel will explain how to create their artworks through power point presentation, and the participants will also try creating works in paramodelic ways.

*Admission is free but pre-registration is required (please call the Japan Foundation for your reservation).

■ Artist profiles

paramodel

An art unit formed in 2001 by Hayashi Yasuhiko (Fine Arts Graduate from the Kyoto City University of Arts) and Nakano Yusuke (a Nihonga [Japanese-style painting] graduate from the same university). They received the honor of Sakuya Konohana Award in 2008 from Osaka City, Japan.

Selected solo exhibitions
2010 Paralelplan, the art gallery Kanazawa College of Art, Ishikawa, Japan
2010 The world according to P, mori yu gallery, Kyoto, Japan
2009 paramodelic-grafitti at Naniwa-bashi station, Osaka, Japan
2008 paramodel joint factory [collaborative works with general public], Marugake Genichiro-Inoguma
Museum of Contemporary Art, Kagawa, Japan
2007 paramodel exhibition, the Museum of Art in Kochi, Kochi, Japan
2005 paradise model, mori yu gallery, Kyoto, Japan

Selected group exhibitions
2011 Ways of Worldmaking, National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan
2011 Art Garden: Children’s season, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
2011 VOCA (Vision Of Contemporary Art), the Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2010 Good Time Public Art Festival, National Taiwan Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2009 Asian Art Biennial 2009, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art, Taichung, Taiwan
2009 Between Site & Space, ARTSPACE, Sydney, Australia
2009 Big in Japan, CAC, Vilnius, Lithuania
2008 KITA!!: Japanese Artists Meet Indonesia, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung, Indonesia
2008 SENJIRU – INFUSION, Galerie Kashya Hildebrand, Zurich, Switzerland
2007 Beautiful New World: Contemporary Visual Culture from Japan, Long March, Beijing, China

■ Selected Photos

Remarks:
For the usage of the following images for your media, please contact the staffs in charge bellow. We will provide a bigger size of each image upon your request.

Mugen Co. paramodel Pipeline (2010) Otani Memorial Art Museum, Hyogo, Japan From the solo exhibition “The World According to paramodel” © paramodel / Photo by paramodel

paramodelic-grafitti (2010) Otani Memorial Art Museum, Hyogo, Japan From the solo exhibition “The World According to paramodel” © paramodel / Photo by paramodel

paramodel airline – Mabuchi motor 280 #002 (2010) Otani Memorial Art Museum, Hyogo, Japan From the solo exhibition “The World According to paramodel” © paramodel / Photo by paramodel

paramodelic-grafitti (2011) National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan From the group exhibition “Ways of Worldmaking” © paramodel / Photo by paramodel

For inquiries on the concert and the interview with the artists, please contact at:

Ms. Huong (091-251-8771) / Ms. Ha Nguyen (0168-741-6886) / Mr. Yoshioka (0123-384-4138)
The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam
27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
TEL 04-3944-7419 www.jpf.org.vn