5 februari 2025
Meiro Koizumu – THEATERS OF LIFE
The first major solo exhibition of Meiro Koizumi in the Netherlands
Meiro Koizumi, The Angels of Testimony, 2019 (video still), Collection De Pont Museum, Tilburg |
From 29 March till 29 August 2025, De Pont Museum will present THEATERS OF LIFE, the first major solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed Japanese artist Meiro Koizumi (b. 1976) in the Netherlands. Koizumi, one of Japan's most prominent contemporary artists, explores themes such as nationalism, power dynamics, and the role of collective memory in his work. At the same time, he questions the place of the human body in an increasingly virtual and technologically driven world. How do innovations like artificial intelligence and biotechnology influence our understanding of life, individuality, and identity?
This extensive exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of Koizumi's diverse artistic practice, ranging from large-scale video installations and drawings to Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects. Additionally, the exhibition features a series of Altars, a new sculptures series, through which Koizumi makes the tension between humans and technology tangible.
Meiro Koizumi, "Vamos", mixed media, 2024 Photo: Hidehiko Omata |
A search for the body in a technological world
In 2024, Koizumi made a remarkable shift by focusing on sculpture. While his earlier work primarily revolved around flat images, such as videos and drawings, his sculptures bring the human body to life in physical and three-dimensional forms. His recent research into artificial intelligence and neuroscience demonstrates how these technologies challenge our definition of life and blur the boundaries between the organic and the artificial. The sculptures embody this transition and represent a "liminal state" between human and machine.
Personal and collective memories in video installations
Koizumi is internationally renowned for his compelling video installations, in which he uses re-enactments and staged scenarios to explore social and political issues. His work touches on themes such as Japan's collective memory and the psychological impact of war experiences.
One of the key pieces in the exhibition is the three-channel video installation The Angels of Testimony (new to the collection of De Pont Museum), in which Koizumi captures an intense conversation with Hajime Kondo, a former Japanese soldier reflecting on his wartime actions during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The work intertwines personal and collective pain, examining how unresolved guilt and shame are passed down to future generations.
Also on view at the museum
De Pont will display Meiro Koizumi's works at the same time as
Pair Field, a new installation, with works of American artist Roni Horn. Click on link for press release.
Information and visual materials
For more information or for visual materials, click
here.
To access our press environment, use the following password:
DePontMuseum&#
