【M+ Found Space upcoming exhibition】Danh Vo In Situ：Akari by Noguchi

Description

M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture located in the West Kowloon Cultural District, announced the opening of a new long-term project conceived by Dan Vo (Danish, born in Vietnam in 1975) specifically for M+ Latent Space, “Dan Vo Creative Live: Isamu Noguchi’s "Light" will be open to the public for free on October 26, 2024 (Saturday). This project repurposes latent space and brings a new experience to the audience, reimagining this imposing concrete patio in the center of the B2 floor of the M+ building into a comfortable social space and a stage for different programs and projects. .
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"Dan Vo Creative Live" is an exhibition plan that lasts for several years. It will display multiple exhibitions of artworks and design objects by Dan Vo and other artists and creators in the latent space, and integrate them into the exhibition in a natural, organic and sustainable way. In a customizable structure conceived by Danh Vo that can be flexibly changed. The program also includes performances, events, discussions, screenings and exhibitions curated by Vo and the M+ curatorial team. The project is the result of a close collaboration between M+ and Danh Vo, with the artist working with various M+ teams to reimagine the museum’s potential and its exhibition and public programming. Danh Vo has designed a modular structure as a display system in which he will regularly display his own work and that of other artists with whom he has close relationships and connections.
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The first phase of this long-term project conceived by Dan Vo, “Dan Vo’s Creative Live: ‘Light’ by Isamu Noguchi,” will showcase a series of Akari lighting sculptures by artist Isamu Noguchi (American, 1904–1988). "Akari" means "light" or "brightness" in Japanese. It is the general name for the more than 100 lighting sculpture designs created by Isamu Noguchi between 1951 and 1986. It was inspired by the traditional lanterns made of mulberry paper and bamboo in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Both an affordable sculpture and a practical home lamp, Akari embodies Noguchi’s creative practice in sculpture, design, and architecture, and resonates with Vo’s long-standing interest in how objects can carry multiple stories and meanings. Danh Vo carefully selected some tropical plants to match the display of Akari lighting sculptures, transforming the latent space into a comfortable and comfortable environment for visitors to slow down and spend time.
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"Dan Vo's Creative Live: Isamu Noguchi's "Light"" is curated by M+ Artistic Director and Chief Curator Zheng Daolian and Senior Curator and Head of Curatorial Affairs Russell Russell.
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Anya Hua, Director of M+ Museum, emphasized the importance of this project to the museum: "The launch of 'Dan Vo Creative Live' marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for M+. This innovative project reflects our commitment to breaking through the presentation of contemporary visual culture way, and introduce unique creations to visitors. By inviting Danh Vo to reimagine latent space, an important architectural feature of the M+ building, we aim to allow the audience to interact with M+ in a more colorful way, thereby promoting artists and spaces. dialogue with the audience.”
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M+ Artistic Director and Chief Curator Zheng Daolian explained the characteristics of this project: "Dan Vo is an artist who interweaves symbolic objects with intimate personal stories to present major ideological, historical and spatial issues. He has the ability to interweave symbolic objects and intimate personal stories. Finding meaningful connections between different cultures, places and times, it is an ideal partner for this long-term project. The exhibition is constantly evolving, introducing emerging artists and creators and their works, creating a unique space in M+. A new environment of meaning and a place for visitor encounters. This project creates a platform for diverse and experimental activities to unfold slowly, allowing audiences to interact with visual culture and M+ in a completely new way.”

* Photo credit: M+ "Dan Vo's Creative Scene: Isamu Noguchi's "Light"" exhibition view, 2024, © Dan Vo, photography: Zheng Letian, image provided by M+