Originally from Nagoya, Japan, Tatzu Nishi has been based in Germany since 1987, which may partly explain the conceptual and monumental dimensions of his work. In a move uncharacteristic of members of his generation, who seldom have the chance to critically intervene in the Japanese urban fabric, Tatzu challenges notions of private and public space by creating humorous, symbolic admixtures of both, bringing public statues into bedrooms or turning a public pavilion into a bed canopy. He has regularly exhibited in Europe since the late 1990s; in 2005, his work was featured in “Ecstasy: In and About Altered States” at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and since 2002, he has been invited to successive exhibitions in Japan, including the 2005 Yokohama Triennale.
Here, Tazu attacks a typically small Tokyo gallery; and no space is spared—viewers will find a huge streetlamp jutting inexplicably from a wall in the back office. A few photographs from his projects in Japan are hung in the main space, but seeing them presents a challenge: Tatzu has created a mock ceiling, spotlights and all, lowered a few feet and tilted, so that visitors can see the pieces from different angles and positions. This work brings to mind the artist’s maxim that art comes into existence with the presence of the viewer. Tatzu’s refusal to compromise the energy his work is known for, and Arataniurano’s initiative in inviting an artist known for large projects in museums and open urban spaces, show that “too little space” need not preclude smaller local galleries from thinking big.
