A grand exhibition by the artist Miwa Komatsu entitled "Miwa Komatsu Transparent Chaos: Spirituality and Mandala" is being held from June 25 (Sat) to August 28 (Sun) 2022 at the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art in Kawasaki City. Ahead of the exhibition's opening on June 24 (Fri), Miwa Komatsu held a live painting. We bring you a report on this intense live painting and the highlights of the exhibition.

Miwa Komatsu's Spirited Live Painting

Miwa Komatsu during her live painting. She’d often discard and throw her paint tubes in a hurry as if racing against time.

Under the scorching sun, Komatsu arrived on stage wearing her signature white hakama robe. One after another, she took various paint tubes squeezing them directly onto the canvas, sometimes painting them with a brush, and at other times using her bare hands.

Miwa Komatsu pays little heed to the paint smeared on her clothes, arms, and face.

In a chaotic trance-like state, lines of black and colorful arrays were painted onto the canvas. Everyone in attendance bore witness to the creation of a new artwork that unfolded over several minutes.

The artwork produced from her live painting

During the interview right after the live painting, Komatsu asked, "Did I paint all of this until the end?", apparently having only a vague memory of what just occurred.

The painting also covers the space between the canvases

An Exhibition that Features Miwa Komatsu's Earliest to Latest Works

The entrance to the exhibition "Miwa Komatsu Transparent Chaos: Spirituality and Mandala"

"Miwa Komatsu Transparent Chaos: Spirituality and Mandala" is an exhibition that features Miwa Komatsu's early works and her most recent projects. Highlights include paintings that are normally kept hidden from public view, such as the "Next Mandala - The Great Harmonization" which was painted inside the Toji Temple, a Cultural World Heritage Site in Kyoto, and the "Shin-Fudoki" which was dedicated to the Izumo Grand Shrine in 2014. The exhibition is immersed in the spirituality of Miwa Komatsu.

Taro Okamoto's "Chaos" sculpture flanked by Miwa Komatsu's "Next Mandala - The Great Harmonization" in the exhibition.

During the private viewing, several VIPs gave a few words in the hall where "Next Mandala - The Great Harmonization" is displayed. First came a greeting by Meiji Hijikata, director of the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art. He was followed by Zenryu Hidaka, head priest of the Toji Temple which is the head temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. He was the one who requested Komatsu to create "Next Mandala - The Great Harmonization", and he shared a story about the artist's exhibition.

Komatsu gives a speech in front of "Area21" in the exhibition

Finally, it was time for Komatsu herself to come up to the stage again since her live painting. She shared the significance of holding the exhibition in the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art:

"I did a live painting in front of a sculpture by Taro Okamoto, and I felt a strong energy. It was overwhelming, but I managed to hold my stance to complete the painting."

"Through this live painting, I felt like I was able to challenge Taro Okamoto for the first time. It felt like this was not just an opportunity I wanted, but something that he wished for as well. I felt the warmth of his presence as I created the painting."

Exhibition installation view

Exhibition installation view

Experience a 3D Virtual Tour of the Exhibition

A scene from the virtual tour

Taking into account with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a 3D virtual tour has been introduced, available in English and Japanese. The virtual tour allows the user to experience the exhibition by navigating in a point and click style or through a VR headset.

A scene from the virtual tour

A scene from the virtual tour

In the virtual tour, users can read the descriptions in the rooms and labels of each artwork. Using a VR headset will enhance the virtual reality experience of the exhibition.

Miwa Komatsu's "49day's" (2005, copperplate engraving) as seen from the virtual tour

"Miwa Komatsu Transparent Chaos: Spirituality and Mandala" runs until August 28th (Sunday) at the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art in Kawasaki.

"Miwa Komatsu Transparent Chaos: Spirituality and Mandala" 3D Virtual Tour

Virtual tour presented by FUDO Co. Ltd.

Miwa Komatsu Transparent Chaos: Spirituality and Mandala
Place: Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki
Period: June 25, 2022 (Sat) to August 28, 2022 (Sun)
Hours: 9:30am – 5:00pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Closed: Mondays (except July 18), July 19 (Tue), August 12 (Fri)
Fee: Adults ¥1,000; University/high school students/seniors (65 and over) ¥800; ※ Junior high school students and below Free
Organizer: Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki
Planning cooperation: Whitestone Gallery, FUDO Co. Ltd.
Special cooperation: Toji Temple
Sponsor: NEW ART HOLDINGS Co. Ltd.
Cooperation from: Izumo Grand Shrine, Nagawa Town Nagano Prefecture, Hoshikuzuno Satotakayama Kokuyoseki Taiken Museum, NOMURA Co. Ltd., Hakuichi Inc., Usami Shokakudo

Photos by Tatsuya Azuma, Whitestone Gallery