Why Do We Focus on Japan Now?The cultures of West and East Asia had met at one time or another traveling through Central Asia in ancient days. The close relationship of both ends of Asia mediated by Chinese civilization and the nomads of Central Asia has been demonstrated by academic researches recently.

It is imaginable that material civilization and spiritual culture of both ends of Asia developed intricately-intertwined with each other by the grassroots networks of nomads and caravans or wars among dynasties.The connection between Turkey and Japan can also be seen in their language and its grammatical structure. This is well worth mentioning for language is the foundation of civilization and grammatical structure is the basis to think and build the thought.Turkish belongs to Altaic language family. The origin of Japanese is also said to be found in the same family. All languages belonging to Altaic (which its name derives from the area in Central Asia where Russia, Mongol, China, and the Republic of Kazakhstan borders) have similar grammatical structure. In both Turkish and Japanese, subject and object are presented first and the verb follows to show the relationship of the two. This is a material difference between the Indo-European language family in which the verb contrasts the subject and object. Another connection lies in the history of the two countries which escaped from colonization.Since the modern age, new ideas developed in Europe had spread. However, these were often brought in with sudden colonization, which resulted in dual structuring of the culture in the area. Escaping from colonization, Turkey and Japan could cultivate unique ideas by assimilating and Asianizing them in their own way, and then spread them anew to Asia. Moreover, they had become windows to both ends of Asia, passing on Asian values to Western world today.The Framework of the This ExhibitionThis exhibition introduces three Japanese contemporary artists in Turkey which has intriguing relationship with Japan. The exhibition takes place in the Apell Gallery in Garatasaray, the center of Istanbul, which uses the historical building from 18th century with atmospheric spatial structure. This gallery is run by Nulan Terziolglu who has long been managing and curating the exhibitions in public spaces. He has held several Japanese contemporary art exhibitions in this gallery already.In this exhibition, Watanabe Yoshiaki, Nakase Koji, and Esashi Tomoko are exhibiting their work.Watanabe shows the candles burning for hours upon hours in his work. The wax decreases its mass as it burns. However, when you see them with your mind clear (your feeling stretching out), it is as if you can feel the existence of particles of wax floating above the candles.Nakase will install the objects shaped like a bowl in this exhibition. A bowl is used for stocking or carrying things. The metal bowls set on the floor seems as if it is waiting for the momentum (the original form of existence) to crystallize itself in new form in it one fine day.Esashi re-creates various forms which were brought forth from vital activity using natural materials. The body of the living matter seems to be unique to the individuals. However, the elements such as water are always coming in and going out from the body. This means that the skin is only one of the containers. Though it seems to be irreplaceable, the figure of the living is also just an passing point in the grand sense of life.The Theme of This ExhibitionToday, a tendency can be seen in the works of Japanese artist mainly exhibiting in Tokyo. The kind works which can be appreciated in the same way in any places have decreased. Instead, the kind of works which are self-independent but its appreciation changes depending on situation increased. The more the artists are experienced in showing their works in various places, the more their works show this tendency. Especially, the works of the three artists introduced in this exhibition show this tendency. The artists today have more chances to contact other cultures and values. Through these meetings with the new, artist might have become to be aware of their selves changing depending on surroundings. This also made it difficult for them to grasp what their art work is in uniform approach. Art and culture did not occur naturally, but within the relationship of people, it kept changing to become of it. In this meaning, the artists can be seen as the instruments to transmit and circulate the culture. Artists travel with their works carrying the treasure of culture to let us know different view and values which brings about contamination of culture. The value of this treasure is extraneous to market principle but their exchange will continue through dedication increasing its values. The artist might be a wind carrying the blessing of nature to us, a wind which comes from nowhere to become a starter for something. In this meaning, wind is the 'pure gift of nature'(*). For this reason, we must keep on circulating the treasure we gained from art instead of accumulating it as the asset of the individuals. I wish this project will be the bridge to cross over Turkey and Japan, and the west and east of Asia.Ko Matsunaga (Curator)(*)'Pure Gift of Nature' Shin-ichi NakazawaIntroduction of the ArtistsWATANABE YoshiakiWatanabe had been making art works using plaster and ink in the beginning of his career. On the thin plaster disk, small dots were marked in spiral. At the point where the last dot was marked, another plaster disk was set. In this way, the dots and disks multiply endlessly. After studying in Germany, Watanabe starts to exhibit the works using candles. In the works, many candles were spread to pass on the fire consecutively. Recently, the work to light one fire in the center of the wax globe was shown. The circulation of energy through the flame, a symbolic phenomenon, gives various thoughts to the viewer. NAKASE KojiNakase has been producing metal container for his art work for long time. Sometimes, small containers were spread on the floor or set on the wall. Sometimes a big container, which looks like a human head, was set on the floor upside down with many windows. He has been producing art works for out door exhibitions also. He made cylinder shaped construction with boards where you can walk in. This can be taken as kind of container also. When you walk through the dark path like a maze, you will get to the center of the construction, a space with the roof open. You will go through variety of psychological changes as you walk through the construction.EASHI TomokoEsashi has been making sculpture using Some wood and lacquer. Her subject used to be mainly human figure. However, the birth of her child became a momentum for her to work on a theme, the birth of life. Since then, she has been making affectionate sculptures of various animals and plants without using any kind of machines. Recently, she has been working on various materials such as the seeds of salted Japanese apricot and pinecone. She is using these natural materials to praise life. She is also working on installations to show the chain of life in symbolic way.