Tatsuo Miyajima
Pile Up Life
November 25, 2009 - January 16, 201052-54 Bell Street, London
Press Release
Lisson gallery is proud to present an exhibition of new works by Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima. Since 1987, Tatsuo Miyajima has been constructing installations using LED digital counting devices. His works combine a performative aspect with architectonic structures, sometimes taking the shape of geometric patterns or organic shapes as well as encompassing vertical and horizontal surfaces. The LED devices count progressively from 1 to 9 or backwards – Miyajima never employs 0 – establishing a rhythm as definitive as repetition itself and the inexorable passing of time. Sometimes the colored numerals run at different speed, synching to the rhythm of natural events or the pulsing of life in individual subjectivities.
The series Counter Fragile Lifestructurism is a reflection on the becoming of life. Each human being is constituted by over 60 billion cells, testifying at every moment the miracle of living. Each LED panel, with its individual flashing element counting in reverse from the digit 9 to 1, represents one cell. As the numbers progressively count down and start anew, they renew each time the cycle of death and life.
Tatsuo Miyajima identifies the brain as the centre of life, the element that identifies a human being. The clusters Counter Fragile Counter Brain represent the network of cells where synapse activity takes place, in the transmission of a pulse.
The Pile Up Life series was originally conceived for Prospect. 1 New Orleans and is presented here for the first time in Europe. Observing how large scale natural disasters affect human beings and the sense of powerlessness that we share on these occasions, Miyajima created the work Pile Up Life as a requiem for the lives lost in these disasters. This series of towers is made of natural stones with embedded LED lights called 'counter gadget'. The works reference traditional commemorative monuments, found in different cultures from Eastern Asia to Canada and America as well as the concept of eternal life celebrated in Buddhism. The 'counter gadget' are made in two colors, red and blue, each programmed to count up from 1 to 9 and down from 9 to 1. Their speed is determined by the people who pray for requiem, and translates subjective individuality into rhythm.
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Exhibition Images
Tatsuo Miyajima Pile Up Life 25 November 2009 - 16 January 2010 Lisson Gallery
Tatsuo Miyajima Pile Up Life Installation view, Lisson Gallery
Pile up Life no. 2, 2008 LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 104.7 x 120.1 x 120 cm
Pile up Life no. 9 - Katrina, 2008 LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 49 x 41 x 41 cm
C.F.Brain no. 2, 2009 LED, power supply transformer, electric wire, stainless flame 42 x 25 x 50 cm
C.F Lifestructurism - no.17, 2008 42 LEDs 31.3 x 87.8 cm
Tatsuo Miyajima Pile Up Life Installation view, Lisson Gallery
C.F.Brain no. 3, 2009 LED, power supply transformer, electric wire, stainless flame 38 x 22 x 48 cm ed.Unique
Tatsuo Miyajima Pile Up Life Installation view, Lisson Gallery
C.F Lifestructurism - no.5, 2008 110 LEDs 71.5 x 91.3 cm
C.F Lifestructurism - no.8, 2008 115 LEDs 111.5 x 61.3 cm
Pile up Life no. 1 - Katrina, 2008 LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 103.9 x 119.7 x 120.1 cm
Pile up Life no. 1 - Katrina, 2008 (detail) LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 103.9 x 119.7 x 120.1 cm
Tatsuo Miyajima Pile Up Life Installation view, Lisson Gallery
Pile up Life No 7, 2008 Light Emitting Diode, IC, stone (pumice), electric wire 47 x 41 x 41 cm
Pile up Life no. 8, 2008 LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 68.7 x 60.3 x 60 cm
Tatsuo Miyajima Pile Up Life Installation view, Lisson Gallery
Tatsuo Miyajima Pile Up Life Installation view, Lisson Gallery
C.F.Brain no. 4, 2009 LED, power supply transformer, electric wire, stainless flame 38 x 22 x 48 cm
Pile up Life no. 6, 2008 LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 84 x 64 x 64 cm
Pile up Life no.10 - Katrina, 2008 LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 50 x 41 x 41 cm
C.F Lifestructurism - no.11, 2008 42 LEDs 87.8 x 31.3 cm