Underground Zoo - SB1979-2018
©Noboru Takayama
Main Gallery Area Artist
Artist Information
Noboru Takayama
Noboru Takayama was born in Tokyo in 1944 and graduated in 1970 from Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Fine Arts. He created works at MoMA PS1 in New York City as a researcher abroad through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan from 1990 to 1991. Takayama has played an essential role in contemporary Japanese art, using media made of strong material such as railroad sleepers, iron, and wax to make installation pieces that transform a particular site into an intimate space. Often categorized as a “Mono-ha” artist, from the late 1960’s to today his works have continued to be molded through deep study of the exhibition space or the site’s surroundings. While serving as an instructor for many years at Miyagi University of Education and Tokyo University of the Arts, Takayama is engaged in a variety of artistic activities, ranging from outdoor exhibitions and community engagement in local regions, which have invigorated the art scene of Northeastern Japan and guided its youth. Having exhibited domestically and internationally from his early years as an artist, Takayama holds a long career. Yet to introduce some of his recent activities, he has exhibited in “Noboru Takayama Solo Exhibition –A Space where 300 Sleepers Breathe—” in 2010 (The Miyagi Museum of Art), “Noboru Takayama Yusatsu-2011” in 2011 (Art Institute Shibukawa CONCEPT SPACE), “Japanorama: A new vision on art since 1970” in 2017 (Centre Pompidou-Metz), “Noboru Takayama” in 2018 (Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery, Los Angeles), and continues to be active in art today.
Takayama started creating art at the end of the 1960s while studying at Tokyo University of the Arts and has worked on installations to transform certain places into spaces that create an intimate atmosphere by using railroad-ties, iron, wax and other materials. The production of the structures starts after he has observed and deeply considered the exhibition space and the environment and until today all of his works have been solidly consistent. "Headless Scenery -Yusatsu" is often used as the theme for his works and is derived from the word "Tsuchikoroshi" which is originally used for making pottery and means “funneling up”. Takayama builds up the relationship between nature and humans in his works by both adding something and destroying something in both of them. He has participated in numerous exhibitions and art events at home and abroad, and served as the Professor of Intermedia Art in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts from 2005 to 2011. He is currently living in Sendai and teaching as a Research Professor at Miyagi University whilst continuing other activities.