Tadashi Kawamata

Born in 1953 in Hokkaido (Japan), TADASHI KAWAMATA now lives and works in Tokyo (Japan) and Paris (France), after exploring NYC (United States). Since his days as a student of painting, in the 1970s, Tadashi Kawamata has been on an artistic journey that is remarkable for its lack of complacency. Taking nothing for granted, he engages us in a process that involves close consideration of the kinds of environments we make for ourselves, thereby raising questions of all-too-human need and desire. Kawamata’s gestures and materials, given the contexts within which they occur, are always smartly chosen.
Tadashi Kawamata is indeed famous for his in situ interventions, assembled from, among other things, wooden planks, chairs and barrels.
Whether built up into fragile Babylonian constructions, tree huts, roof installations or stretched out to form serpentine, his works offer, to those who experiment them, climb up onto them or set foot on them, another point of view – in every sense – over the place in which they are situated.
Born in 1953 in Hokkaidō, Japan, Tadashi Kawamata lives and works in Tokyo and Paris. His work has been widely shown in major international institutions such as MAAT, Lisbon (2018), Pushkin Museum, Moscow (2018), Made in Cloister, Napoli (2017), the Thurgau Art Museum, Switzerland (2014), the Centre Pompidou in Paris (2010) and Metz (2016), the Toyosu Dome, in Tokyo (2010-2013), the HKW in Berlin (2009), the Art Tower Mito in Mito (2001), the Serpentine Gallery in London (1997), the Artpace San Antonio (1998), the MACBA in Barcelona (1996); and also during numerous art biennales such as the Venice Biennale (1982), the documenta 8 and IX (1987; 1992), the international Biennale of São Paulo (1987), the Contemporary Art Biennale in Lyon (1993), the Skulptur Projekte Münster (1997), the Sydney Biennale (1998), the Jerusalem Biennale (1999), the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale in Niigata (2000), the Shanghai Biennale, the Busan Biennale (2002), the Valencia Biennale (2004), the Biennale Evento in Bordeaux (2009) and the Helsinki Biennial (2021).

Works

Meubler (The Garden) - © Mennour
Meubler (The Garden), 2023
Installation view, Liaigre, Paris - © Mennour
Installation view, Liaigre, Paris, 2023
Nest n°35 - © Mennour
Nest n°35, 2023
Exhibition view, Mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Mennour, Paris, 2023
Exhibition view, Hachinohe Art Museum, Aomori - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Hachinohe Art Museum, Aomori, 2023
Exhibition view, Biennale Internationale de Saint-Paul de Vence - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Biennale Internationale de Saint-Paul de Vence, 2023
Installation view, Amos Rex, Helsinki - © Mennour
Installation view, Amos Rex, Helsinki, 2022
Exhibition view, Pierre Yovanovitch's showroom - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Pierre Yovanovitch’s showroom, 2022
Installation view, Place Monsenergue, Toulon - © Mennour
Installation view, Place Monsenergue, Toulon, 2021
Exhibition view, Helsinki Biennial - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Helsinki Biennial, 2021
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2019
Site sketch n°73 - © Mennour
Site sketch n°73, 2014
Tree hut Brugge n°25 - © Mennour
Tree hut Brugge n°25, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2019
Destruction n°32 - © Mennour
Destruction n°32, 2019
Tsunami n°5 - © Mennour
Tsunami n°5, 2015
Tree hut plan n°52 - © Mennour
Tree hut plan n°52, 2018
Nest study No 4 - © Mennour
Nest study No 4, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2015
Nest for Kamel Mennour plan 5 - © Mennour
Nest for Kamel Mennour plan 5, 2017
Corner Pieces  No 52 - © Mennour
Corner Pieces No 52, 2015
Plan for Lyon - Terrace Arch N°1 - © Mennour
Plan for Lyon - Terrace Arch N°1, 2013
Tree hut plan N° A-23 - © Mennour
Tree hut plan N° A-23, 2014
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou-Metz - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou-Metz, 2016
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2017
Exhibition view, MAAT, Lisbon - © Mennour
Exhibition view, MAAT, Lisbon, 2018
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou, Paris, 2010
Pompidou plan 2 - © Mennour
Pompidou plan 2, 2009
Nest n°17 - © Mennour
Nest n°17, 2019
Site sketch n°154 - © Mennour
Site sketch n°154, 2015
Tree hut plan. No46 - © Mennour
Tree hut plan. No46, 2017
Exhibition view, Pushkin Museum, Moscow - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Pushkin Museum, Moscow, 2019
Site plan n°21 - © Mennour
Site plan n°21, 2015
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou-Metz - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou-Metz, 2018
Tree hut, Brugge n°18 - © Mennour
Tree hut, Brugge n°18, 2016
Gecekondu,  No 2 - © Mennour
Gecekondu,  No 2, 2016
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2011
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2017
Exhibition view, Monnaie de Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Monnaie de Paris, 2008
Favela Hut n°3 - © Mennour
Favela Hut n°3, 2016
Site Plan N°17 - © Mennour
Site Plan N°17, 2013
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2008
Collective follie La Villette N°3 - © Mennour
Collective follie La Villette N°3, 2013
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2015
Exhibition view, MAAT, Lisbon - © Mennour
Exhibition view, MAAT, Lisbon, 2018
Tree hut group n°2 - © Mennour
Tree hut group n°2, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2011
Plan for "Under the water" - Sketch n°4 - © Mennour
Plan for “Under the water” - Sketch n°4, 2011
Exhibition view, Pushkin Museum, Moscow - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Pushkin Museum, Moscow, 2018
Exhibition view, Pushkin Museum, Moscow - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Pushkin Museum, Moscow, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2017
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou-Metz - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Centre Pompidou-Metz, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2017
Nest corner side n°2 - © Mennour
Nest corner side n°2, 2018
Permanent installation, Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris - © Mennour
Permanent installation, Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, 2018
Nest n°8 - © Mennour
Nest n°8, 2018
Tree hut plan No 50 - © Mennour
Tree hut plan No 50, 2018
Site plan study no13 - © Mennour
Site plan study no13, 2017
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2008
Exhibition view, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, 2013
Tree hut Brugge  No 26 - © Mennour
Tree hut Brugge  No 26, 2018
Bonn plan 3 - © Mennour
Bonn plan 3, 2011
Exhibition view, MARTa Herford - © Mennour
Exhibition view, MARTa Herford, 2015
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2015
Tree hut Brugge n°21 - © Mennour
Tree hut Brugge n°21, 2018
Tree hut on the cliff n 8 - © Mennour
Tree hut on the cliff n 8, 2018
Exhibition view, Place Vendôme, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Place Vendôme, Paris, 2013
Tree hut plan no35 - © Mennour
Tree hut plan no35, 2016
Exhibition view, Monnaie de Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Monnaie de Paris, 2008
Nest corner side n°3 - © Mennour
Nest corner side n°3, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2011
Tree hut sin Brugge. No 19 - © Mennour
Tree hut sin Brugge. No 19, 2016
Exhibition view, Estuaire de Nantes - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Estuaire de Nantes, 2009
Tree hut plan no42 - © Mennour
Tree hut plan no42, 2017
Exhibition view, MAAT, Lisbon - © Mennour
Exhibition view, MAAT, Lisbon, 2018
Corner Pieces  No 58 - © Mennour
Corner Pieces No 58, 2015
Tower of Scaffold Nara n°1 - © Mennour
Tower of Scaffold Nara n°1, 2017
Tsunami n°13 - © Mennour
Tsunami n°13, 2015
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2011
Tree hut Tremblay plan 1 - © Mennour
Tree hut Tremblay plan 1, 2019
Tree Hut Brugge n°20 - © Mennour
Tree Hut Brugge n°20, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2008
Exhibition view, Place Vendôme, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Place Vendôme, Paris, 2013
Exhibition view, Chaumont-sur-Loire - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Chaumont-sur-Loire, 2011

Exhibitions & News

Tadashi Kawamata - Liaigre - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, Nest in Liaigre
10 October 2023 — 25 March 2024
Liaigre, Paris
Meubler - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, Meubler
16 October — 2 December 2023
Opening 16 October 2023, 18:00
Mennour, 47 rue Saint-André-des-Arts, Paris 6
Mennour, 28 avenue Matignon, Paris 8
Biennale Internationale Saint-Paul de Vence - © Mennour
Petrit Halilaj, Tadashi Kawamata, Au hasard des oiseaux
3 June — 1 October 2023
Saint-Paul de Vence
Lucas Ratton x Mennour - © Mennour
Elizabeth Jaeger, Tadashi Kawamata, Alicja Kwade, Lucas Ratton x Mennour
27 May — 1 September 2023
Galerie Lucas Ratton, Saint-Tropez
Tadashi Kawamata - Hachinohe Art Museum - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, Beautiful Hug!
29 April — 28 August 2023
Hachinohe Art Museum, Aomori
Tadashi Kawamata - Fondation GGL - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, Tree Huts in Montpellier
22 June — 10 December 2022
Fondation GGL, Montpellier
Tadashi Kawamata - Donjon de Vez - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, Cabanes d’architectes
4 June — 30 October 2022
Donjon de Vez
Tadashi Kawamata - Amos Rex - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, The Nest
7 May — 4 September 2022
Amos Rex, Helsinki
Jours blancs - © Mennour
Group show, Jours blancs
18 October 2021 — 9 February 2022
Opening 18 October 2021, 18:00
Mennour, 47 rue Saint-André-des-Arts, Paris 6
Mennour, 28 avenue Matignon, Paris 8
Tadashi Kawamata - Hermès - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, Tree Hut
6 November 2021 — 8 February 2022
Store Hermès Ginza, Tokyo
Fondation Villa Datris - Sculpture en fête ! - © Mennour
Daniel Buren, Ann Veronica Janssens, Tadashi Kawamata, François Morellet, Sculpture en fête !
22 May — 1 November 2021
Fondation Villa Datris, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Lucas Ratton x kamel mennour x Galerie kreo x Galerie Jacques Lacoste - © Mennour
Group show, Lucas Ratton x kamel mennour x Galerie kreo x Galerie Jacques Lacoste
12 May — 31 October 2021
Galerie Lucas Ratton, Saint-Tropez
Tadashi Kawamata - Toulon - © Mennour
Tadashi Kawamata, Déplacement
21 June — 30 September 2021
Place Monsenergue, Toulon

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