Schuzo Azuchi Gulliver: Banknote / Sweet life

The exhibition Art of Schuzo Azuchi Gulliver: Banknote/Sweet Life was held in MMC Kibla, in the art space KiBela between 16 April and 28 May 2004.

The artist who has been fascinating his own country for a decade prepared a tour across European countries and presented himself in Slovenia for the first time.

Schuzo Azuchi Gulliver turned KiBela into a scene of transformed capitalistic symbols. His works play with thoughts of human values and in this way caricatures questions that haven't been answered for centuries. Gulliver wanted to upgrade the static nature of exhibition and therefore established an interaction with the visitors. Their inclusion co-shaped artistic works. Over the large area in the middle of gallery, approximately 2000 of his banknotes were scattered. The visitors could change those banknotes with real ones.

Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver can be placed among those artists who, according to Duchamp and Beuy, continue working with conceptually imagined works. Nowadays an artist uses digital media and performance to realise individual ideas.

As a part of the artist's introduction, Kibla prepared a catalogue with a detailed introduction of the Japanese artist on 32 pages. Forewords are written in Slovene and English language. The catalogue also includes many reproductions of selected Gulliver's works.

“Since the very beginning it has appeared as if Gulliver is certain that art is deed and deed is art.” (Seigo Matsuoka, from monography Schuzo Azuchi Gulliver, 1991).

Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver is the author of numerous exhibitions, projects and installations. Among the more interesting are the project Body (1973), after which Gulliver's body will be divided into 80 pieces or artistic works after his death and each of them will get a new owner who is now willing to participate in his project. With this project Gulliver poses a question of ownership, that of mind over the body. In 1985 he made the next crucial work called De-Clock, a fantastic clock drawn on a black board where the drawing appears as if it is withdrawing into the area with no gravitation. In 1993 his artistic expression recieved a new element, a genetic record that includes initials of the four organic bases ATCG (Guanin/Cytosin, Adenin/Thymin), present in every living creature.

About the author:
1947 – Born in Otso, prefecture Shiga, Japan;
1966-67 – studying philosophy at the University of Ritsumeikan, Kyoto;
1967 – establishes an art group The Play with 10 members, who are still creating events in parks, on the streets, ...;
Exhibitions (selected, after 1999)
1999 – “International biennale exhibition of prints 99” Yamanashi Museum, Kofu; “Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver/Ex-self” 10.2!, Milan; “Prospect of Japanese contemporary painting” Tokyo Station gallery, Tokio; “Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver/ Infilarsi tutte e due le scarpe nello stesso momento” Mssohkan, Kobe;
2000 – “New prints” Wagemans, Beetsterzwaag; “On the street-Shibiya” Shibuya, Tokio; “Depertmentstore of contemporary arts” Yamanashi museum, Kofu; “Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver/ La dolce vita 2000” Galarie Epikur, Wuppertal; “Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver” Daikanyama hilside terace E, Tokio;
2001 - "Drawings on fusuma/ Gokasho" Mikiya, Shiga; “Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver/ for friend who have no memory” Toki art space, Tokio; “Documenta USA” Museum of new art, Detroit;
2002 – “Five tavoli da gioco per una partita inedita di Marcel Duchamp” 10.2!, Milan; “Ffgure and Sign (Box and Tape)” M’s service, Tokio; “Drawing for Peace” Kentler Gallery, New York;
2003 – „DIARTE 2003“ Art nest, Firence; „One-self” Kitayama creative instuture/ & Enegy link, Tokio; “Arte e Luoghi” Circolo Culturale Bertolt Brecht, Milan; “A tuttii costi” Circolo Culturale Bertolt Brecht, Milan in San Felice del Benaco; “Alias” L'osteria della cantina e Pasini Produttori, Puegnago del Garda; “Presentation/Il fascino indiscreto del denaro” Aura Magna dell'Ateneo Veneto, Benetke; “Three persons show” Studio D.V.O, Bruselj; “Werkgroep Van Goghhuis Zundert” Goghhuis Zundert; “Zero/Concept” Art affairs, Amsterdam.