Midori Mitamura: Art & Breakfast, Melbourne

Monash University Museum of Art, Caulfield campus
5 May - 23 July 2011
Curator: Rosemary Forde
 
Midori Mitamura is a Tokyo based artist who creates installations that combine photography and video, text, found materials and everyday objects gathered while travelling. Mitamura’s exhibition Art & Breakfast, Melbourne will be developed during a three month period as visiting artist in residence at Monash University.
 
Art & Breakfast is an ongoing project that has previously taken form in Stockholm, Tokyo and Berlin (2006-10). The project begins each morning with the artist making breakfast to eat together with gallery visitors. Mitamura then spends time in the exhibition space, creating and rearranging a series of small improvised installations each day. These temporary handmade installations reflect the transient nature of memory and emotional experience. This exhibition framework makes for an intimate exchange, whereby atmosphere, open-ended possible narratives and a kind of everyday mise-en-scene are built and shared between artist and visitor.
 
This project is a partnership of Monash University Museum of Art, Monash University Faculty of Art & Design, Tokyo Wonder Site and Asialink.

Artist Biography

Born: 1964, Aichi, Japan
Midori Mitamura studied fashion and photography and has exhibited extensively in Japan and internationally for over two decades. Her recent solo exhibitions include I’m standing beside the water, Bambinart Gallery, Tokyo, 2011; Temptation in Blue at Nanatsudera Studio, AICHI Triennial, Aichi, 2010; Purple Flower in her dress, Grita Insam Gallery, Vienna, 2009; Green on the Mountain a travelling exhibition to Helsinki, Oulu and Turku in Finland and Secession in Vienna, Austria, 2005-06; and Stories in two rooms, Contemporary Art Factory, Tokyo, 2002. Selected group exhibitions include Quiet Attentions: Departure from Women, Art Tower Mito + Contemporary Art Gallery, Ibaraki, 2011; Domani National Art Center Tokyo, 2009; Tokyo Story Esso Gallery, New York, 2007; Busan Biennale, South Korea, 2006; Location of the Spirits, Ludwig Museum, Budapest and the Moscow Contemporary Museum, Moscow, 2003; and On Happiness, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, 2003. Mitamura has completed residencies in London (2008) and Finland (2003). She is represented in Japan by Bambinart Gallery, Tokyo.

Public Programs:

Wednesday 20 April, 12.30 – 1.30pm
Art & Design Lunchtime Forum: Midori Mitamura
G1.04 Faculty of Art & Design lecture theatre, building G, Caulfield campus
 
Tuesdays 10, 17, 24, 31 May, 9.30 – 11.30am
Saturdays 14 May and 4 June, 11.00am – 12.30pm
Midori Mitamura will make and share breakfast together with visitors in the exhibition space as an integral part of her project Art & Breakfast, Melbourne. All welcome – first come first served!
 
Tuesday 31 May, 12.30 – 1.15pm
Artist talk: Midori Mitamura with curator Rosemary Forde
Monash University Museum of Art, Caulfield campus
 
All events free entry. Bookings and enquiries: muma@monash.edu or 9905 4217

Resources:

• Media kit (pdf, 488kb)
  
• Education kit (pdf, 211kb)
• Link to exhibition catalogue available now
• Link to video interview with Midori Mitamura