GALLERY・MA

GALLERY・MA began its activities in 1985 as a cultural arm of TOTO Ltd. Since then, we have held 133 exhibitions as a unique gallery devoted to architecture and design. In November of this year, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of our founding, we will take the first steps toward a new era by changing our name from GALLERY・MA to TOTO GALLERY・MA and launching a new TOTO GALLERY・MA Planning and Management Committee comprising Tadao Ando (special advisor), Waro Kishi, Hiroshi Naito, Kenya Hara, and Tokujin Yoshioka.

As the first exhibition plan by this new Planning and Management Committee, we will hold "GLOBAL ENDS---towards the beginning," the 25th anniversary commemorative exhibition featuring seven invited architectural practices active in seven different locales around the world---Tokyo, Melbourne (Australia), Madeira Islands (Portugal), Santiago (Chile), Seattle (United States), Singapore, and Olot (Spain). Rather than subscribing to homogeneous currents of globalism, these architects' practices are rooted in local regions, cultures, and environments. This exhibition endeavors to illustrate the dormant potentials at the "GLOBAL ENDS," the exhibition's title, from which various new values will emerge. "GLOBAL ENDS" veritably signifies expanding "gtentacles/feelers" connecting from here to the world.

For this exhibition, we have invited Ken Tadashi Oshima (architectural historian, associate professor, University of Washington) to be guest curator. Dr. Oshima, as a keen observer of architectural trends around the world, will also serve as chair and moderator at the two-day symposium to be held from the opening day of the exhibition, when the seven architects will talk about their respective regions, cultures, thoughts, and practices and share their common values.

The current age is calling for us to break away from the uniformity brought on by modernism to pursue diverse paradigms and to question their meanings. What are the underlying values at the "GLOBAL ENDS" that this exhibition will attempt to show? What strength do they have in the world? What influences do they exert? Through this project, we sincerely hope these new architectural values will take hold at this threshold of the twenty-first century.

TOTO GALLERY・MA

Overview

“GLOBAL ENDS -- towards the beginning”

The modernity that fueled the 20th century completely transformed the world. While bringing about expansion on the one hand, one can also see a weakening and fundamental deterioration of a spiritual zeitgeist. The plethora of architectural forms from this period could be seen conversely as expressions of internal spiritual desolation.

Within the "GLOBAL ENDS" of 20th century trajectories resulting in such lonely wastelands, we believe that in the 21st century there are resistant realms, unencumbered yet cognizant of the world in which new values have begun to sprout. What we are now pursuing is a dynamic relationship between individual local/global realms. Just as one might journey through the world to discover these realms, we seek to survey such diverse architectural cultures that comprise the "GLOBAL ENDS" At the same time, we seek those individuals who stand at the "GLOBAL ENDS" with a fearless, resilient spirit. These courageous people could indeed be said to be the veritable heroes of today.

In proposing this theme of "GLOBAL ENDS -- towards the beginning," we aspire to have the exhibition launch the 21st century. After discussing more than 100 works, the TOTO GALLERY・MA Planning and Management Committee selected architects whose works seem to be a harbinger of the coming age and invited them to participate in the exhibition.

We believe this exhibition will demarcate the era at present.

TOTO GALLERY・MA Planning and Management Committee
Special advisor: Tadao Ando
Members: Waro Kishi, Hiroshi Naito, Kenya Hara, Tokujin Yoshioka

Explanation of Exhibits

“GLOBAL ENDS -- towards the beginning”

21st century transformations within architectural culture beg for a reconsideration of fundamental principles of design. Since 9/11 and the world-wide economic collapse, the hegemony of universal globalization and uniform global architecture can be seen to have become superseded by currents emerging from the ends of the earth. Intensified by the World Wide Web, previous world centers of culture and capital can be seen to have shifted to new locales that thrive from vibrant mixes of local/global currents, individual sensibilities, and particular climates and topographies.

"GLOBAL ENDS--towards the beginning," TOTO GALLERY・MA's 25th anniversary commemorative exhibition, presents seven remarkable practices from five continents that remain locally-based and personally inflected while drawing from the possibilities of the broader world. This group represents a constellation of multiple trajectories expanding from Tokyo that span from Melbourne to Madeira, Santiago to Seattle to Singapore and Olot, Spain. The juxtaposition of the each architect's local standard of design in this exhibition highlights their own particular rich characteristics. The tactile, material sensibilities of the architects' work are brought together through large and small-scale models, drawings, photographs and videos that have been specially prepared for this exhibition. Each of the architects' large models rising from a 1800mm square base will express the spirit of their own micro-cosmic worlds at the "GLOBAL ENDS" together with a small-scale design on a 300 mm square pedestal that gives form to words from their respective homelands. Finally, to inspire conceptual understandings of the emergent new architectural culture, selected modern/contemporary writings, key words and responses to a series of questions by exhibitors at TOTO GALLERY・MA up to the present are projected in the courtyard.

Breaking from blind faith in modernization leading towards progress, the exhibition looks to both the primordial past and future to critically examine the potential of the present through the experience of everyday life--however different it may be from seven different vantage points. While the exhibition presents a virtual trip to ends of the earth, it ultimately seeks to illuminate the rich, realizable potential for design in the coming years.

Guest Curator
Ken Tadashi Oshima
(Architectural historian, Associate professor,
University of Washington)

Exhibitors
Paulo David(Portugal)
Sean Godsell(Australia)
Kerry Hill(Singapore)
Junya Ishigami(Japan)
Tom Kundig(USA)
Smiljan Radic(Chile)
RCR Adanda Pigem Vilalta Arquitectes(Spain)

Guest Curator
Ken Tadashi Oshima

Supporters
Tokyo Society of Architects & Building Engineers/ Tokyo Association of Architectural Firms/ Kanto-Koshinetsu Branch, Japan Institute of Architects/ Kanto Branch, Architectural Institute of Japan

Special supporters
Australian Embassy, Tokyo
Embaixada de Portugal
Embajada de Chile en Japón
Embajada de España en Tokyo
Embassy of the Republic of Singapore
U.S. Embassy, Tokyo

Special acknowledgements
EPSON SALES JAPAN CORPORATION

Space Design
Masahiro Kinoshita/Yu Sakuma

Image & Sound (Court)
Tomoyuki Sugimoto