Tokyo is back to its bustling self. On the events schedule this week: A Bollywood party, Latin American cuisine, a live stage reading and more. Many of these events are happening this week only, so be sure to add them to your calendars.
1. Desi Swag
To all the Bollywood enthusiasts, welcome to Desi Swag. Dance your heart out, enjoy quality drinks and take in the breathtaking views of the nearby pier at Hamarikyu Gardens. What’s more, experience real Indian dance performances by Love Bollywood dance group. It’s an event with typical Tokyo vibes and an Indian twist.
For VIP reservations, send a direct message on Instagram to @bollywoodtokyo and they should get back to you asap. Doors open at 10pm, while the music starts at 11pm.
Hope you all can get down for the biggest Bollywood night in Tokyo.
When: May 13 | More info
2. Latin America and Tapas Party
Seeking to establish a collaborative bridge bringing together the best aspects of both cultures, the Japan Association for Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (JAPOLAC) is bringing in professional dance teachers to give dance demonstrations and teach the basics of tango, salsa, merengue and bachata, as well as offer goods for sale from the respective Latin American and Caribbean countries. You will also have the opportunity to meet Embassy representatives and learn a bit of the colonial history of South America.
Excess revenue will be donated to the Florian Paucke Foundation, a charity organization dedicated to supporting musical training for children experiencing economic difficulties.
When: May 14 | More info
3. Ken Mihara: “Sei (Awakening) II – Memories in Clay”
Ken Mihara’s “Sei (Awakening) II – Memories in Clay” is an exhibition featuring the second collection of works in his latest series. With 15 new pieces, this exhibition further exemplifies the artist’s diverse compositions and hues.
Pristine forests, rugged ravines, gentle rivers and quiet mountains. These are landscapes steeped in the mysticism of ancient Shinto lore that artist Mihara witnessed as a child. His solemn stoneware are borne and influenced from these deeply idyllic environs. With acquisitions by over 40 leading institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum, Mihara’s unglazed, multi-fired works have captivated global audiences, propelling him to become one of the premier artists in contemporary Japanese ceramics.
When: From May 12 | More info
4. “Cock” Stage Reading
Tokyo International Players (TIP) presents a staged reading of the West End hit comedy Cock. A staged reading is quite simply theater in its purest form with actors, directors and scripts. Sets, costumes and lighting effects are reduced and there are minimal “bells and whistles” to distract from the text itself.
Synopsis: John has been in a stable relationship with his boyfriend for a number of years. But when he takes a break, he accidentally falls in love with a woman. Torn between the two, filled with guilt and conflicting emotions, he doesn’t know which way to turn. His boyfriend is willing to wait for him to make a decision, but so is his girlfriend. And both are prepared to fight to keep him. As the pressure mounts, a dinner with both parties is arranged, and everyone wants to know: Who is John? What is he? And what will his decision be?
When: May 13–15 | More info
5. Naoki Honjo: “(Un)real Utopia”
Photographer Naoki Honjo is known for his characteristic style of photography that uses a large format camera with a tilt-shift lens to capture cities as if they were dioramas. Evoking the feeling of a miniature world, Honjo blurs the lines between reality and fiction. This is the artist’s first large-scale solo exhibition and will feature approximately 200 works, including previously unseen collections, which together provide a comprehensive overview of his career to date.
When: Until May 15 | More Info
6. Momo: “Life Goes On”
Momo is a painter fascinated by the beauty of Aboriginal pointillism coming from the indigenous peoples of Australia. Practicing art since childhood she has experimented with oil paintings and digital design, which has ultimately led her to create her own technique using toothpicks and color to express her pointillism art.
From Momo’s unique perspective, she introduces a story hidden in the streets of a familiar cityscape where common symbols are reborn as if they were from another world. Momo’s animal series also implements this same technique of colored toothpicks.
When: Until Jun 4 | More Info
7. Mark Ryden: “Yakalina 9”
Perrotin and Kasmin are delighted to announce a jointly organized exhibition of new works by American artist Mark Ryden. Encompassing the newly created series of bronze sculptures and drawings of the mysterious entity Yakalina, the exhibition is conceived as a component of the artist’s upcoming exhibition, Animal Secrets, opening at Perrotin
Paris in May.
Ryden’s imaginative creations probe into the invisible and interpret the life of things filled with spiritual essence. Yakalina 9 features sculptures and drawings of the mysterious animal recently created by Ryden. Yakalina, with an appearance that is both lovely and eerie, has a long conical body covered with fur and outstretched arms symbolizing worshiping and piety.
When: Until May 14 | More info
