Schlagwort-Archive: Art-Mama

Dare to Do the Impossible in Art and Life ——- R.I.P. Tatsumi!

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Johannes Lothar Schröder on the death of Tatsumi Orimoto (1946-2025)

Tatsumi Orimoto resting in a chair from China collected by Ai Waiwai at documenta 12, Kassel 2007
Photo: (c) johnicon (VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025)

Tatsumi Orimoto was a renowned Japanese artist who was born in Kawasaki City in 1946, where he died in 2025. He has worked internationally as a conceptual and performance artist, using photographs, drawings, posters, and mail art to announce and represent his ephemeral works. While studying in New York City, he assisted Nam June Paik and undertook public interventions there under the influence of Fluxus.

From his studio in Kawasaki, Orimoto initiated performances that revolved around carrying objects and communicating with animals such as chickens and pigs. His work „Carrying a Pig“ exemplifies this dual approach to interaction with objects and living beings.

Tatsumi Orimoto: Carrying a Baby Pig on my Back, Tojama-Farm, Juni 13, 2012, Poster (c) ART-MAMA Foundation

Since the 1980s, Orimoto has traveled extensively through China, Indonesia and India. In remote regions, he interacted with people who were experiencing the transition from an agrarian to an industrial society. He explored attitudes and behaviors through objects such as bracelets and ear clips, which he designed for communication purposes. For example, he attached ear clips to  people’s ears so that they could be visibly connected to other people via a wire.

For photo of: Communication Art „Pull to Ear“, Varanasi, India, 1987 scroll down for German version

Later, Orimoto gained notoriety for covering his own head and the heads and faces of others with bread. He organized groups of people whose heads and faces were covered with numerous loaves of bread and baguettes, and led them through streets, public squares, museums, trains, etc., throughout America and many European countries.

Bread-Men in Berlin, Postfuhramt 2007. Photo: (c) johnicon (VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2o25)

The cooperation with his mother and the people in the district also attracted a lot of attention. By incorporating them into his work, Orimoto gained attention not only in the art world, but also among doctors and therapists, recognizing his efforts to include people with Alzheimer’s and depression in social life.

Tatumi Orimoto: Small Mama + Big Shoes, Kawasaki 1997, Courtesy of the artist (Art Mama Foundation)

For Tatsumi Orimoto: Art + Medical Care: Collaboration Work with Alzheimer People, 2002, Katsuhira-en, Akita City, Japan scroll down to German version

Throughout his life, he drew while traveling, especially at airports, and after his daily duties in a local bar. The themes of these drawings revolve around violence, sexuality, living together in bathrooms, shops and at fairs. Orimoto was interested in fear and the dynamics of individuals and families in conflict situations.

Tatsumi Orimoto: untitled (airport drawing) Yokohama-City 2004

Das Unmögliche in Kunst und Leben wagen (R.I.P.)

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Johannes Lothar Schröder zum Tode von Tatsumi Orimoto

Pulling the Bathtub, New York City, Bowery S. East Houston S., 1983 (Poster)

Tatsumi Orimoto war ein renommierter japanischer Künstler, der 1946 in Kawasaki-City geboren wurde, wo er 2025 starb. Er arbeitete international als Konzept- und Performancekünstler und nutzte Fotografien, Zeichnungen, Plakate sowie Mail Art, um seine ephemeren Werke anzukündigen und zu repräsentieren. Während seines Studiums in New York City knüpfte er Kontakte zu Nam June Paik und unternahm dort unter dem Einfluss von FLUXUS öffentliche Interventionen.

Von seinem Studio in Kawasaki aus initiierte Orimoto Performances, bei denen es um das Tragen von Objekten und die Kommunikation mit Tieren wie Hühnern und Schweinen ging. Seine Arbeit „Carrying a Baby-Pig“ steht exemplarisch für diesen dualen Ansatz der Interaktion mit Objekten und Lebewesen.

Carrying a Baby-Pig on my Back, Tojama-Farm, Shimotsuma-City, Ibaraki, Jp 2012

Seit den 1980er Jahren bereiste Orimoto Asien darunter China, Indonesien und Indien. In abgelegenen Regionen interagierte er mit Menschen, die den Übergang von der Agrar- zur Industriegesellschaft erlebten. Er erforschte Einstellungen und Verhaltensweisen anhand von Objekten wie Armbändern und Ohrclips, die er zu Kommunikationszwecken entwarf. Zum Beispiel befestigte er Ohrclips an den Ohren von Menschen, so dass sie über einen Draht mit anderen Personen sichtbar verbunden werden konnten.

Communication Art: „Pull to Ear“, Varanasi, India, 1987, Art Mama Foundation

Später erlangte Orimoto Berühmtheit dafür, dass er seinen eigenen Kopf und die Köpfe und Gesichter anderer mit Brot bedeckte. Er organisierte Gruppen von Menschen, deren Köpfe und Gesichter mit zahlreichen Broten und Baguettes bedeckt waren, und führte sie in den Ländern Amerikas und Europas durch Straßen, öffentliche Plätze, Museen, Züge, Busse usw.

Bread Man in Berlin, Postfuhramt 2007, Foto: Autor (c) VG-Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025

Auch die Zusammenarbeit mit seiner Mutter und den Menschen im Stadtteil rief große Aufmerksamkeit hervor. Indem er sie in seine Arbeit einbezog, fand Orimoto nicht nur in der Kunstwelt Beachtung, auch unter Ärzten und Therapeuten, würdigte man seine Bemühungen, Menschen mit Alzheimer und Depressionen in das soziale Leben einzubeziehen.

Tatsumi Orimoto: Art + Medical Care: Collaboration Work with Alzheimer People, 2002, Katsuhira-en, Akita City, Japan, Art Mama Foundation

Zeit seines Lebens zeichnete er auf Reisen besonders auf Flughäfen und nach seinen täglichen Aufgaben in einer örtlichen Bar in Kawasaki. Die Themen dieser Zeichnungen drehen sich um Gewalt, Sexualität, das Zusammenleben in Wohnungen, auf öffentlichen Plätzen, in Geschäften und auf Jahrmärkten. Orimoto interessierte sich für die Dynamik von Konfliktsituationen und ihrer Eskalation zwischen einzelnen Menschen und Gruppen sowie innerhalb von Familien.

Tatsumi Orimoto: o.T. (Flughafen-Zeichnung) Stockholm 2005

From Carrying to Caring

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PAST & NOW – a retrospective of Tatsumi Orimoto

PAST & NOW is the title of the retrospective of Tatsumi Orimoto organized by the Onomichi City Museum of Art (Hiroshima) from August 4th to September 16th. It honors one of the most active performance artists of Japan who has been traveling and showing his work in four continents since 1982.

The curators of the show and authors of the catalogue Noritoshi Motoda and Shinji Umebajashi enrol Orimoto’s work in 6 chapters.

The earliest works consisted of metal-bracelets and -tags which Orimoto attached to arms and clipped to ears of people – single or groups – he photographed in Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Australia and Japan.

Carrying

In the 1980s Orimoto attracted attention by carrying-events, in which he carried bread, carton-boxes, a chimney, a tire-tube and other things alone or with somebody in various ways. This type of performance is still going on until today, when he carries a rabbit, a duck or a baby-pig, which are part of his performances with animals.

Tatsumi Orimoto: Carrying a Baby Pig on my Back, Juni 13, 2012, Poster (c) ART-MAMA Foundation

Bread-Man, which made him famous worldwide, developed out of carrying bread. Without a container Orimoto attached a loaf of bread or a number of different types of bread onto his face or around his head. Covered by this strange type of mask he performed not only in museums, but also in hospitals, stations and even in trains and boats. In public places and streets he often gathered large groups of people who formed surreal processions.

ART-MAMA

His father’s death forced Orimoto to take care of his mother who suffered from depression and Alzheimer. From 1996 on he created and documented numerous performances and events including “Art-Mama” as well as neighbors and friends within the domestic situation. After participating in the 49th Venice Biennale in 2001 he took the chance to expand these events with public lunches and gatherings of up to 500 grandmothers (Convent of Sao Bento de Castris, Evora, Portugal) in international locations and museums from Brazil to Denmark.

Last but not least the exhibition presented hundreds of his watercolors and pencil-drawings, which he created alongside of his performances especially while planning art-events, traveling and having his beer in the evening.

Everybody who likes the work of Orimoto or looks for an opportunity to get in touch with it should not miss this catalogue. Thoughtfully chosen examples of his work and shoots from the exhibition give an excellent overview on his work.

The catalogue is available at the ONOMICHI CITY MUSEUM OF ART, 17-19 Nishitsuchido-Cho, Onomichi-shi, Hiroshima 722-0032, Japan; please call for details!  Tel: 0081 (0) 849-23-2281 Fax: 0081 (0) 849-20-1682