WHAT MUSEUM to Hold OKETA COLLECTION “Mariage: From Antiques to Contemporary Art” from April 28th, 2022 (Thu)

OKETA COLLECTION is a collection of antiques and contemporary art assembled for more than 20 years by Shunji and Asako Oketa, a married couple with a long history in the fashion industry. The collection will be a two-part exhibition with entirely different themes.

The first exhibition, entitled “Mariage: From Antiques to Contemporary Art”, focuses on the antiques and works of contemporary art that formed the Oketas’ gateway into the world of art collecting. It consists of about 40 pieces to be exhibited under three themes of Body, Monochrome and Color, and includes pieces from artists, along with some works that have not been exhibited before. The exhibition brings together antiques ranging from Joseon-period ceramics to masterpieces from Japan’s leading ceramic artists such as Rosanjin Kitaoji, Kanjiro Kawai and Mineo Okabe, alongside works by contemporary artists including Kohei Nawa, KAWS, TIDE, Daniel Arsham and Tschabalala Self. “Mariage” collects works from different countries, generations and mediums into one space, offering visitors the opportunity to rediscover these fascinating pieces.

The second exhibition, OKETA COLLECTION “YES YOU CAN : The Strength of Life through Art,” is scheduled to be held from August 6th, 2022 (Sat) to October 16th (Sun). Details of the second exhibition and related events to be held during the exhibition will be announced in due course.

*Mariage: The French word for “marriage.” It refers to a state in which two separate entities work together in harmony to elevate and encourage one another.

Title: OKETA COLLECTION “Mariage: From Antiques to Contemporary Art”
Dates: April 28th, 2022 (Thu) – July 3rd (Sun)
Venue: WHAT Museum 2F (Warehouse TERRADA G Building 2-6-10 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0002)
Open Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Admission until 5:00 PM), closed on Mondays (but open when Monday is a public holiday, then closed the following Tuesday)
Admission: Adults 1,200 yen / University or vocational college students 700 yen / Students under high school age Free
* Including the admission for the concurrent exhibition
* Tickets will be on sale in early April 2022. Please visit the WHAT MUSEUM official website for details.
Organizer: WHAT MUSEUM
Planner: OKETA COLLECTION, WHAT MUSEUM
Exhibition cooperation: MMA Inc.
Cooperation: Sandwich Inc.
URL: https://what.warehouseofart.org/exhibitions/oketa-collection_mariage

A range of three-dimensional works by artists such as Kohei Nawa are on display. Enjoy a fresh viewing experience in a uniquely designed exhibition space

There is a room only exhibiting PixCell-Deer#48, one of sculptor Kohei Nawa’s representative works. Additionally, in a delightful configuration of the exhibition, visitors themselves can add the finishing touch to Mungo Thomson’s “November 14, 2016 (The End is Near)” with their mirrored reflection, or discover the unique three-dimensional works that have been mounted on plinths for display.

From Antiques to Contemporary Art, an Eclectic Ensemble of Artworks Presented in Unified Harmony

Take in the allure of timeless and enduring works of art with Asako and Shunji Oketa’s “love at first sight” collection

The Artworks and Artists Making their Debut Appearance in this Exhibition

A work of “Wash N’ Set 2” by Tschabalala Self is exhibited for the first time in OKETA COLLECTION. Visitors can view contemporary artworks unveiled for the first time, with new works by VERDY’s “VICK” and TIDE’s “COMPO:L”, as well as currently in-production works by Craig Kucia and others making their premiere showing.

Audio Guides Narrated by the Artworks’ Very Own Collectors

The Oketas have prepared audio guides for the exhibition, where they share anecdotes and commentaries relating to the collection. Download the official WHAT MUSEUM app to use the audio guide when visiting the museum. (Fee: Free of charge)

Daniel Arsham, Virgil Abloh, Rokansai Iizuka, VERDY, Mineo Okabe, Yasushi Oketani, Jordy Kerwick, KAWS, Javier Calleja, Susumu Kamijo, Shoji Kamoda, Brian Calvin, Kanjiro Kawai, Rosanjin Kitaoji, Craig Kucia, Klara Kristalova, Tomoo Gokita, Sayre Gomez, Sounsai Sakaguchi, Matthew Day Jackson, Jean Jullien, Rashid Johnson, Tschabalala Self, TIDE, Mungo Thomson, Kohei Nawa, Brian Harte, Stephan Balkenhol, Yuichi Hirako, Futura, Marius Bercea, Adam Pendleton, Mel Bochner, Evan Holloway, Mr., Austin Lee, Nate Lowman, Kasing Lung, Jennifer Rochlin

Shunji and Asako Oketa started this collection in the 2000s. The couple, who have been involved in the fashion industry for many years, began by collecting antiques but took strides in earnest toward a collection of contemporary art after a galvanizing encounter with the works of Yayoi Kusama in 2010. The pair’s taste in inspired works of art is exuded by “love at first sight,” resulting in a unique collection reflecting various periods. From masterpieces produced by the greats of Japan and elsewhere to fashion, street culture and art, OKETA COLLECTION boasts a uniquely dynamic lineup of artists.

WHAT MUSEUM opened in Tennoz, Tokyo in December 2020. It is a facility to make artists’ and collectors’ precious art properties that have been entrusted to us accessible to the public. We have used our unique insight as a warehousing company to explore the concept of what an art facility should be. The result is to open up the warehouse to offer the public a look at art that they would not ordinarily have the opportunity to see. The museum exhibits works by artists active in the contemporary art scene side-by-side with the thoughts of the collectors as well as the artists, offering an innovative space for the appreciation of art. The name of WHAT (WAREHOUSE OF ART TERRADA) implies the cultural value which is gleaming quietly in the warehouse, and the museum exhibits paintings, three-dimensional works as well as architectural models, photographs, movies, literature and installations. We plan and exhibit these diversified arts and cultures in our individual style of museum as a warehouse company in new and unique approaches.