Kiyoshi Kusumi,
Art Editor / Critic
Day 4 features Kiyoshi Kusumi, Art Editor and Critic, who curated the art exhibition for the Prison.
When I received the proposal to exhibit contemporary art within a museum housed in a historical building, I thought about how to convey a sensibility of living in the present as a unique visitor experience. In selecting the artists, I reached out to individuals who face social issues through various expressive methods—from a manga artist who vividly depicted life in prison to fine artists who translate their thoughts into prints, objects, and video, as well as artists involved in social-themed art projects. We moved forward with production and exhibition preparations after they actually visited Nara Prison. Visitors will surely find an encounter with art that can only be experienced in this place, unlike any other museum.
After serving as the editor-in-chief of Bijutsu Techo, he is currently a professor at the Faculty of Systems Design, Tokyo Metropolitan University. He writes criticism across a wide range of genres including art, design, music, and media, and has been involved in planning exhibitions both in Japan and abroad.
At the Nara Prison Museum, he was responsible for artist selection and exhibition curation for “Art and Incarceration”.
Follow the series on Instagram: “The Exquisite Prison and the 30”
