The Tartu 2024 year will conclude with a solo exhibition and concert by renowned Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda at the Estonian National Museum
On November 2nd, as part of Tartu 2024 European Capital of Culture, the Estonian National Museum will open a solo exhibition by the acclaimed Japanese artist and composer Ryoji Ikeda, for which the artist will create two new art works. The opening will be followed by a unique concert, featuring the world premiere of a joint composition by Ryoji Ikeda and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste.
“Ryoji Ikeda has become renowned in the art world for his large-scale spatial installations, often based on scientific data,” explains Kati Torp, Creative Director of Tartu 2024, European Capital of Culture. Torp, who has previously collaborated with Ryoji Ikeda, highlights one of the artist’s most remarkable qualities—his ability to combine art and science in a way that is both meticulously detailed and audiovisually captivating.
The previous opportunity to experience Ryoji Ikeda’s work in Estonia was in 2015–2016, when Ikeda’s “supersymmetry” — a spatial installation based on data from CERN laboratories — was brought to Estonia under the guidance of Kati Torp, then a curator at the Kumu Art Museum. The artist was awarded the Collide@CERN 2014 Prix Ars Electronica for this work. However, the work being exhibited this year is largely inspired directly by Estonian culture and science.
The director of ENM, Kertu Saks, believes that the works inspired by Estonia are remarkable, and the upcoming exhibition provides an opportunity to experience world-class art. “Through art created using Estonian biodata and a piece created with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Ikeda showcases what Estonia excels at: science and culture. We are pleased that these works will be displayed at Tartu and the ENM. There is no doubt that this partnership will pique international attention, which is why we anticipate a large number of visitors from both home and abroad,” Saks stated.
Ikeda’s solo exhibition at the ENM provides a striking conclusion to Tartu and Southern Estonia’s year as the European Capital of Culture in 2024. The artist has collaborated with the University of Tartu Estonian Biocentre and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir for the new compositions. The two new installations are complemented by the author’s earlier art work “data-verse” (2019-2020).
The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir’s concert adds an additional dimension to the exhibition by premiering a new series of musical composition. This is Ikeda’s debut piece for the human voice, having previously worked primarily with electronic music. The piece will only be performed once in Tartu.
A limited number of tickets for the concert will be on sale at Piletilevi from 6 September. The ENM will display Ikeda’s new works as well as the already renowned art work “data-verse” until 2 March 2025. Ryoji Ikeda’s solo exhibition at the ENM is part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 main programme.