Place: The Container
Artists are converging on a 85-year-old Tokyo building in the process of being torn down to give it a colorful sayonara.
Artist Nobuyuki Ohnishi, 55, has lived in the Kudanshita Building for 16 years. As the last resident of the building, he felt a memorable sendoff was needed and planned a special exhibition in part of the building that will stand until Dec. 26.
Ohnishi has included old buildings and airplanes in many of his paintings. A collection of some of his works was published in book form in July.
"For me, the Kudanshita Building is a theme of my works and an ideal residence," he said. "My creative energies have been stimulated since I started living here."
The Kudanshita Building was completed in 1927 as part of a rebuilding project after the Great Kanto Earthquake of Sept. 1, 1923. The three-floor, steel-reinforced concrete building stands along Yasukuni Dori near the Kudanshita subway station.
Although it was a commercial building soon after completion, in recent years the only commercial tenants were two coffee shops. However, its unique exterior was often featured on TV programs and photographers often used it as a backdrop.
In September, work began to tear down about one-third of the west side of the building. The coffee shops also closed up business. While work has stopped temporarily, it will be resumed after a completion of checks on the electricity and gas piping.
Although Ohnishi opposed the move to tear down the building, there were limits to what he could do as an individual.
He then began to think that rather than let a famous work of architecture simply deteriorate without people knowing anything about it, he wanted young artists to play a role in the final farewell.
He came up with the idea of creating the Kudanshita Atelier in part of the third floor on the east side of the building and opening up the workship for use by young artists.
Through acquaintances, Ohnishi called on artists to take part and a number have jumped at the opportunity.
Yuichi Suehiro, 26, decided to participate as soon as he saw the site.
In early November, Suehiro and Shinpei Koyama, 26, a graduate student at the Tokyo University of the Arts, were the first to hold an exhibition at the atelier.
Suehiro made three new paintings to match the atmosphere of the site.
"There is an indescribable high comfort level here and I honestly felt that I wanted to display my works here," he said.
Between Dec. 13 and Dec. 26, eight artists will display their works in an exhibition titled "Sayonara Kudanshita Building." Admission is free and the exhibition will be open from noon to 9 p.m. The exhibition will close at 6 p.m. on Dec. 26.
A talk show that will also include Ohnishi will be held from 6 p.m. on Dec. 23.
"It is regrettable that this building will have to disappear," Ohnishi said. "The only consolation is that its memory will be passed down to young people."
