SIMON FUJIWARA | THE MIRROR STAGE
The Mirror Stage is an autobiographical play written and performed by the artist that restages his first encounter with a modern artwork, an event that ultimately led him to become an artist himself. In 1993, when he was 11 years old, the TATE St.Ives was constructed on the beach in Fujiwara’s seaside hometown, and showed the Horizontal Stripe Painting by the abstract expressionist Patrick Heron.
Within a newly designed theatre also situated on the beach – in Miami – Fujiwara’s play re-enacts multiple versions of this first encounter, and features a counterfeit reproduction of the original canvas as a backdrop. Taking us on an increasingly absurd personal journey, the play passes from the myths and cliches of artists childhoods, through the sexual psychology of abstract painters, to the history of post-war British art, all told through the memories of a repressed pubescent boy with the aid of 11 year old actor, Keanu, standing in as a double for the artist.
Simon Fujiwara was born in Girona in 1982 and currently lives and works in Berlin and Los Angeles. He studied architecture at Cambridge University and Fine Art at the Staedelschule, Frankfurt am Main. His work has recently been shown at the 53rd Venice Biennale, Temporare Kunsthalle, Berlin and the MAK Center, Los Angles. His forthcoming exhibitions include solo shows at TATE St.Ives and Julia Stoshek Collection, Dusseldorf as well as group presentations at the Baltimore Contemporary Museum, MUSAC, Leon and GAM, Turin.
Neue Alte Bruecke
lot of good information, I come here all the time and am very happy with your updates, Thank you!