Tsubasa Kato is a performance artist whose work relies largely on the participation of others. He is most well known for his Pull and Raise project, an ongoing series of performances in which spontaneously formed groups work together to pull down large-scale structures with ropes. This work challenges us to see each project site's environment as a narrative reflected in the shape and the weight of the structure. By employing communal action to pull and manipulate this structure, he represents the social order in terms of an alterable, physical form, in other words, provides a platform for people to spontaneously and unconsciously cooperate in order to envision change.
Read MoreKato has participated in many important exhibitions, festivals and biennials, including: "They Do Not Understand Each Other", Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong (CN, 2020); "Co/ Inspiration in Catastrophes", Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei (TW, 2019); "Taming Y/Our Passion", Aichi Triennale (JP, 2019); "21st DOMANI: The Art of Tomorrow," The National Art Center, Tokyo (JP, 2019); "Catastrophe and the Power of Art", Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (JP, 2018); "Encounters", PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR (US,2018); "Retrospective of the museum collection: 2014 → 1890", The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan (JP, 2018); "Reenacting History_Collective Actions and Everyday Gestures", National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon (KR, 2018); "Uprisings", Jeu de Paume, Paris (FR, 2016-17); "Roppongi Crossing 2010: Can There Be Art?", Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (JP, 2010).
Kato has received the Kengo Kuma Prize (JP, 2010); Bronze Prize and Jury Prize (Sakata Kazumi) of GEISAI#12, Tokyo (JP, 2009) and shortlisted of The 13th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art, Kawasaki, Japan.
Tsubasa Kato (b. 1984, Saitama) currently lives and works in Tokyo, Japan.
Text courtesy Chi-Wen Gallery
