From 29 March 2025, De Pont will present THEATERS OF LIFE, the first major solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed Japanese artist Meiro Koizumi (b. 1976) in the Netherlands. Koizumi, one of Japan's most prominent contemporary artists, explores themes such as nationalism, power dynamics, and the role of collective memory in his work. At the same time, he questions the place of the human body in an increasingly virtual and technologically driven world. How do innovations like artificial intelligence and biotechnology influence our understanding of life, individuality, and identity?
This extensive exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of Koizumi's diverse artistic practice, ranging from large-scale video installations and drawings to Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects. Additionally, the exhibition features a series of Altars, a new sculptures series, through which Koizumi makes the tension between humans and technology tangible.
Personal and Collective Memories in Video Installations
Koizumi is internationally renowned for his compelling video installations, in which he uses re-enactments and staged scenarios to explore social and political issues. His work touches on themes such as Japan's collective memory and the psychological impact of war experiences.
One of the key pieces in the exhibition is the three-channel video installation The Angels of Testimony (new to the collection of De Pont Museum), in which Koizumi captures an intense conversation with Hajime Kondo, a former Japanese soldier reflecting on his wartime actions during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The work intertwines personal and collective pain, examining how unresolved guilt and shame are passed down to future generations.
The English art critic Adrian Searle wrote about this installation in The Guardian:
"Koizumi’s installation overwhelms everything (...). I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. I stayed with this work for a long time. It is still with me now.”
About Meiro Koizumi
Meiro Koizumi, living and working in Yokohama, studied at the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London (1999-2002) and the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam (2005-2006), among others. His experimental VR theatre piece Prometheus Bound (2019) won the Grand Prize in the 24th edition of the Japan Media Arts Festival. In 2021, Koizumi received the Artes Mundi Prize (Cardiff, UK) for his video installation The Angels of Testimony. Besides video installations, the exhibition also includes drawings, sculptures and an impressive VR installation. The exhibition will extend across both De Pont’s new wing and the galleries in the original factory hall in Tilburg from 29 March 2025.