UNSOLD UNSOLD | Hiroshi Sugimoto, Sophie Calle, Ryota Aoyagi
Thursday, November 21 – Saturday, December 14, 2024
12–7pm
[Reception: Thursday, November 21, 5–7pm]
*Closed on Sundays, Mondays, and National Holidays
Gallery Koyanagi presents the 3 artists show “UNSOLD UNSOLD” by Hiroshi Sugimoto, Sophie Calle and Ryota Aoyagi from Thursday, November 21 to Saturday, December 14, 2024. This show will be a re-installation of the exhibition we had titled “UNSOLD” in November 2014.
10 years ago, the leftover “unsold” objects that were carefully selected by the 3 artists and put on sale at a flea market, were transformed and were put on sale again as an installation artwork titled “UNSOLD” as they were transferred to an art gallery space.
However unfortunately, that work also was not purchased, remaining “unsold”.
Today, after 10 years, we are putting the installation on sale again as “UNSOLD UNSOLD”. Would the work finally be sold this time, or would it become “UNSOLD UNSOLD UNSOLD”?
From “UNSOLD” (2014)
Sophie Calle met a young artist Ryota Aoyagi by quaint fate. And Hiroshi Sugimoto got to know Aoyagi through her. On a day in March 2013, the three set up stands in a flea market at Yasukuni Shrine undercover.
On March 17, 2013, between 7am and 3pm, Sophie Calle, Ryota Aoyagi, and Hiroshi Sugimoto set up three stands at the flea market at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
Sophie’s display was composed of recently found objects having no sentimental value but accompanied by real personal stories linked to similar such objects. She sold 10 of them for the total value of 108,500 yen. 13 were unsold.
Sugimoto’s display was a collection of real semi-antiques and one of his photos, having sentimental value and accompanied by fake stories linked to those elements. He sold 4 of them for the total value of 67,000 yen. 12 were unsold.
Ryota displayed what he usually shows at flea markets: real antiques, or a real installation, or both, with their titles but no stories. He sold 9 of them for the total value of 740,000 yen. 10 were unsold.
In the middle of the day, an American guide passed by their three stands and said to his group of tourists: “No need to stop, this is worth nothing.”
Here are the unsold.
We are reprinting the exhibition catalog issued in 2014, adding a new text by Sugimoto and changing the title to “UNSOLD UNSOLD”.
On the first day of the exhibition, on Thursday November 21 from 5 to 7 pm, we will have an opening reception in presence of Hiroshi Sugimoto, Sophie Calle and Ryota Aoyagi. This will be a unique occasion where the 3 artists gather, so please come to the gallery to meet them. (Important: On the first day, November 21, the gallery opens from 5 pm which is different from its usual hours.)
Established in 1995, Gallery Koyanagi is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025. This exhibition as a kickoff, we will be putting up shows with our artists whom we’ve worked with over the years, in the course of next few years.
Sophie Calle is the 35th Laureate of painting of Praemium Imperiale in Honor of Prince Takamatsu. The award ceremony is held on Tuesday, November 19.
Related exhibition and events
Ryota Aoyagi’s one work from his new series “SANDPLAY” will be exhibited during the exhibition period of “UNSOLD UNSOLD” in Gallery Koyanagi’s viewing room. A work from the same series will be exhibited at LIVE ART GALLERY (LAG, see details below).
Ryota Aoyagi
Exhibition dates: Friday, November 15 – Saturday, December 7, 2024
Venue: LAG (Live Art Gallery)
1F, 2-4-11 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Sophie Calle
Commemorative Reopening Exhibition: Absences - Sophie Calle & Toulouse-Lautrec
Exhibition dates: Saturday, November 23, 2024 – Sunday, January 26, 2025
Venue: Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum
2-6-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Dates: Thursday, February 20 – Monday, February 24, 2025
Venue: Meguro Persimmon Hall
1-1-1 Yakumo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
