2025 Art Retrospective ③: Considering the “Public” that Art Should Face, from Katsuya Mutsuki and Hilma af Klint
This article reflects on the 2025 art scene, examining the “public” art should address through the works of Katsuya Mutsuki and Hilma af Klint.Summary
This article is the final installment of a roundtable discussion reviewing the art scene in 2025, focusing on the theme of “contemporaneity and independence.” Participants discussed how art can contribute to society and the future of art after 2026, using exhibitions of Katsuya Mutsuki and Hilma af Klint as examples. They highlighted the intriguing tension in Mutsuki’s work between anarchism and futurism, and the importance of considering his post-war artistic activities. The discussion also emphasized the significance of recognizing similar pioneering practices within Japan, like Mutsuki’s, in the context of renewed interest in mutual aid and the connection between art and everyday life. The article suggests a potential link between the renewed appreciation for artists of the Taisho period and a subconscious awareness of what was lost during the war.
(Source：NiEW)