"Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound" at the Tampa Museum of Art

With two of Jun Kaneko's "Heads"

I'm always drawn to works of art featuring unique faces, be it Modigliani's elongated visages or Easter Island's moai. So it's no surprise I enjoyed my introduction to Jun Kaneko's "Heads." Perhaps the best part is that I just wandered into the Tampa Museum of Art to kill time before a show at the Straz, not knowing what I was about to discover. What a treat to be introduced to Kaneko's art. 

Kaneko is a Japanese-born artist whose intended career path took a turn when he landed at the Chouinard School of Art in LA back in the 1960s. His plan had been to make his mark on the art world as a painter. But when he was introduced to the ceramic work of the California Clay Movement artists, he fell in love with the medium. He liked the idea of his art interacting with a space and even, perhaps, defining it. He has definitely accomplished that goal. 

"Untitled (Dango)" (2021) 

Kaneko is best known for his dangos, the word for a Japanese dumpling. When he first started creating these forms, he wasn't sure they were enough. Was the shape of these works too simple to be considered fine art? The answer is a resounding "no." 

One of the most striking things about Kaneko's dangos is their size. His first creation was 6' tall and weighed 5-1/2 tons. The largest work he's created stands at twice that size and, correspondingly, weighs twice as much. Kaneko has said that 95% of the work consists of planning and engineering.

In addition to his dangos, Kaneko has created a series of works he calls "Heads." Entering the gallery where some of these pieces reside was one of those moments when I found myself practically running towards a work of art because I had to be close to it as soon as possible. Awkward! What if I had tripped and fallen into one in my enthusiasm? Happily, I stayed upright. 

Kaneko believes one reason his "Heads" are so engaging is that their familiarity "shrinks the difference between the viewer and the object." Hmm. Now that I look at this image again, I realize that the smaller head makes me think of Hitchcock's "Psycho." It's probably not the type of "familiarity" Kaneko had in mind, but I take his point. I did feel some kinship with these works. 

Sliver of Kaneko's costume and scenic design
for San Francisco Opera's "The Magic Flute" (2012)

When doing some research about the artist, I learned that Kaneko designed the sets and costumes for three operas. I love it when visual artists design for the stage. (If you're interested in this topic, click here to see the set and costumes designed by Picasso for a production by the Ballet Russes. The video is worth watching just to see two dancers in a horse costume doing the soft shoe. But I digress.) 

Kaneko's scenic design for the San Francisco Opera's production of "The Magic Flute" consisted solely of projected animation, something that had never been done before in opera. "Just because someone says it's impossible doesn't mean you can't do it," Kaneko said of this undertaking. If you have time to watch this video, please do. His work is absolutely amazing, and learning about the process was fascinating. I was interested in the resemblance in these particular costumes to Kaneko's dangos. Coincidental? I think not. To see some of his designs while on the drawing board, click here. 

"Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound" continues at the Tampa Museum of Art through August 23rd. It's worth a stop if you're in the area. For more about Kaneko and his work, click here. Here's to discovering new artists!