Tatsuo Miyajima

Tatsuo Miyajima is one of Japan’s foremost sculptors and installation artists. Employing contemporary materials such as electric circuits, video, and computers, Miyajima’s supremely technological works have centered on his use of digital light-emitting diode (LED) counters, or ‘gadgets’ as he calls them, since the late 1980s. These numbers, flashing in continual and repetitious—though not necessarily sequential—cycles from 1 to 9, represent the journey from life to death, the finality of which is symbolized by ‘0’ or the void, which consequently never appears in his work. This theory derives partially from humanist ideas, the teachings of Buddhism, as well as from his core artistic concepts: ‘Keep Changing’, ‘Connect with Everything’, and ‘Continue Forever’. Miyajima’s LED numerals have been presented in grids, towers, complex integrated groupings or circuits and as simple digital counters, but are all aligned with his interests in continuity, connection and eternity, as well as with the flow and span of time and space. “Time connects everything”, says Miyajima. “I want people to think about the universe and the human spirit.”

Tatsuo Miyajima was born in 1957 and lives and works in Ibaraki, Japan. He finished undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1986, after which he began experimenting with performance art before moving on to light-based installations. In addition to participating in numerous international biennales and important group shows, he has held solo exhibitions at The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, Japan (2021): Chiba City Museum of Art, Chiba, Japan (2020); SCAI The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan (2020); Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Espoo, Finland (2020); Minsheng Museum, Shanghai, China (2019); Buchmann Galerie, Lugano, Switzerland (2019); Lisson Gallery, New York, NY, USA (2018); William Morris Gallery, London, UK (2018); Fosun Foundation, Shanghai, China (2017); SCAI The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan (2017); MCA, Sydney, Australia (2016); The Met Breuer, New York, NY, USA (2016); Capsule Gallery, Tokyo (2014); Kunstmuseum St Gallen, Switzerland (2012); Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China (2011); Miyanomori Art Museum, Hokkaido, Japan (2010); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA, USA (1997); Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, Paris, France (1996); and Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, TX, USA (1996). He has participated in the Venice Biennale (1988, 1999) and in numerous group exhibitions, including ‘Change Connect Continue’, Galleria Lorcan O’neill Roma, Italy (2019); ‘The Life of Buddha, the way to now’, Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2018); ‘Catastrophe and the Power of Art’, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2018); ‘Everything at Once’, The Store, London, UK (2017); ‘Relight Days’, Counter Void, Tokyo, Japan (2017); ‘Kumamoto Admirable’, Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto, Japan (2016); ‘Order and Reorder: Curate Your Own Exhibition’, National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto (MOMAK), Japan (2016); ‘Eppur Si Muove’, Mudam Luxembourg (2015); ‘Boolean Expressions’, Lewis Gluckman Gallery, Ireland (2015); ‘Logical Emotion, Contemporary Art from Japan’, Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland (2014); ‘Asia Code ZERO’, Seoul Olympic Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea (2013); ‘Marking Time’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia (2012); and ‘Dome’, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan (2008). In 2006, Miyajima was selected to serve as Vice President of Tohoku University of Art and Design. His work is featured in numerous public collections including British Museum, London, UK; Tate, London, UK; La Caixa, Barcelona, Spain; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; and Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan.

Recent, current and forthcoming projects

'Time Tunnel - Japan and the Jews' (group), Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, Haifa, Israel (16 September 2022 - 22 April 2023)

'Numerical Beads Painting', Scai The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan, (28 February – 15 April 2023)

'Tatsuo Miyajima', Noordbrabants Museum, s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands (18 June - 18 Sep 2022)

'Infinite Numeral', Gallery Baton, Seoul, Korea (2 March – 8 April 2023)

'Topologies of the Real: Techne Shenzhen' (group), CAFA Art Museum, China (24 March - 30 July 2023)

'World Classroom: Contemporary Art through School Subjects' (group), Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (19 April - 24 Sep 2023)

'Multidimensional and Synchronic', Wuhan Biennale (Opened 28 December 2022)

Tatsuo Miyajima
Painting of Change – 015

2021
Oil on canvas, 2 dice, wooden bar
200 x 317 x 5 cm
78 3/4 x 124 3/4 x 2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Painting of Change – 015

2021
Oil on canvas, 2 dice, wooden bar
200 x 317 x 5 cm
78 3/4 x 124 3/4 x 2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Keep Changing (Mondrian) - no.3

2021
Light Emitting Diode, IC, electric wire, white painted wooden panel. L.E.D. type: “Time G-FC” 81 pieces
209.3 x 209.3 x 11.6 cm
82 3/8 x 82 3/8 x 4 5/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Keep Changing (Mondrian) - no.3

2021
Light Emitting Diode, IC, electric wire, white painted wooden panel. L.E.D. type: “Time G-FC” 81 pieces
209.3 x 209.3 x 11.6 cm
82 3/8 x 82 3/8 x 4 5/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Unstable Time S - no.10, 2020

2020
Light Emitting Diode, IC, electric wire, Nylon fabric, Switching Power Supply, L.E.D. type: “Time E6-W” 100 pieces, Count Down
160 x 160 x 1 (variable size) cm
63 x 63 x 0 3/8 (variable size) in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Unstable Time S - no.10, 2020

Tatsuo Miyajima
Innumerable Life/Buddha MMD-01

2018
Light Emitting Diode, IC, electric wire, steel, stainless, Transformer. LED type "Time Hundred" (Red) 25 plates 126.5 x 126.5 x 10 cm 49 3/4 x 49 3/4 x 3 7/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Innumerable Life/Buddha MMD-01

2018
Light Emitting Diode, IC, electric wire, steel, stainless, Transformer. LED type "Time Hundred" (Red) 25 plates 126.5 x 126.5 x 10 cm 49 3/4 x 49 3/4 x 3 7/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Innumerable Life/Buddha MMD-01

2018
Light Emitting Diode, IC, electric wire, steel, stainless, Transformer. LED type "Time Hundred" (Red) 25 plates 126.5 x 126.5 x 10 cm 49 3/4 x 49 3/4 x 3 7/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Time Waterfall

2018
Computer graphics, LED display 336 x 64 x 32 cm 132 1/4 x 25 1/8 x 12 1/2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Painting on Chinese dress - Gold

2017
Acrylic (Liquitex PRIME Acrylic Bright Gold) on Chinese dress of Qing Dynasty 73.2 x 134.5 cm 28 7/8 x 53 in Framed: 95.5 x 161 x 5 cm Framed: 37 5/8 x 63 3/8 x 2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Painting on Chinese dress - Gold

2017
Acrylic (Liquitex PRIME Acrylic Bright Gold) on Chinese dress of Qing Dynasty 73.2 x 134.5 cm 28 7/8 x 53 in Framed: 95.5 x 161 x 5 cm Framed: 37 5/8 x 63 3/8 x 2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Painting on Chinese dress - Gold

2017
Acrylic (Liquitex PRIME Acrylic Bright Gold) on Chinese dress of Qing Dynasty 73.2 x 134.5 cm 28 7/8 x 53 in Framed: 95.5 x 161 x 5 cm Framed: 37 5/8 x 63 3/8 x 2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Painting on Chinese dress - Orange

2017
Acrylic (Holbein Acrylic Cadmium Orange) on Chinese dress of Qing Dynasty 77.8 x 131.4 cm 30 5/8 x 51 3/4 in Framed: 95.5 x 151 x 5 cm Framed: 37 5/8 x 59 1/2 x 2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Painting on Chinese dress - Orange

2017
Acrylic (Holbein Acrylic Cadmium Orange) on Chinese dress of Qing Dynasty 77.8 x 131.4 cm 30 5/8 x 51 3/4 in Framed: 95.5 x 151 x 5 cm Framed: 37 5/8 x 59 1/2 x 2 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Over Economy by Chinese Yuan 3,600

2016
Pencil and acrylic on Chinese RMB bills 36 parts: 44 x 33.5 x 5.5 cm each 17 3/8 x 13 1/4 x 2 1/4 in each

Tatsuo Miyajima
Over Economy by Chinese Yuan 3,600 (detail)

2016
Pencil and acrylic on Chinese RMB bills 36 parts: 44 x 33.5 x 5.5 cm each 17 3/8 x 13 1/4 x 2 1/4 in each

Tatsuo Miyajima
Time Waterfall

2016
Computer graphics, LED display Commission for Art Basel and the International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong Image courtesy the artist and Art Basel

Tatsuo Miyajima
Arrow of Time (Unfinished Life)

2015
Installation view, The Met Breuer, New York, NY, USA

Tatsuo Miyajima
The Moon in the Ground

2014
Plastic coated waterproof Light Emitting Diode, IC, electric wire, stainless mirror, iron Diameter 200 cm x 23.5 cm Diameter 78.7 in x 9.3 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Life (Corps sans Organes) No.8

2013

L.E.D., IC, microcomputer by Ikegami program, Steel, Plastic cover, passive sensor, electric wire, LED type; Life D-R(3), Life D-BL(3), Life D-W(2), Life D-PG(0), Life G-R(2), Life G-BL(2), Life G-W(2), Life G-PG(2) 190.2 x 145.5 x 11.0 cm / 75 x 57 3/8 x 4 3/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Life (Corps sans Organes) No.11

2013

L.E.D., IC, microcomputer by Ikegami program, Steel, Plastic cover, passive sensor, electric wire, LED type; Life D-R(6), Life D-BL(2), Life D-W(1), Life D-PG(4), Life G-R(6), Life G-BL(6), Life G-W(2), Life G-PG(3) 190.2 x 242.0 x 11.0 cm / 75 x 95 3/8 x 4 3/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Life (Corps sans Organes) No.3

2013

L.E.D., IC, microcomputer by Ikegami program, Steel, Plastic cover, passive sensor, electric wire, LED type; Life D-R(1), Life D-BL(2), Life D-W(0), Life D-PG(2), Life G-R(4), Life G-BL(4), Life G-W(2), Life G-PG(1) 106.5 x 198.7 x 11.0 cm / 42 x 78 1/4 x 4 3/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Life (rhizome) No.16

2013
L.E.D., IC, microcomputer by Ikegami program, steel, plastic cover, passive sensor, electric wire, LED type; Life G-R(19), Life G-BL(11), Life G- EG(18), Life G-Y(13) Life G-W(2), Life G-PG(7) 68.5 _ 98.5 x 4.0 cm 27 38.8 x 1.6 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Life Palace (tea room) (detail)

2013
L.E.D., IC, microcomputer by Ikegami program, wood, steel, passive sensor, electric wire, LED type; Life G-BL 152 pieces 258.8 x 321.6 x 321.6 cm 101.9 x 126.6 x 126.6 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Life Palace (tea room)

2013
L.E.D., IC, microcomputer by Ikegami program, wood, steel, passive sensor, electric wire, LED type; Life G-BL 152 pieces 258.8 x 321.6 x 321.6 cm 101.9 x 126.6 x 126.6 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
C.F. Brain no. 4

2009

LED, power supply transformer, electric wire, stainless flame 38 x 22 x 48 cm / 15 x 8 5/8 x 19 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
HOTO

2008
L.E.D., IC controller, electric wire,
specular finished stainless steel, mirror glass, prexi glass detail 549 cm high x 208 cm diameter / 216 in high x 82 in diameter

Tatsuo Miyajima
HOTO

2008
L.E.D., IC controller, electric wire,
specular finished stainless steel, mirror glass, prexi glass detail 549 cm high x 208 cm diameter / 216 in high x 82 in diameter

Tatsuo Miyajima
Pile up Life no. 5 - Katrina

2008
LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 84 x 64 x 64 cm / 33 x 25 1/4 x 25 1/4 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
C.F Lifestructurism - no.5

2008

LED, IC, electric wire 71.5 x 91.3 cm / 28 x 36 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Window v3-6-01

2004
Liquid Crystal Glass, IC Time Controller, electric wire, aluminium frame 198.3 x 134 x 8.6 cm / 78 x 52 7/8 x 3 3/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Pile up Life no. 1 - Katrina

2008
LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 103.9 x 119.7 x 120.1 cm / 41 x 47 x 47 3/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Pile up Life no. 1 - Katrina

2008
LED, firebrick, mortar, electric wire, power supply transformer, wooden pallet 103.9 x 119.7 x 120.1 cm / 41 x 47 x 47 3/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Fragile, No. 22

2005
100 LEDs 114 x 88.5 x 50 cm / 45 x 34 7/8 x 19 5/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Time in Water

2004
Plastic coating waterproof L.E.D, electric wire, IC, aluminium, stainless steel, water and water pump 300 x 300 x 30 cm / 118 x 118 x 11 7/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Time in Water

2004
Plastic coating waterproof L.E.D, electric wire, IC, aluminium, stainless steel, water and water pump 300 x 300 x 30 cm / 118 x 118 x 11 7/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima
Counter Void S-1

2003
Neon, plastic, stainless steel IC controller 231.6 x 167.1 x 60 cm / 91 1/4 x 65 7/8 x 23 5/8 in

Tatsuo Miyajima

Recent, current and forthcoming projects

Exhibitions