慶應義塾大学アート・センター　Keio University Art Center

Yoshikuni Iida (1923–2006) was a sculptor known for his three-dimensional works that combined colorful ropes and stainless steel, as well as monumental stainless-steel pieces that reflected the surrounding landscape while in motion. While initially a painter, Iida found his footing in the art of sculpture after studying under Pericle Fazzini (1913–1987) in Rome during his travels to Europe in 1956. Iida later worked primarily in Vienna and Berlin, producing sculptures made from wood and stone. Upon returning to Japan in 1967, Iida began incorporating metal, particularly stainless steel with its mirror-like surface, as the central material in his creations. His works integrated innovative concepts like sculptures that were propelled by the wind, and by combining stainless steel with colorful ropes, he forged a signature artistic style.

In this exhibition, archived materials related to the International Sculptors Symposium of 1969, for which Iida served as a producer, will be showcased. At this symposium, artists from various countries harnessed iron, a material that symbolized the modern era, in their works. These works not only symbolized the forefront of civilization and contained critiques thereof but also left a significant mark on the development of post-war contemporary art, notably being installed at the venue of the World Expo held in Osaka the following year. The exhibition will take a look back to explore the atmosphere of Iida and other artists at that time through photographs.

Dubbed “Mirror Mobile,” Iida’s stainless steel-based moving sculptures—such as Landscape of Time, from which this exhibition gets its name—have been installed across Japan. Among them are pieces that stand to this day on Keio University’s Mita Campus, including Flora of Knowledge (1981) and Signal to the Stars (1984). We invite all to step into the world of Yoshikuni Iida, and a new landscape borne of works that evoke the passage of time from one era to the next, overlapping and converging with the time that the artist spent on campus as a student.

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