When did it become "Uwajima Station"? Looking up at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, next door, we were startled. Bright-red neon signs for "U," "wa," "jima" and "eki" lined the second-floor terrace, and beyond them the lettered sign "The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo" was visible.
In fact this is one of the works in the large solo show "Shinro Ohtake" now at the museum. Born in 1955, Ohtake is one of contemporary Japan's leading artists, working across painting, printmaking, video, installation and more. After moving his base from Tokyo to Uwajima, he received the "Uwajima Station" sign when the station building was fully renovated and turned it into a work, it is said.
The odd sight of "Uwajima Station" and "The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo" appearing together. According to a Mainichi article, Ohtake said: "The two sets of letters overlap and pull apart as my viewpoint moves. That, too, is collage, and I feel density there as well."
The exhibition runs through February 5 next year.