On September 17th, the Hirosaki Brick Warehouse Museum (Yoshinocho, Hirosaki City, TEL 0172-32-8950 ) will hold a documentary exhibition titled "Hello, Nara-san?"

This exhibition delves into the exhibition held between 2002 (Heisei 14) and 2006 (Heisei 18) by Yoshitomo Nara, a contemporary artist from Hirosaki. The three exhibitions held at the museum, which used to be a warehouse, were held with the cooperation of many citizens. In addition to displaying materials and photographs collected with the cooperation of citizens, the exhibition will be divided into nine themes, and will also introduce large banners, printed materials, goods, and drawings by Nara that were used at the time.

The title of the document exhibition comes from a phone call to Mr. Nara in the summer of 2000 by Ms. Chiyoko Yoshii, who was the owner of the warehouse. In 2002, Mr. Nara's solo exhibition "I DON'T MIND, IF YOU FORGET ME." was held as a result of the phone call. Mr. Nara says, "The brick warehouse has been a building that has fascinated me since I was a child, so I remember it well. When I went to see it for the first time, I already had the feeling that I was going to hold an exhibition."

Solo exhibition "I DON'T MIND, IF YOU FORGET ME." According to Mr. Nara, the exhibition in Hirosaki was different from other exhibitions in that it was not a museum, so he worked with the citizens who cooperated in creating it. At the venue, interview videos, group photos, snapshots, etc. of the people involved at the time are on display.

Workshops and live events will be held during the exhibition period. A space set up on the second floor of the venue will be titled "Moshi Moshi Theater Department," and workshops will be held in which young people who are unfamiliar with the exhibition will research three exhibitions and create a play. We are still recruiting members for the drama club, and we are targeting people between the ages of 13 and 25 who live, study, or work in Hirosaki.

At the café "BRICK" attached to the museum, we will increase the number of Yoshitomo Nara's goods and sell them, as well as offer collaboration sweets "Letter Galette" (1,100 yen). The menu is a galette made like a letter and accompanied by a branded macaron made in 2002 based on the girl drawn by Mr. Nara.

Mr. Nara said, "I hope that visitors will not only look back on the past exhibitions, but will also get a sense of what inspired Hirosaki, not just the superficial parts, but also the invisible parts."

The event is held from 9:00 to 17:00. The viewing fee is 1,300 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for university and vocational school students. Free for high school students and younger who commute to Hirosaki City and those aged 65 and over. Until March 21, 2023.