Yoichi Niisato placed a desk in Tamura Gallery and put a rose in a cup as well as a tape recorder on it after carrying out his exhibition, THE CAESAREAN OPERATION. The recorder first played Elvis Presley songs, which had been recorded from a distance. After a while, continuous sharp metallic sounds drowned the songs out. These were the sounds of a drill boring on an iron framework made by Niisato himself. Elvis’ songs and Niisato’s drill continued as a joint performance until the 120 minutes of the tape duration elapsed. Thus, “RESEARCH PRESENTATION,” the last part of THE CAESAREAN OPERATION, was created.
　
THE CAESAREAN OPERATION is an exhibition comprising eight actions, each called “Research,” six of which were undertaken before the exhibition and two were undertaken during the exhibition, and one “RESEARCH PRESENTATION.” In the gallery, there was a desk, a cabinet for medical instruments, a tape recorder procured via Reader’s Digest, and a rectangular parallelepiped framework made of angle irons, among other items. The action of boring holes on the iron framework is RESEARCH 15. Many small glass containers, files of the records of prior RESEARCH, and various things were placed on the desk and cabinet. There was a time recorder near the entrance of the gallery and a schedule on a blackboard displayed on a nearby wall. During the exhibition, Niisato visited the gallery and punched in the time recorder every day and executed actions contained in the schedule.

From Tomotaro Kaneko “Sounds that stand by action: Yoichi Niisato, THE CAESAREAN OPERATION“

July 21th, 2019　3331 Arts Chiyoda　B105

Material Exhibition
Yoichi Niisato, THE CAESAREAN OPERATION, 1973
Yoichi Niisato, THE TOOTHACHE, 1973
Yoichi Niisato, Event: Fujisawa Airport, 1973

Text｜Yoichi Niisato / Tomotaro Kaneko
Talk｜Yoichi Niisato / Arata Tani / Tomotaro Kaneko
Photograph｜Ryo Fujishima
Leaflet Design｜Tadao Kawamura

Leaflet
Yoichi Niisato, “THE CAESAREAN OPERATION, March 12th-18th, 1973″, 1982
Tomotaro Kaneko, “Sounds that stand by action: Yoichi Niisato, THE CAESAREAN OPERATION”, 2019

Cassette Edition
Yoichi Niisato, THE CAESAREAN OPERATION [excerpt), 1973

1949　Born in Iwate

1973　Graduated from Nihon University College of Art, Department of Fine Arts

Selected Solo Exhibitions （1970-80s）

1973　”THE CAESAREAN OPERATION”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

“The toothache”, Gin Gallery, Tokyo

“The toothache 2 The rain began to flow to the subway”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

“Choking or quiet life”, Sato Gallery, Tokyo

1974　”Talking about 1″, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

1975　”SERENADE”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

“SERENADE”, Maki Gallery, Tokyo

1976　”SERENADE”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

“SERENADE it reminds me of having a toothache in my childhood, when I stand behind a big cider-tree.”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

1977　”Than a quiet life “Still life, a smile like a drama” Thinking. Madam! please corn soup.”, Gallery Iteza, Kyoto

1978　”Parachute”, Maki Gallery, Tokyo

1979　”Parachute”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

1981　”YELLOW DOG BLUES”, Gallery Saiensu, Iwate

“Women’s Blues”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

1982　”Drawing and show”, Galerie Laranne, Tokyo

1983　”Monthly Show, Dedicated to T. N. “Kindness, OX sinking in sorrow””, The Second Person Gallery, Tokyo

1984　”Drawing & Installation”, Galerie Laranne, Tokyo

1987　”The OX series (or LAST EMERGENCY)”, Ai Gallery, Tokyo

1988　”OX’s, continued story lV “Feeling””, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

1988　”OX’s, continued story Vl “Feeling””, ATRIUM, Tokyo

Selected Group Exhibitions （1970-80s）

1973　”House of prostitute”(Two artists exhibition with Masaaki Ota ”Due to voltinism”), Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

1973　”L’EXILÉ ll.”, Miyama Gallery, Tokyo

1982　”Manifestation”, Fujisawa Citizens Gallery, Kanagawa

“Departure: the items of generation”, Kanagawa Prefectural Gallery, Kanazawa

1985　”Space – Play”, N-1 Gallery West, Aichi.

1988　”Paintings Crossing the Sea of Desire”, Kawasaki Municipal Gallery, Kanagawa

1989　”Mizai ’89″, Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo