There are five open reel decks and four speakers on the floor of a gallery. A small blackboard is hung on the inner wall. There is a date, a phrase, “sites where my body is located,” and places where Wada was. There are also numerical formulas, “0＋0≒0　0−0≒0　0×0≒0　0÷0≒0　1＋1≒　1−1≒1　× ≒　÷ ≒”next to them. In addition, white half sleeve t-shirts are pinned up on each wall. “This is me” is written on the breast area of the shirts. While staying there, Wada put on one of the t-shirts.

All the open reel decks replay endless tapes. Four of these tapes emit Wada’s voice and the other emits traffic noises. The contents are as follows. 1. Self-reference in the form of “this is …” Words like “language,” “me” and “voice” come into “…” 2. The Japanese Alphabet; “A, Ā, I, Ī, U, Ū, E, Ē, O, Ō.” left and right speakers independently emit almost the same contents but that are largely shifted. 3. An instruction or motto such as “To do…,” “You should do…” and “Do …” 4. A combination of citations from Wittgenstein’s work, mainly the Picture Theory and 3.

Self Musical is apparently Wada’s sonic self-portrait. According to the blackboard, his “body” sometimes spends time outside the gallery, but his voice—his consciousness—always stays there. The spoken words hardly convey any interiority or the career of Wada, but the sound of his voice that represents the dialect of his hometown could be identified easily by his close acquaintance. That kind of interpretation of the work seems to be appropriate in the outline. However, it was confusing due to the fact that Wada had made 15 shirts and there were other participants who put them on at the gallery.

From Tomotaro Kaneko “Nameless voices: Morihiro Wada, Discourse on the Method in Cognition No.1, Self Musical“

April 8th-14th, 2018　Art & Space Cococara

Exhibition
Morihiro Wada, Discourse on the Method in Cognition No.1, Self Musical, 1973/2018
Morihiro Wada, Work’96, 1996

Text｜Morihiro Wada / Tomotaro Kaneko
Talk｜Minoru Hatanaka / Tomotaro Kaneko
Sound Recording｜Makoto Oshiro
Photograph｜Ryo Fujishima
Leaflet Design｜Tadao Kawamura

Leaflet
“The transcript of Morihiro Wada’s Discourse on the Method in Cognition No.1, Self Musical“, 1973/2018
Tomotaro Kaneko “Nameless voices: Morihiro Wada, Discourse on the Method in Cognition No.1, Self Musical“, 2018

Cassette Edition
Morihiro Wada, An Introduction to Methods from Cognition No.III: Mr. Nobody, Monument in Words [excerpt], 1973

1947　Born in Kagawa

1973　Graduated from Tama Art University, Department of Painting, Oil Painting Course

Selected Solo Exhibition
1971　“Book of Revelation of Nature”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

1972　“Searching Afar for the Huge White Body of Moby-Dick”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

1973　“An Introduction to Methods in Cognition No.l Self Musical”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

“An Introduction to Methods in Cognition No.lll Mr. Nobody, Monument in Words”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

1974　“Application No.l”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

“Application No.lV From the State of Use and Looks…”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

1975　“Manifestation No.l – Against a Background of Application or Mimesis”, Maki Gallery, Tokyo

“Manifestation No.ll – Truth and Falsehood on the Flow of Conversion”, Shirakaba Gallery, Tokyo

1976　“Manifestation No.lll – The Relationship of Meanings in Daily Life”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

“Manifestation No.V – From Derivation from Repetitive Daily Life to Derivation”, Shirakaba Gallery, Tokyo

“Base of Surface No.l (Use as a Stereoscope) – Manifestation No.Vll”, Maki Gallery, Tokyo

1977　“Base of Surface No.ll (Materials for Extension of the Rule in Mediating) – Manifestation”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

“Base of Surface No.lll (On the immanent of persistent meaning) – Manifestation”, Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

“Base of Surface No.V (From Duration and Relation) – Manifestation”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo

1978　“Base of Surface No.Vl”, Maki Gallery, Tokyo

1979　“Base of Surface No.Vll – The Effect of Inducement”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo (’80, ’81)

1981　“Base of Surface – Variation”, Gallery Parergon, Tokyo

1982　“Base of Surface – Variation”, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo (’84)

1985　“Embodiment of Base of Surface”, Tokiwa Gallery (’87, ’90, ’97)

1987　“Embodiment of Base of Surface”, Esses Gallery, Tokyo (’89)

1992　“Embodiment of Base of Surface ’92 – Beyond the Water Film”, Shimada Gallery, Tokyo

1994　“Embodiment of Base of Surface ’94”, Gallery Space 21, Tokyo

1995　“Embodiment of Base of Surface ’95”, ZEN Studio, Ehime

1998　“New Oil Paintings – Recent Works”, Onuki and Associates, Tokyo

2000　“Toward Regeneration – A New Journey from Lascaux”, Tanaka Gallery, Tokyo

Selected Group Exhibition (in the 1970s)

1971　“International Young Artists Exhibition”, Takanawa Museum, Tokyo

“The 6th Japan Art Festival”, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, etc.

1972　“Do It Yourself Kit”, Ginza Sony Building, Tokyo

“The 2nd Video Show: Open Retina-Grab Your Image”, American Center, Tokyo

1973　“Film Media in Tamura ’73: By Film” Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

1974　“The 3rd Video Show: Tokyo-New York Video Express”, Tenjo-Sajiki-Kan, Tokyo

“The 11th International Art Exhibition of Japan: Realism in the Reproduction and Video Age”, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo / Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Kyoto

“The 14th St. Jude Invitational Video Show”, Santa Clara University, California

“Expression by Image ’74”, Art Core Hall, Kyoto

1975　“Video Art”, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

“Film Media in Tamura ’75: By Video” Tamura Gallery, Tokyo

“MAKI SPACE No.1 (By Film)”, Maki Gallery, Tokyo

“Video Work Shop”, Tenjo-Sajiki-Kan, Tokyo

1976　“Kyoto Biennale”, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Kyoto

1977　“The 7th International Video Encounter”, Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona

“MAKI SPACE No.2: VIDEO IN TOKYO”, Maki Gallery, Tokyo

1978　“The 4th 100 Feet Film Festival”, Image Forum, Tokyo

1979　“Artists Today ’79”, Yokohama Civic Art Gallery, Kanagawa