CONTENTS
EARLY ON (1)
Added in 2024. The story of On Kawara before he left Japan in 1959. In his twenties, he was a successful post-war Japanese artist, and a nihilist.
EARLY ON (2)
Added in 2024 also. A gap that had to be plugged. On Kawara starting again, first with experimental sketchbooks in Paris. And then with an empty studio in New York.
ON KAWARA: the all-seeing years
This section focusses on On Kawara in the years 1966-1979.
He began the period in New York, moved to Mexico City for six months, then was joined by Hiroko for a further six-month period in which they travelled between the main cities of South America. Throughout 1968, the artist was Date Painting like it was 1966, and conceiving 'I GOT UP', 'I WENT' and 'I MET'.
Back in New York in 1969, On Kawara followed the Apollo 11 mission, which inspired his largest Date Paintings. This is also the period where he began to send out 'I AM STILL ALIVE' telegrams and conceived his 'One Million Years' project.
The artist undertook a two-month residency in Stockholm (1972/73), a year-long residency in Berlin (1976/77), and a couple of trips to Japan (1970/71 and 1978/79). He never lost sight of his vision; one day at time with no exceptions.
In 1979 On Kawara stopped doing his 'I GOT UP', 'I WENT' and 'I MET'. But why? I explore this issue in detail.
It's this 1966-1979 period that I have redrafted as a book without images. But for now you have a 14-essay illustrated text that keeps coming back to On Kawara's minimal and deadpan artwork. Where the simple day repeatedly comes across as a complex revelation.
LATER ON
This section goes back into a chronological study of On Kawara after he'd stopped doing 'I GOT UP', 'I WENT' and 'I MET' but was still Date Painting. On and Hiroko were raising two children and ensuring that they were educated in both New York and Tokyo. But that alone cannot account for On Kawara's movements, his Date Painting(s) in 136 cities the world over. This period of his life came to be dominated by curations of his own work rather than new work per se.
ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION
This section (and subsequent ones) drills down into various On Kawara topics in more detail than is called for in the preceding sections.
ON GOT UP
Essays which drill down into aspects of On Kawara's daily postcard sending.
ON WENT
Essays which drill down into aspects of On Kawara's daily movement in whatever city he was in.
ON MET
Essays which drill down into the daily lists of people On Kawara met.
BREAKING ON
This section has been pulled from the GAME ON section (below) to draw attention to the importance of Codes in On Kawara's oeuvre. Their complexity contrasts with the simplicity of much of his end product, emphasising that all his work is the result of a layered process. Less is more. But he needed to do an awful lot of thinking to get to the honed down position of JAN. 4, 1966.
GIANT ON
This section focus on the eleven Dates On Kawara painted at his largest size 'H'. It's already been said why he made the first three (the Apollo mission) but these essays provide insights into what motivated the rest of the group, including daylight saving time' and Easter Sunday.
ON DATE PAINTED
Drilling down into various aspects of Kawara's Date Painting over the decades.
ON CODED
Kawara's codes took some breaking, and these essays are drafts I thought worth preserving. Though they may sit more comfortably on the sister site, so I may end up transferring them there.
