Chu Enoki

Enoki Chu was born in Kagawa Prefecture in 1944 and has been living in Kobe since the 1960s. From 1965　onward, he exhibited at the Niki Exhibition. However, he later rebelled against existing art circles, forming “Group ZERO” (= “JAPAN KOBE ZERO” ) in 1970 and holding group performances not only in galleries and art museums, but expanding these to public spaces. He exhibited at “Art Now ‘75”as JAPAN KOBE ZERO. In 1976, he left the group, installing a canon in the front garden of the museum at “Art Now ‘79”. In 1977, he embarked on “Going to Hungary ‘Han-gari’ [half-shaved] “ , in which he visited Hungary having shaved off half of all the hair on his body. Since then, he has presented large-scale, surprising works in the form of radical performances and waste materials themed around everyday life. From 1991 to 1992, he exhibited his work at “Seven Artists: Aspects of Contemporary Japanese Art” (Santa Monica Museum of Art, others) and the corresponding homecoming exhibition and in 2007, he exhibited his work at “Roppongi Crossing” (Mori Art Museum). In 2011, he held a solo exhibition, “Unleashing the Museum: Chu Enoki” at Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art.