Dumb Type retrospective at Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo examines collective's multimedia legacy

On 16 November 2019, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo unveiled a significant retrospective of the Japanese multimedia group Dumb Type, which will be on display until 16 February 2020. Curated by Yuko Hasegawa, this exhibition builds upon a 2018 presentation at the Centre Pompidou-Metz. Established in 1984, Dumb Type is recognized for its innovative fusion of digital design, music, and live performance. Teiji Furuhashi, a core member who passed away in 1995, played a crucial role in the collective's formative years. The showcase includes six installations, featuring a revamped Playback from 1989 and Furuhashi's Lovers (1994/2001), alongside a 16-meter LED videowall and a hybrid piece that explores themes of love, sex, death, money, and life with pH (1990). The exhibition emphasizes feelings of alienation and the progression of new-media performances.