Numero 51 - Concept Gallery Founded in Milan by Julia Rönnqvist Buzzetti, art historian, together with Andrea Deotto, former lawyer and now photographer, with the aim to promote contemporary artists from the East Asian scene, mainly from Japan, China and South Korea. The goal is to always create site-specific projects in collaboration with the selected artists. 

In 2022, the first concept was "OSMOFOLOGY", an exhibition conceived in collaboration with the Milanese creative studio S.C. Artroom. The exhibition was born from N51 and the studio's shared love for Wagashi, typical Japanese sweets that pairs the tea, usually brought as a gift for friends, relatives or colleagues. Each sweet encapsulates a distinct history, aesthetic and flavor, becoming a container and reflection of the many facets of the Japanese culture. These sweets, one might call them edible design objects. Inside the two spaces of N51, the traditional elements of the tea ceremony have been recreated, but twisted and taken to an extreme level. The small, delicate, fluffy cakes become huge in size and made from hostile yet colorful materials thanks to paper cutouts provided by Paper&People, a Milan-based atelier of fine papers from all around the world. For the exhibition, it was possible to see and taste the magnificent sweets of Toraya, a historic Japanese confectionery established in Kyoto in the 16th century, also a supplier to the Japanese imperial court. During 2022, the work and research of Japanese artists such as Chiga Kenji and Ohira Ryuichi are also digitally narrated. 

2022

We study each other.

The idea of the exhibition is for it to be a constantly evolving display: from the opening, where sweet and savory creations designed especially for RINIIFISH by BibiLab, a pastry workshop was served; to the celebration of the Chinese Lantern Festival, to the workshop to paint your own "Bunny Bug," immersed in RINIIFISH's psychedelic videos. The Bugs born in digital form, become physical in limited editions on Fedrigoni's magnificent Premium White paper, embellished with sectoral ennoblements in thick glossy varnish, but also as gadgets, toys and embossed stickers. 

2023 continues with the exhibition by artist duo K-NARF & SHOKO. In 2016, Tokyo, K-NARF & SHOKO created the HATARAKIMONO PROJECT consisting of hundreds of portraits of Japanese workers: the “HATARAKIMONO”, to create an extra-ordinary visual archive for the future. This unprecedented photo project took about two years to complete, as each portrait had to be taken directly on the street with a portable photo backdrop and then processed manually as an original Tape-o-graphie. The HATARAKIMONO project made in Japan has been completed and is currently archived until 2042 waiting to be exhibited in a selection of 5 international museums already chosen by the artists. Part 2: HATARAKIMONO PROJECT SATELLITE Starting in 2023, K-NARF & SHOKO are extending their HATARAKIMONO PROJECT to the world by planning to visit more than 20 countries in three years in search of local workers (hatarakimono). The first destination for this ongoing project is Milan, hosted by Numero 51. The set-up was entirely created together with the artists who lived for 3 weeks inside the gallery. It was therefore possible to see all the stages of the project's development, from the scouting of the workers, to the shooting, to the creation of the artworks and the installation. 

We decided to conclude the year by having a group exhibition based on an Open Call. The selected artists are: Eri Maeda, Guojun Tian, Marquis De Sid, Pu Tian, Sean Chow, Shengyi Chao, Sue Kim, Tadao Amano, Xinhan Yu, Yuchi Hao, Yue Wu. 

‘Double & Duality’ elucidates the coexistence of diverse elements in our world, offering a meticulous exploration of the delicate interplay between the abstract and the realistic, the conventional and the innovative, the raw and the refined. It is a curatorial endeavour that seeks to encapsulate the pervasive dualities inherent to our existential fabric, portraying the symphony of opposing forces in a manner that is both intellectually compelling and visually integrative. In choosing the eleven artists for this exhibition, the focus was on diverse artistic expressions and interpretations of the theme. Each artist was selected for their unique ability to articulate the essence of duality through their artistic languages, contributing to a rich and varied dialogue on the subject. Their works collectively serve to evoke reflection on the complex nature of our reality, encouraging a deeper and more comprehensive insight into the interconnectedness and variances inherent in our world. 

At N51 you will be transported into Gou’s world on the back of a Dragon.

Delving into the heart of Gou’s exploration, we encounter The ‘Fragile Kendama Angels’ project. Started in 2022, Gou takes the traditional folk Kendama toys from Japan, reimagining them as delicate ceramic sculptures. Gou creates a striking contrast between the toy’s inherent durability and the fragility of ceramic. Similarly, the ‘Tears Project’ captures the fleeting essence of tears, transforming these evanescent symbols of raw emotion into lasting ceramic forms, from liquid to solid. In China traditionally speaking, to show emotions is a reflection of an unneeded humanity and could be seen as a weakness to be avoided. Through these projects, Gou not only challenges traditional perceptions of strength and fragility but also invites a reevaluation of the cultural norms surrounding the expression of emotion, underlining the power of art to evoke a profound reconsideration of vulnerability and resilience. The significance of emotions in Chinese social life is quite different than in the western part of the world and Chinese culture does not recognise itself as utilising the emotional life of individuals in the service of the social order. As a result, the meaning of the person and the relationship between the person and society take on a particular Chinese form, quite unlike our own. In order to understand these Chinese forms without ethnocentrism, we can say that emotions are not thought of as significant in social relationships. An emotion is never the legitimising rationale for any socially significant action, and there is no cultural theory that social structure rests on emotional ties. The Chinese emphasize the superior importance of what is outside the individual and beyond the individual’s scope, of what was present before the individual and of what will continue when the individual has come and gone. Emotion is characteristic of the individual, but it is not a significant aspect of the person. This is complemented by her involvement with Naja Naja, a music duo formed in 2020, which showcases her creative versatility and adds an auditory layer to her body of work, enriching the visual experience and deepening the emotional resonance. 

The “Trilogy” exhibition at Numero 51 Concept Gallery, a collaborative effort with Eunoia Gallery from Osaka, aims to explore the contemporary female artistic dynamism. Jazz Szu-Ying Chen, Yuka Mori, and Yuka Nishihisamatsu’s works, while deeply rooted in their respective countries’ traditions, transcend geographical boundaries to delve into universal themes such as superstition, identity, religion, and the life cycle. Jazz Chen weaves images from anatomical studies, Nordic and Taiwanese folklore, taking us on a journey through the grotesque and sublime, where mythological monsters and anatomical dissections blend harmoniously against backgrounds inspired by 15th-century altar pieces. Yuka Mori reinterprets traditional Japanese concepts through her painting, creating a fluid world where subject and background blur in a constant interplay between perception and reality. Lastly, Yuka Nishihisamatsu invites us to contemplate the significance of ordinary everyday objects paired with traditional Japanese items, assembling them into delicate, profound sculptures that explore and forge new connections between life, death, and rebirth, often incorporating the lotus, a symbol of purity and regeneration. “Trilogy” aims to celebrate the diversity and connection between cultures, as well as their history and reinterpretation. 

COLLABORATIONS AND PROJECTS: We always try to establish collaborations with different realities that can start within the walls of the gallery or expand in other selected locations. Our aim is to connect to a wider audience and define enriching moments in every field of creativity. Collaborators until now: Kanpai Milano, Mandalaki, Antonini Milano, Ideo Club, The Eyes Magazine, Succede, The Maptique, Mulieris, Magical Mistery Garden and Lieve Beauty.