“France’s leading female artist” is what’s used to describe Annette Messager, who will turn 65 this year. I was led to have a certain impression, but the works were surprisingly fresh and young.

Remains (family II) / 2000 / fabric, piece of plush toy, emptied plush toy, rope / 300×540cm / MAC/VAL, Musée d’art contemporain, du Val-de-marne, Vitry-sur-Seine

Many of her works use everyday materials such as plush toys, stuffed animals, fabrics, embroidery. “I like using stuffed animals because they’re genderless and very flexible,” Messager explains. Her works represent universality in society which comes from her personal interests and experiences, rather than focusing on specific persons, culture, race, nationality, or gender.

The Secret Room of the Collector / Courtesy: Marian Goodman Gallery Paris/New York

Using objects from everyday life, her works freely moves between a coexistence of opposing ideas, such as humor and fear, pure and vicious, reality and imagination, human and animals, life and death, which seems to give off an impression of a pure and yet a fragile little girl.

Pikes / 1991-1993 / pike, colored pencil and pastel drawing, glass, object, fabric, nylon stocking, string, piece of plush toy, colored pencil / overall dimensions variable / Collection Musée national d’Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris

From small hand made figures to big computer operated installations, there is a common “playfulness” regardless of the size of her works. Whether it may be word plays, role games, or imaginary tales, they never make you bored. In other words, this unique “playfulness” or humor, is the reason Messager is so popular among people of all ages and genders.

Them and Us, Us and Them / 2000 / Mirror, stuffed animal, plush toy / Overall dimensions variable / Courtesy: Marian Goodman Gallery Paris/New York

The title of this exhibition, “Annette Messager: The Messengers” is a play on words, since “Messager” means “messenger” in English, reflecting Messager’s sense of play and irony. As the “messenger,” the artist herself has said “Annette Messager has no message.”

Story of Dresses / 1990 / dress, photograph, drawing, string, glass box / overall dimensions variable / FRAC collection, Languedoc-Roussillon, Montpellier / Anne-Marie et Marc Robelin Collection, Paris / Courtesy: Marian Goodman Gallery Paris / New York

Present society is in a deadlock with a lot of problems. Looking at the recent booms in the art market, it seems people are seeking answers to their personal problems through art.

Chimaeras / 1982-1984 / acrylic and oil on black and white photograph on mesh, acrylic paint on wall / overall dimensions variable / Courtesy: Marian Goodman Gallery Paris / New York

However, Messager has said that “In art there are only questions. No answers, no solutions.” After all, answers only lie within ourselves.

Inflated-Deflated / 2006 / painted parachute fabric, computerized motor-fan
overall dimensions variable / Courtesy: Marian Goodman Gallery Paris / New York

This exhibition could be an important platform in which viewers can come up with “answers” to the “questions” Messager brings to light through her works, making their own personal issues into social matters, and considering problems in society as their own. You’ll find “questions” that will be of an awakening.

Annette Messager: The Messenger
Date: August 9th – November 3rd, 2008
Hours: 10:00 – 22:00 (Tuesdays till 17:00)
Place: Mori Art Museum
Address: 53F Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Organizers: Mori Art Museum, Centre Pompidou, Paris, The Asahi Shimbun
In association with: Ambassade de France au Japon
Institutional Support: CULTURESFRANCE
Corporate Sponsor: OBAYASHI CORPORATION
Support: Japan Airlines, Nicolas Feuillatte, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE
https://www.mori.art.museum