On Kawara: Date Paintings in New York and 136 Other Cities

The Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara (born 1933) has nurtured a fascination with counting and time for more than 40 years now, most famously through the ongoing execution of his famous “date paintings” of the Today series: a daily ritual to conclude only on the day of his death. The first painting in the series was executed in New York on January 4, 1966; since then, On Kawara has carried out the procedure at regular intervals in cities throughout the world, painting each day, month and year in a white sans-serif script against a monochrome background in the language conventions of the country he is in. When not displayed, each painting is stored in a box and accompanied by a local newspaper clipping of the day. Despite numerous solo exhibitions worldwide, Date Painting(s) in New York and 136 Other Cities is the first retrospective of the 45 years of On Kawara’s date paintings. Including over 180 date paintings, the book is divided into two parts: one that covers the complete series of paintings done in New York, and a second that focuses on the series of works done in different locales throughout the world. The result offers a unique insight into the role that place and a life of travel has played in a body of work that has been defined by time and chronology.