The catalogue of the first exhibition in France of the Japanese performers' collective contact Gonzo.
Published on the occasion of the eponymous exhibition at
Maison de la Culture du Japon, Paris, from January to March 2020.
An agitator of the
Japanese art scene, popular with both the performing arts and contemporary art, contact Gonzo is a collective from Osaka founded by Yuya Tsukahara in 2006 whose
performances are characterized by harsh physical contact, suggesting street fights and at times,
choreography, where the influence of
Tatsumi Hijikata, the founder of
Butoh dance may be perceived..
Contact Gonzo transgresses the codes of contemporary dance with nonchalance, just as Hunter S. Thompson, pioneer of gonzo journalism, rejected the conventions of the written press. The collective quickly stood out by broadcasting videos of its performances on YouTube in the most diverse places: public spaces, parks, galleries, museums, etc. Simple, raw and resolutely amateurish photos and videos are still an integral part of contact Gonzo's work today.
