The term "Primary Field" can either mean a group of aspirant candidates (in the United States) or an idea from physics that most laymen will find hard to understand; so the title of the "Primary Field II" exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art Hayama is surprisingly apt. Like many group shows of contemporary art, it gathers together a selection of artists who still have the weight of unfulfilled expectation on their shoulders, and whose art is likely to leave some members of the public scratching their heads.
The first Primary Field in 2007 focused entirely on sculpture. This time, the selection redresses the karmic imbalance in media by focusing entirely on 2-D art ("paintings," as we shall see, doesn't quite cover it). This progression raises the possibility that the next PF will swing toward yet another media — perhaps video or conceptual art.
But, what about this PF? For a contemporary art exhibition to focus on 2-D art is a path fraught with dangers and challenges. Two-dimensional art is intrinsically the least radical and "transgressive" medium of artistic expression. For better or worse, but probably the latter, contemporary art has — excuse the pun — painted itself into a corner of always challenging every norm and shaking each shibboleth; and this, it seems, is harder to do within the confines of a simple flat plane.