Masato Nakamura

The installation consists of five huge "M" signs, 440 cm in height, and approximately 400 crystal pieces, 10 cm in height. I make these "M" sign artworks with formal permission from McDonald's. We can regard in McDonald's corporate identity that the combination of Quality, Service and Cleanliness creates a single unity. Value should be an element which forms people's identity in the present day. The forthcoming age will be organized by people who have the identity above. I think art should find a social function with creativity and criticalness as a weapon in actuality. I have exhibited this "M" sign series several times since 1998. The installations were always site specific. This is a new work for the space of the Japanese Pavilion at the Venice Biennale suited to the structure of the Japanese Pavilion. It should come as a challenge to consumer society that an individual artist tried to get permission from McDonald's (in Japan, USA, and Italy) to use its "M" sign as art. Here in Venice we are able to see easily both sides of the situation – that local value is getting global and global value is getting local.