A.S.M. Kobayashi: Electric Neon Clock

Electric Neon Clock, 2026, Courtesy of the artist.

A.S.M. Kobayashi: Electric Neon Clock

Art Gallery of Mississauga
August 8 – October 25, 2026
Curated by Shannon Anderson, AGM Senior Curator

Opening Reception: Saturday, August 15, 2026, 2 – 4pm
No registration required. Refreshments will be provided. The artist will be in attendance.

Electric Neon Clock is a hybrid, immersive work by A.S.M. Kobayashi that mixes documentary, performance, and installation. Born and raised in Mississauga, and based in Toronto and New York City, Kobayashi is known for her performative projects that take deep dives into found archival material. For this exhibition, the artist turns to her own family archives, which are part of Canada’s history of forcibly incarcerating and dispossessing thousands of Canadians of Japanese heritage.

This project began when Kobayashi first encountered the Canadian government’s WWII custodial file on her great-grandfather and subsequently discovered case files belonging to other relatives, their friends, and a wider community of displaced people of Japanese descent. These historical documents detail inventories of their homes and businesses, and include government correspondence, internal memos, and court transcripts. All adults named in the original documents have passed away, leaving their children, now seniors, as bearers of the only first-person accounts of this period. These living relatives were infants and young children at the time, making the custodial file the most enduring testimony of the artist’s family during those years.

Electric Neon Clock asks: How can the artist liberate forensic practices and state records to undermine their original intention and use them to reconstruct the community and families they were designed to dismantle? Relying on the custodial file as a guide, Kobayashi adapts this record into an installation and live performance detailing her family’s experience. Using video, sound, archival documents, a substantial photo archive, and the innovative format of a live auction, Kobayashi welcomes audiences to delve into her family’s file and join her in assessing the inventory’s value and humanizing its contents.

About the Artist

A.S.M. Kobayashi is an interdisciplinary artist who grew up in Mississauga and is currently based in New York City and Toronto. Her work mixes documentary and fiction through video, performance, installation, and illustration. Her videos and performances have been exhibited internationally at museums and film festivals including The Lincoln Center, GTA24, The Power Plant, Gallery TPW, Nuit Blanche, BFI London Film Festival, Jakarta International Film Festival and Damascus Video Art Festival. Her critically acclaimed performance, Say Something Bunny!, based on found audio recordings, was heralded as “The best new theater experience in town” by Vogue. It was a NYTimes critics’ pick and was listed in Time Out’s 2017 top ten productions and BOMB’s Best of Performance in 2018. Kobayashi is a 2024 Creative Capital Awardee, a 2006 recipient of the Trinity Square Video Artistic Vision Award, and a 2007 Marty Award winner. She has received grants from the Canada Council, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, and New York State Council on the Arts. She was a multi-time fellow at both Yaddo and MacDowell, was the founding art director of the documentary journal World Records from 2018-2021, and produces Special Projects at UnionDocs, Center for Documentary Art.

Opening Reception

The Art Gallery of Mississauga welcomes you to the opening reception on Saturday, August 15, 2026 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Refreshments will be provided, and the artist will be in attendance.

Performances

During the final week of Electric Neon Clock, artist A.S.M. Kobayashi will present four live, interactive performances, including a live soundtrack by composer Bradley Kurushima. Performances will take place October 21, 22, 23, and 24 from 7:30 to 9:00pm.

This is a ticketed event with limited seating. Stay tuned to our website, newsletter, and social media channels for ticket release information.

Exhibition Programming

Presented in partnership with Japan Festival Canada, this free drop-in workshop will take place on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 11:00am to 1:00pm at Mississauga Celebration Square. Participants are invited to decorate and fold an origami paper boat inspired by Japanese Canadian fishing communities before sailing it in the fountain. All materials are provided and no registration is required.

AGM’s exhibition-related programming is designed to deepen your connection to our current exhibitions. For the latest information on workshops, artist talks, and special events, please visit artgalleryofmississauga.com/workshops or subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media for updates.

To ensure you never miss a program or announcement, we invite you to subscribe to the AGM’s newsletter.

Funding for the Art Gallery of Mississauga is provided by the City of Mississauga, Canada Council for the Arts, TD Bank Group, Rama Gaming House, and Charitable Gaming Community Good.

For more information, visit www.artgalleryofmississauga.com

Join the conversation
@AGMEngage #AGMengage #ElectricNeonClock

About Art Gallery of Mississauga

The Art Gallery of Mississauga (AGM) is a vibrant and dynamic gallery that showcases the work of local, national, and international contemporary artists. It is our mission to bring art to the community and the community to art through compelling exhibitions, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking events. Located in the heart of downtown Mississauga, we offer a free and accessible space where all are welcome. The AGM is located inside Mississauga Civic Centre at 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, ON.

For more information:
Call us at 905-276-3200
Visit us at www.artgalleryofmississauga.com
Email us at contact@artgalleryofmississauga.com

Follow us on:
Instagram | YouTube | Facebook