For the Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 4th Session, the artist Noboru Tsubaki will be invited to give a talk titled, “The Decorum of Mutation Art”. Please come, as anyone is welcome to attend.
Venue: Tsukuba University, Bldg. 6A Rm. 208
Date & Time: May 16 (Fri), 12:15 – 13:30
Release of the movie “Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)” at Shibuya UPLINK.
The documentary, “Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)” was released at Shibuya UPLINK on May 10. On the 10th and 11th, the students who were co-directors greeted the audience and spoke about the reporting and making of and how they feel about the theatrical release. At the second showing on the 11th, Mr. Katsuta Okada of SET (Reconstruction support group), Yu Hosada of Tsuna-Pro Kesen-numa and the co-directors of the movie held an open talk show under the theme of Altana-S’s project, “The youngsters’ way of giving support to the disaster-stricken areas”. Based on their activities and experience, the students who appeared before the nearly packed house discussed about how to involve young people in the support of the disaster-stricken areas and how to influence people who are indifferent. A number of other talk shows during the showing period are in the planning. Details will be posted when they have been set. (Iida)
“Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)” showing at UPLINK
Date: May 10 (Sat) – May 23 (Fri) *Scheduled for 2 more weeks.
Time: 1st show from 11:00; 2nd show from 14:50
Venue: Shibuya UPLINK 2F
Tickets: 1000 yen for Non-Members, 800 yen for Members, 500 yen for Students.
“Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)” Official Website: http://www.geijutsu.tsukuba.ac.jp/~cr/iwakinote/
Kamado (Cooking stove) Project Team “The Spring Hojo Market”.
On May 6, 2 years ago, a tornado swept through Hojo in Tsukuba-city. The Spring Hojo Market was held on the 6th and the Kamado Project Team carried out a workshop. Based on a map created by the “Project to strengthen the ties of the local shopping area”, which was organized by the Tsukuba City Society of Commerce & Industry and the Japan Shopping District Support Center and conducted between January and March, the team asked people, who had come to the market and taken part in the workshop, to draw their vision of Hojo 10 Years from now. (Hara)
We would like to thank everyone who came to the workshop, ”The Future of Hojo Shopping Center: Let’s Draw My Town, Our Town!” Thanks to all your efforts, a wonderful map has been created! Although there was a delay due to some problems, we are very glad we were able to make the ohagi (Bean cake) and serve them to the local people, too. A mobile kamado was introduced for the first time. Since it was cold, the kamado also acted as a heater. (LOL) This time, we boiled water for the tea, but next time, we would like everyone to try the rice, which will be cooked on the kamado BIKE!! We are very glad that we were able to connect with many people through the Hojo Market. Thank you very much. (Tanji, 3rd Year at School of Art & Design)
Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 3rd Session
At the 3rd session of Vision Formulation, Mr. Kikuo Morimoto, Representative of the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles (IKTT), came and spoke about “Traditional textiles and the reconstruction of life”.
He spoke about how he restored the traditional Cambodian silk textile, Khmer textile, and the story of how the current village was developed. ”I wanted to make something of real quality, and I believed that if something of genuine quality can be sold, I would be able to employ the local people.” It was from such thoughts that prompted him to start by cultivating the wilderness and planting mulberry trees. His story was very inspiring and informative. It made us realize that not only is it essential to rediscover local traditions and resources, but also to follow tradition and take it to the next stage for further development. (Akagi)
Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 3rd Session
At the 3rd session of Vision Formulation, Mr. Kikuo Morimoto, Representative of the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles (IKTT), came and spoke about “Traditional textiles and the reconstruction of life”.
He spoke about how he restored the traditional Cambodian silk textile, Khmer textile, and the story of how the current village was developed. ”I wanted to make something of real quality, and I believed that if something of genuine quality can be sold, I would be able to employ the local people.” It was from such thoughts that prompted him to start by cultivating the wilderness and planting mulberry trees. His story was very inspiring and informative. It made us realize that not only is it essential to rediscover local traditions and resources, but also to follow tradition and take it to the next stage for further development. (Akagi)
Iwaki Study Tour – 1st Day
On April 25-26, we went on an over-night Iwaki study tour. This year, 58 students took part in the tour. The tour was organized so that the students could actually see with their own eyes, 3 years after the disastrous earthquake, the current state of Iwaki-city in Fukushima, which was affected by both the earthquake and the nuclear power station accident. We also visited people who had appeared in the movie “Iwaki Note” produced by FUKUSHIMA VOICE, and listened to their invaluable stories.
On the first day, we visited Yu-Yu Farm, where they are growing a fruit called “feijoa”, and asked about the farming situation in Fukushima and how they are affected by the harmful rumors. Then, we went to the Snake Museum of Contemporary Art where the Iwaki Flourishing Cherry Blossoms Project is being held, and spoke to the representative director. After we had checked into our hotel, we asked an Iwaki-resident surfer, a news photographer in Iwaki, and a reporter from Iwaki Kyodo News Service to come over and give talks from their respective points of view on the situation at the time of the earthquake and the current state of Iwaki-city. The question-answer period was very lively and turned out to be a very meaningful occasion. (Akagi)
India x Art x Wall Art Festival 2014 Briefing Session in Tsukuba — Support through art and what has come out of the efforts.
An exhibition and briefing session of Wall Art Festival will be held again this year. The Wall Art Festival is a global educational support effort through art that began from the simple idea of wishing to convey to the children of India what art can do and how much fun school can be. Using the walls of a school in a small village in India as canvasses, artists from both Japan and India paint artworks of modern motifs and hold a festival. But it is not just about that. Why is it not monetary support or giving away goods, but support through art? Why are they able to hold such an enthusiastic festival? What are on the minds of the organizers, artists, volunteer staff that make them so passionate? The staff members in India and participating artists will relate their stories about how they overcame a number of obstacles, the objective and path of the project, and how the festival went on the day. Anyone with even a slight interest is welcome, so please come. (Ono)
India x Art x Wall Art Festival 2014 Briefing Session in Tsukuba — Support through art and the things that have come out of the efforts.
●Exhibition Date & Time: Apr. 30 (Wed) to May 13 (Tue), 2014, 9:00-18:00
Venue: 6A Entrance Gallery
●Briefing Session Date & Time: May 13 (Tue), 2014, Doors open at 18:00, Session from 18:30-20:30
Venue: 6A208
▼Free of charge
▼Guests: Akiko Ohkuni (Organizer), Okazu (Local Coordinator), Ichiro Endo (Artist), Akira Kamo (Artist)
Preview: Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 3rd Session
At the 3rd session of Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation, we will invite Mr. Kikuo Morimoto, Representative of the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles (IKTT) and ask him to talk about “Traditional textiles and the reconstruction of life”. In 1996, he founded the Cambodian NGO, IKTT in Takhmao, a suburb of Phnom Penh, and ever since, has been working on the revival of traditional Cambodian silk textiles, which had almost ceased to exist during the civil war, and on restoring the traditional breeding of silkworms. The restoration of traditional and local resources probably has much in common with the team activities of CR. Please come and take part.
Venue: Tsukuba University, Bldg. 6A Rm.208
Date & Time: May 2 (Friday), 12:15～13:30
(Iida)
Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 2nd Session
The artist, Ms. Honma of Kyun-Chome, was invited to give a talk under the title, “Beyond Off-Limits”. She mentioned that many of her works created after the Great East Japan Earthquake are at times rather radical and have been met with mixed reception, but she went through each piece, one by one, to explain her thoughts in creating the works. It was an inspiring talk that gave some hints to the question “What is the role of art after an earthquake disaster?” that the students are always asking themselves. (Akagi)
Preview: Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 2nd Session
At the 2nd session of Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, we will invite Ms. Honma of Kyun-Chome to give a talk. Along with the lecture, 4 video images will be shown at the 6A Entrance Gallery. Please come. (Iida)
【Lecture】
Title: Beyond Off-Limits
Venue: Tsukuba University, Bldg.
6A Rm. 208
Date & Time: Apr. 18 (Friday), 12:15 – 13:30
【Exhibition】
Venue: Tsukuba University, 6A Entrance Gallery
Date & Time: Apr. 11 (Friday) to Apr. 18 (Friday), 9:00 – 18:00
* Closed on Saturdays and Sundays
