The pier workshops keep on going ~ Wakaba-cho Wharf to restart!
Go, see, and experience the world of art
File.28 Wakaba-cho Wharf "COVID-19 Memorial Theater"
Miyuki Inoue (Magcal Editorial Department)
Wakaba-cho Wharf, which opened in 2017, is an arts center that combines a small theater, studios, and dormitory-style accommodations. It is a space established by playwright and director Shin Sato as a culmination of his theatrical activities. In the past, it has hosted "Wharf Workshops" where young artists active in neighboring Asian cities have gathered to talk, learn from each other, and share their work with audiences both domestically and internationally.
In late March, seeing the expressions on the faces of customers who visited the theater, Sato sensed that they "couldn't enjoy themselves with peace of mind," and decided to suspend operations at the entire theater until June 30th. This also meant that the workshop activities at the pier, which had been in preparation, would come to a halt. However, Sato didn't simply "close" the theater. While suspending facility operations, he opened the space to the community as an "empty lot" and started the Wakaba-cho Wharf Online project, which broadcasts the situation in real time.
The first project is "COVID-19 Memorial Theater," where various artists will create "graffiti" on the walls of the small theater on the first floor.
It was being live-streamed on the "Wharf Channel," but just watching from afar wasn't very interesting. So, in late June, when restrictions on travel across prefectural borders were eased, I decided to visit Wakaba-cho Wharf.
The pristine white walls of the small theater, once known as the "White Box," are on the verge of being completely covered in graffiti by various artists who visit on a daily basis.
"I realized that this was why the walls were painted white," says Sato, but it has become a truly surreal world.
It's obvious, but there are windows and doors in the walls. I hadn't noticed them before, but when I opened them all up, it felt surprisingly bright and peaceful. It's the same space, yet the image is so different; it's kind of strange...
This is a doodle by artist Yuri Miyauchi, who was the first to appear.
In keeping with the "COVID19 Memorial Theater" theme, 19 little people also make an appearance.
Because it's also used as a waiting room for the nearby mini-theater Jack & Betty, there are flyers for films whose releases have been postponed placed in one corner. This, too, seems to be part of the art.
The day I visited was the regular Tuesday "Wellside Chat" meeting. It was a simple gathering where representatives from nearby art facilities such as Jack & Betty and Cinemarine reflected on the past week, but it was a good opportunity to deepen the connection between Wakaba-cho Wharf and the town.
After the casual chat, we asked Ms. Sato about the future of Wakaba-cho Wharf.
"I think the real challenges are yet to come. Being forced to 'self-isolate' for two or three months will undoubtedly have an impact, especially on children. Considering that, it may be necessary for everyone to move to a slightly different stage than before."
In such circumstances, what can performers do? I think the role of theater is probably to create words. I believe it has the role of giving concrete words to emotions that people can't quite put into words."
"One thing that has become clear to me is that I want to maintain this facility until I can hand it over to the next generation of young people. I want to perform my own works as well, but first I need to think of new ways of doing things and stabilize the operation."
The first project to resume activities in July is "Town Gallery ① Wall Exhibition," which will showcase the theater's walls adorned with the brushstrokes of numerous artists.
During the event, they will be holding a "Hatoba Club" workshop where children will draw on the floor instead of the walls. I'm looking forward to seeing how much that pristine white space will "grow."
The workshops at the pier, which had been on hiatus, seem poised to resume around the end of the year... It's clear it won't be easy, but in order to realize continuous collaborative work with artists from various parts of Japan and neighboring Asian cities , we've launched a crowdfunding campaign .
*Click here for Sato's thoughts and an overview of the crowdfunding campaign !
It may be slowing down, but it won't stop. It looks like we'll need to keep a close eye on developments at Wakaba-cho Wharf for the next few days.
