Kanagawa Gallery Stroll
File.10 Ofuroso
Shino Yamamoto (Galerie Watts)
``Since it is heated with 100% wood, the water is very soft, good for your skin, and warms you from the core,'' says the public bathhouse, which is located a 2-minute walk from Takatsu Station on the Tokyu Denentoshi Line and has been loved by locals for many years. Takatsuyu. Kawasaki Frontale also had a lot of excitement as ``Let's Frontale together'', but it was sadly closed in 2015.
It is now a shared office and gallery for artists. The building is kept as it is, and the name is correct: ``Ofuro-so.''
I heard a rumor, so I'm going to come in for a bit! Instead, I'm going to go.
Oh! The words “Takatsuyu” remain as they are. In fact, my husband and child took care of me a long time ago when I couldn't use the bathroom at my house due to construction. When I think about it now, I regret that I should have taken a bath at that time. I used to feel embarrassed when I met people from my neighborhood. lol
The desk has a black telephone, giving it a retro feel, but it was still in common use until a few years ago, so even those born in the Heisei era were able to soak up the scent of the Showa era at Takatsuyu.
Now, if you go through the women's bath, you will find the artists' ateliers.
Contemporary decorator Kohei Kyomori, artist Yutaokuda, and flower artist Takashi Shirakawa are working in the undressing space. It seems that there are three creators working in music, dyeing, etc. in the space where the bathtub is located.
Kyomori's eye-catching, colorful graphics display striking Japanese motifs, but also have Western nuances. He says that studying abroad in Italy for two years gave him an opportunity to think about his identity as a Japanese, and at the same time, eliminating prejudice and discrimination between ethnic groups through art became a major theme in his work.
▲A sense of depth due to partially raised ink
``Given the history of cultural development that transcends national borders and mutually influences each other's decorative elements, I believe that the creation of a common sense among ethnic groups will help bridge the gap,'' says Kyomori. The work shows a skull motif and an aun. Through the universal concepts of life and death, the work asks the viewer questions about human equality.
On the other hand, yutaokuda is known for his detailed monochrome expressions.
Many of the motifs drawn with ultra-thin lines, starting from 0.03 mm, are of animals and plants, giving them a certain elegance.
▲The work, which is drawn with conductive ink and makes music when you touch it, is a catchy piece.
“Maybe it’s because I originally started in the fashion field.”
Yutaokuda says this after working as a designer for the fashion brand "TAKEO KIKUCHI" before becoming an independent artist.
Inspired by the world view expressed by Alexander McQueen, she pursued a career in fashion, but when she realized that McQueen was essentially an artist, not a fashion designer, she realized what she was aiming for.
``Art is a self-projection, the same as expressing one's true self.Because you can't pretend, when someone says they like your work, it's like they're praising you for who you are, and that's why it's true.'' It's the driving force behind painting."
Coincidentally, she and Kyomori have something in common: they both graduated from Istituto Marangoni, Italy's oldest fashion and design school. Kyomori-san went to an Italian school, and Yutaokuda-san went to a London school, but they met in Japan a few years after graduation, so what a coincidence. Life is interesting!
And it's really wonderful to have a relationship where we can aim for a high level and inspire each other.
What I like about Ofuro-so is the presence of flowers. Like art, it is an important element that enriches the soul. Mr. Shirakawa of (hana-naya), which also handles spatial displays for apparel and other products, has a cheerful personality that makes you become a fan right away, even if you just say ``Nice to meet you.'' According to the two artists, they are like big brothers. In the summer, the three of us will also hold the ``Ofuro-so Hajimashita Exhibition''.
``Women are incredibly fond of flowers.I wanted to reach out to people who would like to go out and buy flowers as usual, but are unable to do so due to aging or poor health, so I decided to become independent from a major flower shop and start a delivery style.'' Mr. Shirakawa rides a stylish three-wheeled bicycle around the Nakameguro area, and in addition to selling at stores, he also does mobile sales.
▲Everyone seems to be looking forward to the monthly regular delivery.
``I choose flowers based on my instincts on the day I go to the market.The producers are also working hard and growing flowers with a variety of nuances, which makes me excited. I would like to have a more flexible feel than arranging them side by side,” says Shirakawa. The bouquets are not elaborately designed, but are light and easy to combine, keeping in mind that we are dealing with nature.
Now, if you go through the men's bath, you will find a salon and gallery space. I miss the Invaders game console.
The public bath space, with its tiled floor, faucets, shower, and mirrors, has become an event space. It has become a place for the expression of various artists, and the fun of not being a white cube seems to stir up the creative spirit. 
``It would be nice to have a casual place where you can come into contact with art and creation, like a public bath that you can just walk into.With that in mind, we have kept the atmosphere of a public bath as is,'' says the person in charge of planning and producing Ofuro-so. Miho Nakamura of NENGO.
▲When I visited NENGO in the same Takatsu ward, there was a doorbell instead of a doorbell!
Unfortunately, Ofuro-so is only available for a limited time until September 2020.
We already have artists like Kyomori-san and Yutaokuda-san who are highly acclaimed overseas, so I hope they become like Tokiwaso in the manga world. I get excited just thinking about the potential of future artists growing up here.
It is a place associated with the potter Shoji Hamada and the artist Taro Okamoto, and I strongly hope that it will become a sacred place unique to the Daisen Kaido area, where intellectuals came and went.
(Interviewed in October 2019)
《Gallery information》
Ofuroso
3-8-13 Mizoguchi, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213-0001
TEL: 044-829-3324
Opening hours: Please check on the website
https://www.facebook.com/ofuroso/
"access"
▶︎About 2 minutes walk from Takatsu Station on the Tokyu Denentoshi Line
《Artist information》
■Kohei Kyomori https://www.kohei-kyomori.com/
■yutaokuda https://yutaokuda.jimdo.com/
■(hana-naya) https://hana-naya.jp/
