Koganecho Bazaar 2014 "Super Open Studio NETWORK" experience report!
The international art exhibition "Virtual Community Asia - Koganecho Bazaar 2014" is still full of excitement with various events being held, but this time Magcal participated in the program of guest artist Super Open Studio NETWORK (hereinafter SOS).
SOS is the name of a network program launched in 2013 by four people, Kenji Ide, Kei Kato, Masaaki Kuno, and Kazuaki Yamane, to open the real-time production sites of artists' shared studios scattered mainly in the Sagamihara area. This time, SOS will participate in the Koganecho Bazaar 2014 and organize a tour of shared studios from Koganecho to Sagamihara. It is called the "Super Open Studio Network Tour (SOS Tour)"! While looking at the exhibition, many people must have wondered, "What kind of environment do artists create their works in?" This SOS Tour is a special project that goes beyond Koganecho in Yokohama and allows you to experience such precious sites live.
Please take a look at the report of the tour I participated in below.
Magcal participated in the memorable first tour on September 23rd. A wagon car was exhibited (parked) at the SOS exhibition booth in Kogane-cho, and on the day of the tour, we will depart for Sagamihara in this car.
Now, let's board the SOS Tour Bus and depart! By the way, participation is free! If you would like to participate, just apply on the website and your reservation will be completed.
*Everyone is responsible for their own return trip.
▼Official website (tour reservations can also be made here)
http://www.superopenstudio.net
Artist Kenji Ide
On the day, our guide was Ide Kenji, a member of SOS and an artist who has his own studio in Sagamihara.
On the way to Sagamihara, we were told about the graffiti painted on the roads and other little-known facts about the town, and arrived at the first studio in about 90 minutes.
Art Space Kaikas'
Members: Abe Miho, Miura Shingo, Mori Kentaro
The first studio is Art Space Kaikas' . It started in 2013 and currently three artists plan, create and exhibit their works. The house itself is the studio, and the renovated space with the walls removed is a neat space where you can work and exhibit your works.
On the day of the tour, there was an exhibition called "The Art Work to Make The Works." Six Instructions, which, as the title suggests, involved creating a work of art by following six instructions. The works on display were made by studio member Shingo Miura, following the instructions of fellow member Kentaro Mori.
By giving a title to something created according to someone else's instructions, the artist is able to incorporate someone else's image as his own, which is a very refreshing experience.
Artist Shingo Miura is pictured on the left. The work on the right was created following the instructions: "Collect candy and spread it out on the table. Make sure the edges are perfectly straight." The title is "It all started as a game."
Next we arrived at TANA Studio, which is also used by tourist Ide-san. It is a shared studio that was opened in 2005 by alumni of Tama Art University, renting a corner of a factory.
A wide range of members come together to hold events, from painting to performance and video. One of the great attractions of SOS Tours is being able to visit these studios, as they are located on private property.
TANAStudio members: Kenji Ide, Megumi Abe, Noriko Kawana, Katsura Tagami, Taichi Nakamura
When you open the shutters, you'll find a huge exhibition space with organized desk space! I wish I had a space like that... The large number of drawings you see in the photo are the work of Taichi Nakamura.
From the left in the photo, Taichi Nakamura shows drawings and Ide explaining the works. One of the attractions of the tour is being able to hear the explanations directly from the artist.
From the left: A scene from "Namida-kun" and a sculpture used in the film
We also had the opportunity to view Ide's work "Namida-kun," accompanied by his own commentary.
This video work travels to various places together with Ide's partner (a sculpture). They watch the ocean together, eat ice cream, smoke cigarettes, and talk to each other while accompanying each other on their actions. The way the partner gradually changes gives the impression of giving birth to emotions.
REV members: Yutaka Aoki, Naoya Kinoshita, Kota Sasaki, Nobuyasu Sato, Kana Matsumoto, Nana Matsumoto, Rimi Miyakoshi, Kazuaki Yamane
The next studio we visited was REV, which is also close to TANA Studio.
This studio is run by artists who graduated from Tokyo Zokei University, and this year marks its fourth year since opening. The studio focuses on painting, but also produces prints, sculptures, and various other works, and the high ceilings and huge walls make it a studio that focuses on painting. Incidentally, this is the largest studio in the neighborhood that produces two-dimensional works.
Sasaki Kota working on his project and the storage space for his works on the second floor
Many masterpieces were produced in the studio.
This studio is not only a production space, but also has a storage space for your works!
For artists, finding a place to store their works is just as difficult as finding a place to create them. Shared studios are extremely important in solving these problems.
By the way, we talked about how the coffee here is delicious, and they kindly gave me a taste of the coffee I'd heard about. Thank you for the treat!!
From left: Studio members Nana Matsumoto, Kazuaki Yamane, and Kota Sasaki
And finally the tour reaches its final destination, the Kunsthaus!
Kunsthaus was established in 1996 by students from Tokyo Zokei University who were looking for a place to create their works after graduating, and is currently used by 10 artists as a production space for mainly three-dimensional works. The spacious workshop is fully equipped to handle all genres, from iron to wood carving, as the majority of artists are three-dimensional artists. Just walking around each room and seeing the actual process by which three-dimensional works are created was very educational.
Kunsthaus Members: Nobuyoshi Arai, Jin Utsumi, Nozomi Uchida, Dai Sasaki, Moe Nakamura, Toshimichi Nozu, Takuhiro Fukui, Shotaro Hokari, Sachiko Miki, Yusuke Yoshi
The studio is equipped with a variety of tools, and can handle everything from welding to painting.
Left: A stand for hammering iron. There are many different sizes to fit different sizes.
Photo on the right: The gallery space attached to the studio. The work on display in the foreground is by Nozomi Uchida, and the work in the background is by Sachiko Miki. The finished works are so intricate that you can't even tell how they were made...
From left: Studio members Nozomi Uchida, Sachiko Miki, and Takuhiro Fukui
After the tour, we had a BBQ at the Kunsthaus and had a great time with the local artists!
*This is not guaranteed to happen.
By the way, the studios we visit will vary depending on the date, so future tours will have different courses than the one in this article. Even if you can't join the tour, each studio will be hosting workshops, open productions, and events every weekend from September 27th (Saturday) to November 9th (Sunday) under the name "042 art area project 2014 SUPER OPEN STUDIO." *Opening schedules vary for each studio.
For those who can't join the tour but would like to see the sights, it would be a good idea to visit Sagamihara during this period.
This concludes my report on the SOS tour, but being able to participate in such a wonderful tour for free is incredibly satisfying! There are eight remaining tours on September 27th (Sat), 28th (Sun), October 18th (Sat), 19th (Sun), 25th (Sat), 26th (Sun), November 9th (Sat), and 2nd (Sun), so if you'd like to join one of these tours, be sure to check out their website.
I would wholeheartedly recommend the SOS tour. Thank you so much to all the SOS members who provided us with such a wonderful tour, and to all the artists I met on the day!!
Finally, we took a commemorative photo with all the participants and artists!
▼Apply for the Super Open Studio Network Tour here!
http://www.superopenstudio.net
8 sessions in total: 9/27 (Sat), 28 (Sun), 10/18 (Sat), 19 (Sun), 25 (Sat), 26 (Sun), 11/1 (Sat), 2 (Sun)
[Time] 13:00-18:00 (End time may vary depending on the situation.)
[Departure point] Koganecho Bazaar Super Open Studio NETWORK Exhibition Hall
[Arrival point] Disband at Hashimoto Station in Sagamihara City
[Capacity] 6 people (first come, first served)
[Participation fee] Free (However, if there are events such as BBQ, a donation system will be applied)
