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In
the autumn of 2001, a competition was held among advertising agencies/curators
by the Tokyo International Forum <http://www.tif.or.jp/>
to commemorate its Fifth Anniversary with a "Tokyo Art Jungle",a
three day art event to take place August 13-15, 2002. The objective
was to open a new era for this most central and, arguably, most opulent
of Tokyo's cultural facilities, utilizing both the enormity and complexity
of its facilities in fresh and stimulating ways. Submissions were
judged according to their creativity/experimentation with opening
the Forum, the aim being to make it more accessible to the citizens
of Tokyo.
Contemporary art is often perceived as addressing a limited audience--an
offering difficult to understand without specialized knowledge. What
a curator can offer is a clear exhibition "format" which
takes the weight of explanation off the artists' shoulders, thus enabling
all manner of visitors to walk away with a meaningful experience.
My concept for the Tokyo Art Jungle exhibition was to visualize the
Tokyo International Forum complex as one enormous magazine, where
visitors could each select a "page" that interested them,
be it in fashion, food, technology, sports, etc. Such an exhibition
would readily appeal to Tokyoites from all walks of life, many of
whom had never attended an exhibition before.
As a pre-event for the exhibition, from August 1~15 I curated and
produced the TOKYO ART JUNGLE TRAIN, a complete 11-car replica of
the world's busiest train line--the East Japan Rail Yamanote line--running
in normal service daily from 05:00 until 25:00.
Tokyo International Forum
Tokyo, Japan
August 13-15, 2002
Planning / Production / Curation
Exhibition Sponsor: Tokyo International Forum
Planning and Administration: Tokyo International Forum, JR Higashinihon
Kikaku Co., Ltd, 2dk Co., Ltd.
Producer / Curator:David d'Heilly
Planning / Production: 2dk
Production Management: JR Higashinihon Kikaku Co., Ltd.
Exhibition photosl
Featured magazines / Papers
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Aloha!
Yurakucho
Kein
Dytham Architecture, Namaiki,
Nakameguro Yakkyoku (DJ Quietstorm, DJ Klock, DJ Uppercut,
Pardon Kimura), Tokyo
Brewing Company, Yasunori Ikunishi, Keiji Ito, Kyotaro
Aoki
An informal beach suddenly appeared in the plaza of the
stately International Forum, situated in the heart of
Tokyo's central business district, between the Imperial
Palace and the Ginza. Occupying its 200m-long wooded area,
DELUXE's installations, Tape drawings, stage and open-air
stalls, created a relaxing and extraordinary space.
>>
aloha_01.mov (4MB)
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aloha_02.mov (3.5MB)
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aloha_soundinst.mp3 (0.9MB)
Super Deluxe
http://www.super-deluxe.com/
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InterFocus
Kei Komachiya
An installation of VMV film (a transport LED which becomes
opague when electrical Bitmap images Passerdby trigger
different images appear and disappear on the film. People
could play hide-and-seek from both sides of the glass.
>>interfocus.mov
(2.7MB)
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Zero
Gravity sports
Hidenori Kondo (producer), WORD
PUBLIC
"Rampage", road signs, hand rail, stairs. At
Tokyo's ideal skate spots there is always a "DO NOT
SKATE" sign. Zero Gravity sports reproduces these
lost skateboarding spots in B2F at the Tokyo International
Forum.
Using 3000m x 3000m concrete space at B2F of Tokyo International
Forum, Zero Gravity Sports remixed and reconstructed the
complete scale of Tokyo's best skatebording spots. Japan's
leading professional skaters and public applicant were
invited to play. DJ performance accompanied the amazing
feats of the skaters.
2 big screens were set in the next 2000m x 2000m space.
Cameraman on the skateboard were sampling the action in
the next space with CCD cameras, and the live image was
shown on the screens.
A lot of Tokyo skate kids came with friends to play as
well as many guest appearings, and this exhibition proved
the Japanese skate culture.
>> zero_g.mov (7.3MB)
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Silk
Road Remix Recycle Project
Masahiro Nakagawa(20471120)
Masahiro Nakagawa, known for his fashion-remix projects,
was invited by renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma to the Smithsonian
Museum to contribute to the 2002 Silk Road exhibition.
Nakagawa travelled the Silk Road from Italy to Kyrgystan
communicating with all manner of persons he met along
the way, and making exchanges for second-hand clothing
fabrics. Using these materials, each piece of which has
its own history and memories for people, he presented
the project at the Smithsonian. In TOKYO ART JUNGLE, the
project evolved to encompass the release of the Silk Road
Remix Recycle Collection, as we set our sights on distributing
the products available in the market.
>>
srr.mov (1.9MB)
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Green
Map Project
Wendy Brawer & 40 Green Map volunteers and more
The Green Map Project is a map-making system which uses
a common system of icons with an ever-growing variety
of fascinating applications. Originally from New York
City, the Project is expanding worldwide. At TAJ, over
40 volunteers have created 29 station maps for the JR
Yamanote Line.
The project was exhibited from many angles using several
conference rooms and corridors of the glasshall. Shown
the documentary film of Tokyo children's rediscovery of
natural surroundings even in the city through fieldworks.
Internet corner for everyone to post their own GreenMap.
A gallary with world GreenMaps. Long corridor facing Glass
Hall windows was decorated with flat images of photographs
and drawings of 29 Yamanote stations made by volunteers
who participated the project. In the conference room in
front of the complete Yamanote GreenMap, there were 29
boxes full of collages, words and images by volunteers
to express each one's vision of the city. When visitors
take their familiar ruite along the GreenMap, they could
see the same scenary but through the eyes of someone eles,
peeping in their microcosmos.
During the exhibition, the originator of the GreenMap
system Wendy Brawer gave the special lectures. Many people,
including students and community staffs, came to learn
the comparison of the environment of New York and Tokyo
as well as the history of the GreenMap.
More detail and photos are here
>>
greenmap.mov (4.3MB)
Yamanotesen Green Map Project:
http://www.yamanotesengreenmap.org/
Green Map Japan:
http://www.greenmap.jp/
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The
End of Reason
Divid
Byrne
The multi-talented cultural icon David Byrne once again
goes where few dare tread. Featuring photographs and perhaps
the first great works of art on Microsoft PowerPoint software,
Mr. Byrne subtly subverts the peculiar grammar of 'business
presentations' in an aesthetically delightful manner.
They were exhibited in the 3 actual conference rooms of
the International Forum. Each room had conference tables
with chairs facing a screen. The visitors sit as a conference
participant, watching the hiperstructed PowerPoint presentation.
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the_end_of_reason.mov (3.4MB)
Luaka Bop label
http://www.luakabop.com/
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Human
Cuckoo Clock
Yasuaki
Shimizu
Every hour on the hour from noon until 7PM on August 15th,
internationally acclaimed saxophonist Yasuaki Shimizu
performed Bach "cello suites" from the lofty
heights of a glass walkway in the the Tokyo International
Forum's 207m x 60m Glass Hall. Every hour the music filled
the hall with reflection and echo, the air vibrated. As
time went on, the sun, temperature, or humidity added
special expression to each performance which created a
fantastic moment to forget about our watch or time.
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human_clock.mov (5.9MB)
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15
minutes
2dk
"In the future, everybody will be world famous for
fifteen minutes." (Andy Warhol). Poeple sing songs
of the stars in Karaoke, but perhaps few people actually
have the chance to stand on the stage as a star. In this
event, audience members had the opportunity to be performers
during a 15 minute tour. Visitors had their moment under
the spotlights to see the seats from one of Tokyo's premiere
stages, the very same one many famous musicians and actors
have stood on. The staff of the 5000 capacity concert
hall ran the lights and the sound for the pulic instead
of some famous orchestra or rock star.
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15minutes.mov (5.9MB)
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Super
Milk Lounge
Hideyuki Tanaka
A themed cafe that invited people into the animation world.
Featuring cult charactor "Super Milk Chan",
CG artist Hideyuki Tanaka designed a cool and happy space.
The effect was like walking inside of an anime. At the
bar counter milky drinks were served free (coffee, strawberry
or fruit milk... somehow nostalgic, as they are usually
sold at schools' or in community centers' bending machines)
with Milk Chan stickers and in their original paper cups.
Riotously colourful screens hung from the ceiling. 10
iMacs were provided for visitors to sample the groovy
shockwave antics of Miss Most Milky.
OH! SUPERMILK CHAN
http://www.supermilk-chan.com/
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Mangiare!
2dk (coopolation: Yukio Hattori, Yoritsugu Katagiri)
What did the Last Supper taste like? Which one? 2000 years
ago in Jerusalem? 500 years ago in Da Vinci's depiction?
Edible edification. Culinary archeology for the information
age. Visitors tasted with their own tongue the history
of cuisine and the voyage of its spread. A life-sized
recreation of Leonardo's masterpiece hung in this resplendant
reception hall as it most likely appeared when he finished
it. In front of it, tables were located allowing people
to sit down at the supper table with Christ. On the tables,
breads, olive and oil herring to be served free for all.
Visitors savoured the braed which is still made and eaten
with exactly the same ingredients and recipe as in ancient
times, checking the discripition panel of historical evidence
and comparison between their tongue and Da Vinci's menu.
>> mangiare.mov (5.6MB)
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Cloak
Wake up
Lost luggage and projections that change that luggage
into a number of different animated sculptures by young
design brain pool Wake up. When people approach the sensor
in the conter bell, the picture appeared on the screen
of coats and luggeges. A beautiful trompe l'oeil in functionable
space.
>> cloak.mov (5.1MB)
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URBAN
TOONS
2dk, evala,
Muneyoshi Tsuchiya
What can computers do to the formal antichanber?
Young minimalist electronic musician evala installed sound
complexes on six iMacs in an elegant airport lounge-like
chill space with Barcelona chairs and chic glass tables.
Visitors were invited to have a session with people sitting
next to them.
To the side glass screens were containing flower arrangements
gorgeously and sensitively.
>> urbantoons.mov (3.5MB)
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Film
Time
Movies and Motion Graphics:
Hiroyuki Nakano, Nobuhiro Suwa, Takahiro Morita, Digitalismoss,
Kohki Hasei, Shogo Yabuuchi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Kenji Yamauchi
Compilation:
STEREOTYPE
PRODUKTS, Tsuyoshi
Hirooka , Tsuyoshi Kusano, Power
Graphixx, ZAKURO,
Delaware,
teevee
graphics, CAVIA&TYG, Mao Kawaguchi, Maiko Tamura,
AC department, Polygon Pictures, Satoshi Tomioka
Live:
nutron, portable
[k]ommunity
Three days, three festivals. Why not?
Day One: A day to approach to the new presence of the
theatre. Started with "ON THE BOAT" as a material
to remix at Filmz kool, followed by abstract film and
video artists accompanied by live musicians.
Day Two: Featuring post-fictional films. Neither documentary
nor fiction, a rare screening of Nobuhiro Suwa's "H_story,"
(a contemporary remake of Alain Resnais' "Hiroshima
Mon Amour" featuring Beatrice Dalle and Kou Machida),
new videos by skateboard artists, etc.
Day Three: Not a cinema, not a TV but a laptop. Featuring
Motion Graphics, the leaders of this new moving image
phenomenon emanating from Tokyo. Young artsists go out
and shoot with handy camera, and edit flexibly with laptop.
Three days of film and video makers going out into the
world, and bringing back world of rich sensibility, wit
and ingenuity.
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filmtime_01.mov (6.4MB)
>>
filmtime_02.mov (4.4MB)
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Filmz
Kool
Binbun Furusawa
Instead of just sitting in front of the screen in the
theatre, let's walk in the films! Utilizing the fully-equipped
Forum facility, a guerilla film workshop was held allowing
participants to create their own original piece on the
7th floor hall by cutting and pasting a film which was
shown first at the audio visual hall on the 1th floor.
Instructed by prolific independent film producer Binbun
Furusawa, this workshop gave more than 30 participants
an idea of practical and experimental film shooting technique,
non-linear editing, film remixing, and easy tips on drama...
Binbun and the staff from the film took them back through
the process, and invited them to shoot and compose a short
film quickly and precisely.
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filmzkool.mov (6.5MB)
Comic Twister Inc.
http://www.comictwister.com/main.html
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Tokyo
Metropolitan Symphony Ochestra (Special Paticipant)
Tokyo
Metropolitan Symphony Ochestra
Tokyo Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra fostered the
3 different exhibitions: Yoshiaki Teramoto played solo
flute for Word Space. String ensemble for Mangiare, and
brass quintet for the Silkroad Remix Recycle Project.
(8/13 only)
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word_02.mov (2.4MB)
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Word
Space
Utakata(space produce),Akira the Hustler+JohnJ,Shizu Usami,
nutron
Just as Japanese and Europians form different pictures
of a fruit when they hear the word 'apple', so the word
'summer' evokes different images according to each one's
memory and way of thinking. Holding 'word' as a keyword,
this exhibit started with the idea of giving shapes to
the various faces of words.
The space was produced by haze, a model unit, who conjured
up a plot of living grass in a concrete building. Visitors
took off their shoes, stepped on the grass barefoot, enjoying
the grassy smell and comfortable music, drinking self-service
cold tea.
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word_01.mov (5.2MB)
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word_03.mov (3.4MB)
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Sign
System
Atlier Bow Wow
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- TOKYO ART
JUNGLE TRAIN
As a pre-event for the exhibition, from August 1-15th, 2dk curated
and produced the TOKYO ART JUNGLE TRAIN.
2dk: Planning / Production
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- Zero Gravity Sports
Exhibited "Zero Gravity Sports" at the "BUZZ
CLUB" and "TOKYO ART JUNGLE".
2dk: Planning / Production
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- Silk Road
Remix Recycle Project
Exhibited "Silk Road Remix Recycle Project" at the
"BUZZ CLUB", "Smithsonian
Folklife Festival 2002" and "TOKYO ART JUNGLE".
2dk: Planning / Production
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- Green Map
Project
2dk: Planning / Production
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Tokyo International Forum
http://www.tif.or.jp/forum/
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