Kyoto exhibition 2006/efish

The works of Living World/ various locations in Kansai

@ efish (Kyoto, 2006.7.1-14)

After several consecutive Kansai-based projects including Earth Clock, Liv-lit and Mizuno, we thought, “Why not stage a show in Kyoto!”

The place: efish, where we exhibited the prototype for Wind-lit in 2001.
The content: works we showed at our 2005 Mashiko (STARNET) exhibition +α, including our new work “Mind the World: Globe”.

We were at work in Tokyo during the show, but couldn’t help wondering how it was going… So we asked - over the Internet - and visitors sent photos! Thank you all! :-)

Outside the window, three Wind-lit: Solar hover above the Kamo River. On the windowsill are two renditions of Living plant time: Water Pennywort and wildflowers from the efish surrounds. Photo: Tabata-san (7.1)

Footage from the Kyoto efish exhibit (test takes included)

At the entrance is another rendition of Living plant time, and a sandglass from “In this time”. Photo: Uesugi-san (7.4)

Next to a large wall clock is the very scaled-down Kyoto version of the Earth Clock @ Kobe Airport. Clock time and natural time. Photo: Tabata-san (7.1)

Sipping tea, a visitor watches nightfall draw near.
Having always wanted Earth Clock to be seen in such a setting, this table for two to us is ideal. The right atmosphere meant fewer guest tables than efish normally provides, and for that sacrifice we are grateful.

Each table features a sandglass from In this time. Here a visitor tests his lungs against Jacques Mayol’s. Photo: Kawano-san (7.9)

Photo: Wada-san (7.7)

Our first mini display - here, a poster - of video stills from A DAY, developed for the Exploration of Time exhibition. Photo: Ishitani-san (7.8)

See also “Beyond our solar system” . Photo: Ishitani-san (7.8)

Our Pinhole Card (for the Solar Eclipse) sold only at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. Is everyone prepared for the 2009 total eclipse of the sun, which will be visible from Shanghai and Amami-Oshima? Photo: Ishitani-san (7.8)

On the left is As the sun sees it: Powerbook version.Photo: Kakei-san (7.8)

Starting with this show, we created a “local stamp”.

Our new work, Mind the World: Globe .Photo: Kawano-san (7.9)

By donning a set of headphones, visitors hear sounds from the places they touch on the globe via their fingertips.Photo: Kakei-san (7.8)

In lieu of the usual background music, the only sound heard in the café during the show was the chiming of Earth Clock every other minute. The idea was proposed by efish’s assistant manager Y-san, and as it was right in line with our thinking, we were thrilled. Commercial spaces in Japan tend to overdo the background music, we think.

That aside, reading over the impressions left in the guest book, we were pleased to find traces of visitors from Kobe, Hyogo and even Fukuoka and Tokyo. And while here we can present only a few, a great many people also sent photos, which we truly appreciate.

This was Living World’s third exhibition at a cafe.
In our opinion the advantages of showing at a cafe include: getting people to see the show that came unintentionally; having more people experience serendipity; and having people spend a leisurely time in the space.

We too wanted to be at the exhibition space in the most natural possible of roles - working at the cafe - so we could observe people’s reactions in detail (!), but we didn’t have the guts to make the proposal. (^_^:)

However, every night after closing, the efish staff jotted down and faxed us their observations. For this too we are truly grateful.

with Yoshihiro Kawasaki (NADI), Hiroshi Kanechiku, Shunichiro Kuriyama (KARHU), Takashi Nishino, and efish.

Installation: Tetsuya Kadowaki + Toshiaki Tonoura (Katachi to Chikara), Kazuhiro Sudo
Earth Clock adjustment: Yoshifumi Kamenaga + Takahiro Shinkai　(GK Tech)

Special thanks to (in alphabetical order): 4D2U Project (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan), Yukio Ando (EXA), Kei Fukuda (maf*maf), Kyo Ichinose, Ryuichi Iwasa (GK Tech), Kansai Electric Power Company, Kiyosato Education Experiment Project (KEEP), Kobe Airport Terminal Co., Ltd., National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Shin and Tsukasa Nishibori, Yoshihiro Shimomura (SDK), and Shobunsha.

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by LW 1 07, 2006