On April 25-26, we went on an over-night Iwaki study tour. This year, 58 students took part in the tour. The tour was organized so that the students could actually see with their own eyes, 3 years after the disastrous earthquake, the current state of Iwaki-city in Fukushima, which was affected by both the earthquake and the nuclear power station accident. We also visited people who had appeared in the movie “Iwaki Note” produced by FUKUSHIMA VOICE, and listened to their invaluable stories.
On the first day, we visited Yu-Yu Farm, where they are growing a fruit called “feijoa”, and asked about the farming situation in Fukushima and how they are affected by the harmful rumors. Then, we went to the Snake Museum of Contemporary Art where the Iwaki Flourishing Cherry Blossoms Project is being held, and spoke to the representative director. After we had checked into our hotel, we asked an Iwaki-resident surfer, a news photographer in Iwaki, and a reporter from Iwaki Kyodo News Service to come over and give talks from their respective points of view on the situation at the time of the earthquake and the current state of Iwaki-city. The question-answer period was very lively and turned out to be a very meaningful occasion. (Akagi)
Category Archives: Notifications
India x Art x Wall Art Festival 2014 Briefing Session in Tsukuba — Support through art and what has come out of the efforts.
An exhibition and briefing session of Wall Art Festival will be held again this year. The Wall Art Festival is a global educational support effort through art that began from the simple idea of wishing to convey to the children of India what art can do and how much fun school can be. Using the walls of a school in a small village in India as canvasses, artists from both Japan and India paint artworks of modern motifs and hold a festival. But it is not just about that. Why is it not monetary support or giving away goods, but support through art? Why are they able to hold such an enthusiastic festival? What are on the minds of the organizers, artists, volunteer staff that make them so passionate? The staff members in India and participating artists will relate their stories about how they overcame a number of obstacles, the objective and path of the project, and how the festival went on the day. Anyone with even a slight interest is welcome, so please come. (Ono)
India x Art x Wall Art Festival 2014 Briefing Session in Tsukuba — Support through art and the things that have come out of the efforts.
●Exhibition Date & Time: Apr. 30 (Wed) to May 13 (Tue), 2014, 9:00-18:00
Venue: 6A Entrance Gallery
●Briefing Session Date & Time: May 13 (Tue), 2014, Doors open at 18:00, Session from 18:30-20:30
Venue: 6A208
▼Free of charge
▼Guests: Akiko Ohkuni (Organizer), Okazu (Local Coordinator), Ichiro Endo (Artist), Akira Kamo (Artist)
Preview: Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 3rd Session
At the 3rd session of Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation, we will invite Mr. Kikuo Morimoto, Representative of the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles (IKTT) and ask him to talk about “Traditional textiles and the reconstruction of life”. In 1996, he founded the Cambodian NGO, IKTT in Takhmao, a suburb of Phnom Penh, and ever since, has been working on the revival of traditional Cambodian silk textiles, which had almost ceased to exist during the civil war, and on restoring the traditional breeding of silkworms. The restoration of traditional and local resources probably has much in common with the team activities of CR. Please come and take part.
Venue: Tsukuba University, Bldg. 6A Rm.208
Date & Time: May 2 (Friday), 12:15～13:30
(Iida)
Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 2nd Session
The artist, Ms. Honma of Kyun-Chome, was invited to give a talk under the title, “Beyond Off-Limits”. She mentioned that many of her works created after the Great East Japan Earthquake are at times rather radical and have been met with mixed reception, but she went through each piece, one by one, to explain her thoughts in creating the works. It was an inspiring talk that gave some hints to the question “What is the role of art after an earthquake disaster?” that the students are always asking themselves. (Akagi)
Preview: Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, 2nd Session
At the 2nd session of Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation 1, we will invite Ms. Honma of Kyun-Chome to give a talk. Along with the lecture, 4 video images will be shown at the 6A Entrance Gallery. Please come. (Iida)
【Lecture】
Title: Beyond Off-Limits
Venue: Tsukuba University, Bldg.
6A Rm. 208
Date & Time: Apr. 18 (Friday), 12:15 – 13:30
【Exhibition】
Venue: Tsukuba University, 6A Entrance Gallery
Date & Time: Apr. 11 (Friday) to Apr. 18 (Friday), 9:00 – 18:00
* Closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Observation of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station from the Ocean.
On Apr. 8, members of the CR inspected the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station from the ocean. We set sail from Hisanohama port in Iwaki-city, Fukushima prefecture on a fishing boat for about an hour and went as far as within 1 km from the nuclear power station. Contrary to our expectations, the dosimeter, which we took with us, read 0.07μSv/h, a low number, at a point where we were closest to the nuclear station. Juxtaposed to a steep cliff, the Daiichi Nuclear Power Station tells of the enormity of the damage by the tsunami. The observation tour was made possible by the cooperation of the captain of the boat Choeimaru, Mr. Hirokazu Ishii, who also appeared in the movie, “Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)”. (Iida)
Notice about ”Creative Reconstruction Program” Orientation Session
An overall orientation session for the “Creative Reconstruction Program” will be carried out. Those of you who are thinking of taking the following classes, or are interested in the Creative Reconstruction Program, please come and attend. We will give you a summary of the “Creative Reconstruction Program” classes as well as about last year’s activities and about new projects that will begin this year. (Akagi)
Date & Time: Apr. 10 (Thursday), 18:15 – 19:15
Place: 5C216
List of Classes for “Creative Reconstruction Program”
Creative Reconstruction Special Assignments I (01EB081)
Creative Reconstruction Off-Campus Special Assignment I (01EB082)
Creative Reconstruction Special Course on Art Theory (01EB083)
Creative Reconstruction: Psychological Support After Crisis (Y505101・HB21131)
Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation I (Y505201・AC42161・AC63541)
Creative Reconstruction: Catastrophe & Art（Y505401）
Creative Reconstruction: Vision Formulation Assignments (Y635102・AC42182・AC63562・FH53072)
Creative Reconstruction: Off-Campus Challenge Assignments (Y635202)
Creative Reconstruction: Science Visualization Assignments (Y635302)
Creative Reconstruction: Hybrid Art Assignments (Y635402)
Creative Reconstruction: Problem Finding/Solving Exercises (Y635502)
Creative Reconstruction: Off-Campus Challenge Special Assignments (Y635602)
”CROSS SECTION – Current Status of Communication Art & Design Major”
At the exhibition, ”CROSS SECTION – Current Status of Communication Art & Design Major”, which started today, reports of the CR activities are on display. Many CR activities to date, including chronicles from 2012 to 2014, reports of the past 2 years, booklets reporting on activities by each team, are shown. If you are in the vicinity, please drop by.
”CROSS SECTION – Current Status of Communication Art & Design Major”
Date: Tuesday, Apr. 1 – Sunday, Jun. 1, 2014
Time: 9：00 – 17：00
Place: University of Tsukuba Art Space
＊Closed on Mondays
Exhibition content: Details of Communication Art & Design Major and description of the 4 subjects (Plastic Art and Mixed Media, Craft, Constructive Art, Visual Communication Design) / The instructors’ research themes, classes, etc. / Reports of the Creative Reconstruction Project. (Akagi)
CR Completion Certificate Awarding Ceremony
On Mar. 25, along with the Tsukuba University Graduation Ceremony, CR Certificate Awarding Ceremony was carried out. This year, there were 10 CR graduates. It is our hope that the activities and experience they had gained from the CR course will be of value in their future lives. Congratulations on both graduating and completing the CR course. (Akagi)
”Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)” screening at MOVIX Tsukuba
The screening of “Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)” was held at MOVIX Tsukuba.
People not only from Tsukuba-city and the periphery, but people from the Kansai area, Iwaki natives, people who had evacuated and are now living in Tsukuba, and from many other areas also came. Thank you very much to everyone who came despite it being an evening showing. Before the screening, Governor Ichihara of Tsukuba-city took time out from his busy schedule to come and deliver a speech.
Many valuable remarks were made in the questionnaire at the screening: for example, “It was encouraging to see the so-called ‘victims’ with positive attitudes of the reality and of the future, but on the other hand, it was apparent that perhaps those that assume cheerfulness and a sunny outlook are the ones who are masking their sorrow and pain.” “I was reminded of the fact that even though 3 years have passed, some people are unable to return.” “Many words struck me.” “A deeper cut into the nuclear power plant accident, which was man-caused, would have been better.” “ A flat movie in both good and bad ways.” “I realized the importance of talking about it and putting it on record.”
Every time a screening is held, we are blessed with many words requesting for a sequel and with offers of independent community screenings. This showing was the last of the premier screening, however, we are currently working on showing it at theaters and getting organized so that more people will be able to see the movie. Please keep your eyes on our website as details of future showings will be posted. We hope that the movie would serve as an opportunity to remember the events relating to the earthquake and disaster stricken areas.
We would like to extend our thanks to the staff at MOVIX Tsukuba, Tsukuba City Hall, University staff and many others for their cooperation. Thank you very much. We humbly ask that you continue to give your support to the movie, “Iwaki Note (FUKUSHIMA VOICE)”. (Hashimoto)
