8.23 Sun
"Tokyo Resolution"
Naoya Hatakeyama × Yoshitaka Mouri
On August 23, 2009, the first lecture of Tokyo Art School was held with two major figures of the Tokyo Art Scene - photographer Naoya Hatakeyama and sociologist Yoshitaka Mouri.
The first speaker was Naoya Hatakeyama, a photographer based in Tokyo who has exhibited internationally. Showing slides of works taken in central Tokyo, including Tokyo Tower, Shibuya River taken upside down and images of moulds growing in the river bed, Hatakeyama described the idea that photography is a means of “distanciation”; the conversion of something familiar into something unfamiliar. In addition, he mentioned that space in Tokyo is highly compressed and perpetually under construction. He also showed a series of new photographs of construction sites in the city. Through this practice, Hatakeyama tries to unravel the many hidden orders amidst the seeming chaos of the city.
The second speaker was Yoshitaka Mouri, a sociologist based in Tokyo. He described the significance of the "streets", speaking about artists who are active in their communities, through their engagement in the redevelopment of Shimo-Kitazawa, or the protection of Miyashita Park (Shibuya) from a development plan that intends to turn it into a Nike-branded space. He also spoke about two major currents of modern art represented by Picasso and Duchamp respectively, the movement and characteristics of art over the last twenty years and the meaning of Baudelaire today. “To create something is to destroy something”, he said, “to protect something which would be destroyed in the process of homogenization, is a characteristic of recent ‘street’
After the individual presentations, a discussion between the two ensued, with many interesting questions also submitted from the audience.
Of particular interest and significance was the difficult problem about what kind of role art can or should play in society. Mr. Hatakeyama answered that he thought that art was essentially something free from being defined by its social role and that art for him was an ongoing experiment to release himself from the many restrictions and codes within which we exist. On the other hand, Mr. Mouri considered social activities by artists as meaningful. They exchanged opinions about the nature of modern art which had expanded into broader genres and areas, blurring the distinction between fine artists and street artists. The two panelists held different positions about art, but they seemed to share the opinion that artists are today one of the few groups in society who could actively engage with what critics and philosophers had covered previously.
The event made for a wonderful launching of Tokyo Art School. The two differing standpoints of the panelists created a highly stimulating and constructive debate, which bodes well for the future of the Tokyo Artpoint Project.
"Tokyo Resolution"
Naoya Hatakeyama × Yoshitaka Mouri
On August 23, 2009, the first lecture of Tokyo Art School was held with two major figures of the Tokyo Art Scene - photographer Naoya Hatakeyama and sociologist Yoshitaka Mouri.
Naoya Hatakeyama
The first speaker was Naoya Hatakeyama, a photographer based in Tokyo who has exhibited internationally. Showing slides of works taken in central Tokyo, including Tokyo Tower, Shibuya River taken upside down and images of moulds growing in the river bed, Hatakeyama described the idea that photography is a means of “distanciation”; the conversion of something familiar into something unfamiliar. In addition, he mentioned that space in Tokyo is highly compressed and perpetually under construction. He also showed a series of new photographs of construction sites in the city. Through this practice, Hatakeyama tries to unravel the many hidden orders amidst the seeming chaos of the city.
Yoshitaka Mouri
The second speaker was Yoshitaka Mouri, a sociologist based in Tokyo. He described the significance of the "streets", speaking about artists who are active in their communities, through their engagement in the redevelopment of Shimo-Kitazawa, or the protection of Miyashita Park (Shibuya) from a development plan that intends to turn it into a Nike-branded space. He also spoke about two major currents of modern art represented by Picasso and Duchamp respectively, the movement and characteristics of art over the last twenty years and the meaning of Baudelaire today. “To create something is to destroy something”, he said, “to protect something which would be destroyed in the process of homogenization, is a characteristic of recent ‘street’
After the individual presentations, a discussion between the two ensued, with many interesting questions also submitted from the audience.
Of particular interest and significance was the difficult problem about what kind of role art can or should play in society. Mr. Hatakeyama answered that he thought that art was essentially something free from being defined by its social role and that art for him was an ongoing experiment to release himself from the many restrictions and codes within which we exist. On the other hand, Mr. Mouri considered social activities by artists as meaningful. They exchanged opinions about the nature of modern art which had expanded into broader genres and areas, blurring the distinction between fine artists and street artists. The two panelists held different positions about art, but they seemed to share the opinion that artists are today one of the few groups in society who could actively engage with what critics and philosophers had covered previously.
The event made for a wonderful launching of Tokyo Art School. The two differing standpoints of the panelists created a highly stimulating and constructive debate, which bodes well for the future of the Tokyo Artpoint Project.
Summary by Akiko Mori (Shikkai-ya Intern)
English proofreading and editing: Roger McDonald (AIT).
