At the last PauseTalk (Vol. 21), artist Robin Anthony Coe talked about the mixed media art projects he’s worked on, and that he’s currently preparing a fourth one, and would love to get some new collaborators. A few words from Robin:
What is the next project?
A mixed media art work combining word, image and sound. This is our starting point. We have created a flexible framework and made some decisions about the possible content. It is an art film performance piece rather than an installation. Mediums that will fit into this art project collaboration include; written word, spoken word, photography, music, video, drawing, painting, collage, dance. At present we are writing and taking photographs, but will expand the artistic mediums of the project as the work progresses. There are two of us working on this project at the moment, but we would like to find some more collaborators. We are looking for Tokyo based creative types to join us. We have a loose theme and direction but expect it to evolve depending on who is involved.
We envisage a low key word of mouth weekend one off art event in a central Tokyo location to show the finished work. The audience being made up of friends and acquaintances of the participating artists. The important thing is to make and show the work. We don’t expect to make money, have press coverage or become famous. We do expect to learn, have fun, and create an artwork that stretches our artistic skills, and engages the audience.
We are working on the project in our spare time now and expect to for the next couple of months. We hope to show the finished work in a few months. All artists need a deadline.
I myself am an ex art student preschool teacher and my friend and collaborator is an animator and photographer.
Please contact me if you are interested in either joining the event as an art collaborator or an audience member.
He is planning a meeting at Respekt Cafe in Shibuya on June 15. I think he’ll probably be at the next PauseTalk as well, taking place June 2 (next week).
Dezeen posts a few photos of the Kait workshop at the Kanagawa Institute of Technology. The complex was designed by Junya Ishagami Architects. I would have loved to get access to a work space like that when I was a student. In fact, I’d love have access to a work space like that now!
FOTOMO is a Japanese book that includes papercraft cutouts of city sights. Looks like it would let you create quite the nice diorama. Via Boing Boing.
My weekly Tokyo post is up at MoCo Loco, this time covering Lemnos‘ Spread Clock, Takumi Yoshida‘s Revolve power strip, an exhibition of works by Ryuji Nakamura, and Ryue Nishizawa’s participation in the “Some Ideas on Living…” exhibition.
Yoshitomo Nara has released his first children’s book, THE LONESOME PUPPY. You’ll find a few excerpts here. Via Boing Boing.
Lisa Takayama writes a feature for Wired on Hiroyuki Nishimura, the founder of 2channel (he’s also behind the Nico Nico Douga site). It’s in the June issue, but you can also read it online here.
PingMag interviews Nanami Maejima of the shop Cocca in Daikanyama, purveyor of beautiful printed fabrics.
Well look who gets some nice attention over at PingMag! The latest piece on the site is an interview with Chin Music Press‘ Craig Mod and Bruce Rutledge.
I also stopped by the Design Gallery at Matsuya Ginza. The current show, “Matsuya and Good Design: Its Activities and the Japan Design Committee,” includes a look at the gallery’s past exhibitions and items that have been featured in the adjacent Design Collection retail space. That wall you see in the photo is covered in flyers for past shows.
I stopped by the Guardian Garden gallery the other day in Ginza to catch the Bishin Jumonji exhibition (ends today). The show there is actually an extension of the show on at Creation Gallery G8, and that’s the one I preferred.
I found myself in Kasumigaseki the other day, and needed a cafe to rest for a bit, and ended up in this branch of the Travel Cafe chain.
Can’t say that it’s particularly special as far as cafes go, but the toast with ham and cheese I had was quite decent. The coffee? I couldn’t even finish my cup.
This week’s Tokyo post for MoCo Loco covers Takumi’s Plug Pin, some new additions to I’mD‘s RETTO bathroom accessories, and Takeshi Miyakawa’s Fractal Drawers.
National Geographic has a video report up, “Tokyo: Living Small in the Big City,” featuring Atelier Tekuto‘s Penguin House. Via Dezain.net.
I was digging through recent photos, and found these of a really nice cafe in Shinjuku I went to last month. It was my friend Max who brought me there, and I can’t remember the name, but it’s on the fifth floor of a building, somewhere between the station and Kabukicho.
Speaking of cafes, my wife picked up a copy of the latest issue of OZ for me (434), because it has a really nice cover feature on cafes (something like, cafes to take a break in), and there a bunch that I really want to check out.
It also made me realize that I haven’t been to cafes in quite a while (I of course don’t count Cafe Pause, since it almost feels like home). I used to regularly try and check out new ones, and in recent years I think in part it’s been about having less time to do so. Need to change that!
We had a smaller group at this month’s edition of PauseTalk (Vol. 21), but it still made for a pleasant gathering. Talk revolved around a few specific projects this time, and thanks to James for his harrowing account of his work on a reality series currently being shot in Tokyo. The next edition will be held June 2. Below is the list of participants, although I am missing at least two names (I often get caught up in conversation once we’re done, and forget to get everyone’s details).
Chris Kirby (Designer)
Didier Kerloch (Art Curator)
Eri Kato (PR Manager)
James Okubo (Filmmaker)
Jean Snow (Writer)
Joe Keenan (Graphic Designer)
Max Hodges (Publisher)
Robin (Mixed-Media Artist)
Ronnie Kattan (Online Retail)
Thomas Antonietti (Designer)
Tomohiro Morie (Branding)
Jean Snow is a contributor to 
He will be contributing to the upcoming fifth editions of 
