Geisai, Janken and the Tam Tam Medusa

[imomus]

Here's some stuff that's caught my eye and ear recently -- stuff that's going on in the arts. In Japan and Berlin and on the radio.

GEISAI #10, "an art fair with a twist", will take place on Sunday, September 17. Over 10,000 visitors are expected to attend.

Geisai is of course Takashi Murakami's pay-to-display art fair for young people. It provides an important function in Japan, livening up the junior, aspirational end of the art world; in effect it's an art school degree show without the art school. (Will that be Murakami's next move?)

The first Geisai I went to was in March 2002, and the last was Geisai 6 in 2004. Although the art wasn't up to much, it was a fun day out. At Geisai 6 I ended up blogging about what people were wearing rather than the art. It felt more like a cosplay convention than an art fair, as this little tracking movie through the hall shows.

Geisai 10
Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM
Location: Tokyo Big Sight East Hall 4
Tokyo International Exhibition Center 3-21-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0063, Japan

The 2nd Gifu Ogaki Biennale 2006 is an international media art festival held throughout the town of Ogaki in Gifu. It happens this year from Friday October 6th to Sunday October 15th. The theme is Janken: the power of choice. This is a game very much like Paper, Scissors, Rock.

The directors, Gunalan Nadarajan and Hiroshi Yoshioka, say: "This Biennale has two distinct features: First, it will be the first exhibition in Japan that focuses on Asian media artists from countries such as Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, China and South Korea which have in recent years grown with rapid momentum, drawing global attention. Second, these exhibitions will be deployed throughout various places on the streets of Ogaki City, Gifu... We present Janken as the universal theme at the Biennale, reinterpreting the non-European game as a flexible and mythical idea."

We do have a sort of Janken in Europe, but we don't take it quite as seriously as these curators seem to. New Media Fix elaborates on the Janken Biennale theme in delightfully nihonjinron fashion: "Janken is a game used to decide something no one wants to decide. Derived from the Buddhist term ryanken hoi, as the etymology suggests, it is the act of invoking the will of the universe (hoi) for problems that cannot be concluded through human rational understanding (ryanken). Janken consists of a three-way deadlock of gu (rock), choki (scissors) and pa (paper). Differing from contemporary global economics where the strongest is the lone winner, in Janken there is no ultimate winner, rather it is based on the world-view that winning and losing circulates through the world." Who knew?

Until the end of September, the Staatsoper on Berlin's Unter den Linden is performing a rather extraordinary opera featuring zany Berlin artist John Bock's recreation of Gericault's famous painting The Raft of the Medusa. The Medusa was a French ship which wrecked off the coast of Africa in 1816. The story has strong contemporary resonances: the ship's dignitaries and passengers took all the best life boats, towing the crew behind on a raft. Soon, though, they couldn't even be arsed to do that, and cut the ropes. The crew then proceeded to kill and eat each other. For more gory details, click here.

Medusa im Tam Tam Club features music by a metal band called Blackmail and plays on:

Thu, Sep 14, 2006: 8 p.m.
Fri, Sep 15, 2006: 8 p.m.
Sat, Sep 16, 2006: 8 p.m.
Sun, Sep 17, 2006: 8 p.m.
Sat, Sep 30, 2006: 8 p.m.

Tickets:
Box Office: +49 (0) 30 20 35 45 55, www.staatsoper-berlin.de
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Unter den Linden 7
Berlin 10117
Germany

Finally, a couple of events anyone with a computer can enjoy... but only for the next few days. Radio 4 last week broadcast The Lost Boys, by Andrew Birkin. "The haunting story of JM Barrie's relationship with the Llewelyn Davies boys, the inspiration behind Peter Pan." Andrew Birkin is a film director (this radio piece is about the making of his film about Barrie, as well as about his own boys) and the brother of Jane Birkin.

Bertolt Brecht's East Berlin celebrates the 50th anniversary of Brecht's death with an investigation by David Edgar into the wily ways in which Brecht avoided the authoritarian excesses of both the House Committee on Unamerican Activities and the East German government.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Momus, since this entry doesn't seem to have sparked much discussion, perhaps you would care to answer my 20 questions:

1. Young Americans or Station To Station?
2. You are now in your late 40s, and therefore your life is probably more than half over. Is this something you ever think about?
3. What is your favourite Pink Floyd album?
4. Who did you last email?
5. How is your book of imaginary composers getting along?
6. Do you feel your music gets the critical acclaim it deserves? If not, why not?
7. When Hisae is out of the country, how often do you masturbate?
8. Which country that you haven't visited would you most like to visit?
9. Do you ever regret not having children?
10. What are your feelings about Canada, Australia and New Zealand?
11. Why do you not wear jeans, and yet you wear teeshirts?
12. Have you ever had sexual feelings about your sister?
13. Are you a summer person, or a winter person?
14. You seem supremely self-confident. Are there things about yourself that you feel insecure about?
15. What is the biggest thing you've changed your mind about in the past five years?
16. Have you ever been to South America?
17. What is your favourite Kafka short story?
18. Are you jealous of anyone you know?
19. What does your brother think of your music?
20. Do you rate Bob Dylan?

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Ha, that's funny, for a while I've had in mind an entry where I'd just ask people to ask me questions which I'd try to answer honestly!

1. Young Americans or Station To Station?

I took YA back when it first came out. I think they're both rather obnoxious cocaine records. I like tracks on both, but they aren't my favourite Bowie records. (That would be Lodger, Hunky Dory, Images...)

2. You are now in your late 40s, and therefore your life is probably more than half over. Is this something you ever think about?

Of fucking course!

3. What is your favourite Pink Floyd album?

Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

4. Who did you last email?

A guy at Tate Britain who's setting up a Momus show there.

5. How is your book of imaginary composers getting along?

I'm not very motivated... procrastinating.

6. Do you feel your music gets the critical acclaim it deserves? If not, why not?

I'm probably the most under-rated major music talent ever. My work goes over people's heads.

7. When Hisae is out of the country, how often do you masturbate?

Daily.

8. Which country that you haven't visited would you most like to visit?

India.

9. Do you ever regret not having children?

Not so far, but it's never too late. Well, it's almost too late, but not quite.

10. What are your feelings about Canada, Australia and New Zealand?

Shunned cousins. I think better of Australia for reading this girl's blog (http://obelia.livejournal.com/).

11. Why do you not wear jeans, and yet you wear teeshirts?

I very much agree with Bjork when she says (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,1436296,00.html) "I would never wear them because they're a symbol of white American imperialism, like drinking Coca-Cola". But I feel that the billboard-like nature of a T-shirt allows some semantic drift.

12. Have you ever had sexual feelings about your sister?

No. She's not my type at all. I like dark hair, dark eyes.

13. Are you a summer person, or a winter person?

Both, neither. Seasons are the meteorological version of provinces. It's nice to rise above them and almost not notice (because of travel or technology) which one you're in.

14. You seem supremely self-confident. Are there things about yourself that you feel insecure about?

I'm actually a very, very insecure person in a lot of ways.

15. What is the biggest thing you've changed your mind about in the past five years?

America.

16. Have you ever been to South America?

No.

17. What is your favourite Kafka short story?

Probably "The Judgement". But I like all the story stubs in his diary best.

18. Are you jealous of anyone you know?

The man who took my best girl.

19. What does your brother think of your music?

He seems approving, in a guarded, non-commital way. But it's probably too avant and weird for him.

20. Do you rate Bob Dylan?

1965 Bob Dylan, yes.

[(Anonymous)]

And I think you for your answers!

Actually, two other questions have come to mind:

1. What was the last piece of music you put on that you've known and loved for years? (not your own)

2. Do you listen to any non-20th century classical music?

[(Anonymous)]

think = thank, obviously. But perhaps I think you as well.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

1. Hindemith's "Wir Bauen Eine Stadt" operetta.

2. Yes, baroque stuff, of course! And Renaissance lute music.

[(Anonymous)]

Makes sense. I'm guessing Beethoven and the 19thC is all too wild and Romantic for you.

Final question: You say you're insecure about many things. You also say you're the world's most underrated musical talent, so I guess the source of your insecurities doesn't lie there. What things are you insecure about?

[imomus.livejournal.com]

My thinning hair. My inability to speak Japanese or German at a useful level. The thought that I'll stop appealing to the women who appeal to me. (So far, though, this "older man" thing seems to be working in my favour. It would be nice if someone told you this when you were 20 and getting nowhere with girls. "It'll be okay later.") The idea of going out alone to a public place (I always need a girl with me).

There, Herr Doktor. The patient is human.

[(Anonymous)]

I always say: The older you get, the more pussy you get.

Unfortunately, it's not the same for chicks.

[imomus.livejournal.com]

But chicks have a pussy, they don't need any more!

[nicepimmelkarl.livejournal.com]

all ansas right. 20 out of 20. good boy

http://www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/

Ah, Geisai

[(Anonymous)]

40,000 yen for a one day event is really pretty awful I think, and thats on the low end. There are probably folks paying over 60,000 or 70,000 for the right to participate. Its so frustrating how much of Japan's art scene is subsidized by young artists.
I don't doubt Murakami's sincerity in creating something new for Tokyo's art world, but in the world's second richest country, you would think there would be a bit more subsidizing coming from the top down.
Just makes me sad.

Re: Ah, Geisai

[(Anonymous)]

Actually, Design Festa is pretty expensive too, about 30,000¥ for a booth, for one day... (Design Festa is a *similar* but messier event than Geisai).
Yes indeed Japanese artists are probably way under supported compared to certain european countries and America... grant?! pffff...
Feels like they only give a chance to a few of them so they can have those "XXXXXX Promising Artist exhibition" (Insert name of big corporation where XXX is) and can hype them for a bit and dump them...
And it's not with a network of barely 10-20 decent active galleries (world class. in Tokyo) that you're gonna build a market... no competition... v. bad for the market, the artists, the aspiring ones... hun... and the audience. lol.
Anyway, on the subject of Geisai, an interview of Takashi Murakami about Geisai#10 on Tokyo Art Beat. http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/tablog/entries.en/2006/09/geisai_interview_with_takashi.html

Re: Ah, Geisai

[(Anonymous)]

oups, messed up link above. http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/tablog/entries.en/2006/09/geisai_interview_with_takashi.html (http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/tablog/entries.en/2006/09/geisai_interview_with_takashi.html)

below: simple question for a simple answer

[(Anonymous)]

what's your e-mail address?
your site does not have one.

Re: below: simple question for a simple answer

[imomus.livejournal.com]

My site actually does have one. Go here (http://imomus.com) and click "contact".

Re: below: simple question for a simple answer

[(Anonymous)]

pop operating status is near but not occurring at the moment do to minimal tech problems. to actually type the (name whateverit is preceding the...) @ (mac) or whatever.com or edu) whatever your e-mail is would be well appreciated.

[wingedwhale.livejournal.com]

I like how they make Japanese rock-paper-scissors out to be some wonderful Asian spiritual art. We Westerners could never understand the complexities and delicate art of janken.