Nippon no Arashi - Ohno (Part 1 of 3)
Here we are, the first member out for his trip and it's our wonderful Riida~
Enjoy~! (My notes/comments are "TN" in blue)
Ohno Satoshi and Japanese Craftsmanship
Aomori
To Ohno Satoshi, who in 2008 held his own exhibition and published his art compilation “FREESTYLE”, art is a very familiar and interesting subject. As such, the artist Nara Yoshitomo whom he interviewed for a tv program last year has been a great mentor. “I want to see Nara-san’s works in person” in his hometown of Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture. This thought became the start of Ohno’s journey.
Thinking of Nara Yoshitomo at harappa
A day in February 2010, Ohno Satoshi arrived at Aomori Airport in the middle of winter. While excited about the snow, he’s the first one to travel for “Nippon no Arashi.” A bit nervous along with the staff, he thus comfortably begins the trip.
The car first took Ohno out to a place in Hirosaki called “harappa.” Although, it’s not just any old “open field” (TN: ‘harappa’ means an “open/empty field,” but the name of the place is ‘harappa’ in English letters). But, like an “open field” that has become increasingly rare these days, it is a place where everyone can play and act freely to experience art. That is how this NPO (nonprofit organization) came to be named.
In the first place, harappa was established in 2002 through the exhibit “Nara Yoshitomo Exhibit, Hirosaki” that was held in a brick warehouse in the neighborhood of Yoshino in Hirosaki. The local people who love Nara-san’s works and the feel of the brick warehouse that remains in Hirosaki took care of everything from setting up the place to administration. It was hugely successful, with 58,724 people visiting in about 2 months. That experience was the beginnings of harappa.
After driving an hour from Aomori Airport, they arrived in the town of Hirosaki. Ohno was finally able to fully enjoy walking on the snow of Aomori in the wide-open shopping district that serves as this town’s main street. Being greeted by the bright atmosphere of the town that contrasts with the chilliness of the snow, it feels like this will be a fantastic trip.
While walking through the shopping district looking at the stores, he came across harappa suddenly and naturally, like finding a rabbit out in the snow. The first thing you see upon entering the building is the small shop with art and goods from the local artists. The gallery is towards the back. And, it seems that behind that is the office. Ohno was greeted by Kosugi Ariyoshi-san (29 years-old), a harappa employee.
Kosugi: This has in a way become a place of memories, locally; we produce and announce our works here.
Ohno: Here (the gallery) and the rest of it?
Kosugi: These are works by artists who are based mainly in Hirosaki. This one here was drawn with ball pens. Besides ball pens, we also use crayons and the like. Ball pens are oils too, so you can smear and shape it with your finger to create the shading.
Ohno: Use your fingers on the ball pen? Ahh, I see. A wall like this is pretty unusual in the first place though, isn’t it?
Kosugi: Yes. When making the gallery space, we didn’t want it to just be a white cube. Actually, this wall was used in Nara-san’s exhibit. It’s a part, if you will. We gathered them up again and re-used them here.
Ohno: From the “A to Z” exhibit?
Kosugi: Yes, exactly. We all pitched in, nailing things in and painting.
Ohno: That sounds nice. I wish I could’ve participated too. Do you think Nara-san will do an exhibit in Aomori again?
Kosugi: Nara-san is the kind of person that would have an exhibit where there are people who want to have one, rather than do one in Aomori just because it’s his hometown. He has already done three in Aomori, so he might be settled for the time being.
Ohno: Does Nara-san ever come here to visit?
Kosugi: Yes, he does come every so often.
Ohno: Are there other places like this here?
Kosugi: All together, there are probably about 50 galleries here in Hirosaki.
Ohno: Wow, that many!
Kosugi: It’s common for everyone here to make and present their pieces. They do it during breaks in their work, or after work. At any rate, there are a lot of people here who create art.
Ohno: Why is that? Because it’s so cold out (lol)?
Kosugi: I think that’s part of it (lol). It’s cold, so there’s not much else to do, and not many places to go out to. It’s the same feeling like in Scandinavia. We wouldn’t be surprised if someone told us they paint or sculpt. It’s just, “Oh, I see.”
Ohno: I wonder why Nara-san started drawing pictures?
Kosugi: Nara-san was also born and raised in this town, so it seems that as a child he spent a lot of time at home by himself, drawing. Actually, we have a few of his works here in the back.
Ohno: Oh! I want to see them!
Ohno, who hadn’t been expecting to be able to come across Nara-san’s works so quickly, excitedly made his way towards the back of the gallery. And, what appeared there was…
Ohno: Wow, this is amazing!
Kosugi: This is currently being managed by someone who used to run a CD shop; that person is quite good friends with Nara-san. Apparently they were music buddies around the time they were in middle school and high school.
Ohno: Ehh~. This drawing is also Nara-san’s?
Kosugi: Yes it is. He drew this for the event in 2008, and it went up here afterwards. Whenever Nara-san is in Hirosaki, he always drops by here. Incidentally, we’re here each day, in the evenings.
Ohno: It’s like a hideout.
Kosugi: Nara-san is always back here slouching over while drinking, chatting away in his thick Tsugaru-dialect.
Ohno: Sounds nice~ (lol)
Kosugi: This painting was also displayed during the event.
Ohno: The way this painting is displayed here, it’s nice. Nara-san must have wanted to have it put up in this way. I’m sure it’s completely different from looking at it in a museum. It almost feels like something I’d see at Kichijou Temple in Tokyo. Its casual and carefree feeling is really nice. Having a place like this, instead of a gallery alone, really helps people connect with each other.
Kosugi: That’s true. Seeing Nara-san’s works here in the midst of our everyday lives makes you look at them in a different way. Like that ballpen drawing you saw earlier, many people in Tsugaru like creating things using familiar everyday objects. There are many times we use either things in nature, or from our daily living to create our works.
Ohno, excited at having come across Nara Yoshitomo’s works in such an unexpected manner, took some photos at that hideout-like place. Also, at Kosugi’s invitation of “I’ll show you to another great place,” the group headed outside. They started out from there on foot. Ohno, in his boots, looked almost enviously at the cameraman in his rubber boots stepping deeply into the snow. With a “Maybe I’ll step into the snow too,” he plops into the snow. Though he said, “It doesn’t matter if my shoes get wet, right?” the trip has only just started…
Then they suddenly see in front of them a lovely building. It’s a church called the “Hirosaki Episcopal Anglican Ascension Church.” According to Kosugi-san, Hirosaki was not affected by the war, and so has many important buildings remaining that were built before the war. Not only that, but this church has bells, which were even rang to signal the opening of Nara-san’s exhibit.
As they kept walking, they came to the Yoshii Brick Brew House, where the exhibit “YOSHITOMO NARA+graf A to Z” was held in the summer of 2006. Adjacent to the Brew House is Hirosaki’s green park, which was actually the place that Kosugi-san wanted to bring Ohno. Just when they thought they were almost there, something caught Ohno’s eye.
“Wow! Amazing!”
What was waiting there was the “A to Z Memorial Dog,” a work that Nara-san donated to the city using the profits from the “A to Z” exhibit, as a way to remember it. It was so photogenic that Ohno couldn’t help but say, “It’s so cute… I want to ride on it!” Kosugi-san, overhearing that, added, “The local middle and high school kids often take pictures riding on top of it.,” which only made Ohno want to ride it even more. As if to egg him on, Kosugi-san also said, “There’s a jinx going around that once you’re older than 25, you can’t (physically) climb up it anymore.” That one remark added even more fuel to the fire. Ohno Satoshi, with his excellent physical ability, completely conquered that jinx (lol). He certainly fully enjoyed Nara-san’s works with his whole being.
He enjoyed himself so much that before realizing it, he’d already went past the scheduled time. But, being able to travel freely, depending on how he’s feeling at the moment, was one of the loose goals of this trip. That being said, since everyone was getting a little hungry, the group walked over to a café that Kosugi-san recommended.
And off to the next part, located here~~
Masterpost here
Comments are <3
Enjoy~! (My notes/comments are "TN" in blue)
Ohno Satoshi and Japanese Craftsmanship
Aomori
To Ohno Satoshi, who in 2008 held his own exhibition and published his art compilation “FREESTYLE”, art is a very familiar and interesting subject. As such, the artist Nara Yoshitomo whom he interviewed for a tv program last year has been a great mentor. “I want to see Nara-san’s works in person” in his hometown of Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture. This thought became the start of Ohno’s journey.
Thinking of Nara Yoshitomo at harappa
A day in February 2010, Ohno Satoshi arrived at Aomori Airport in the middle of winter. While excited about the snow, he’s the first one to travel for “Nippon no Arashi.” A bit nervous along with the staff, he thus comfortably begins the trip.
The car first took Ohno out to a place in Hirosaki called “harappa.” Although, it’s not just any old “open field” (TN: ‘harappa’ means an “open/empty field,” but the name of the place is ‘harappa’ in English letters). But, like an “open field” that has become increasingly rare these days, it is a place where everyone can play and act freely to experience art. That is how this NPO (nonprofit organization) came to be named.
In the first place, harappa was established in 2002 through the exhibit “Nara Yoshitomo Exhibit, Hirosaki” that was held in a brick warehouse in the neighborhood of Yoshino in Hirosaki. The local people who love Nara-san’s works and the feel of the brick warehouse that remains in Hirosaki took care of everything from setting up the place to administration. It was hugely successful, with 58,724 people visiting in about 2 months. That experience was the beginnings of harappa.
After driving an hour from Aomori Airport, they arrived in the town of Hirosaki. Ohno was finally able to fully enjoy walking on the snow of Aomori in the wide-open shopping district that serves as this town’s main street. Being greeted by the bright atmosphere of the town that contrasts with the chilliness of the snow, it feels like this will be a fantastic trip.
While walking through the shopping district looking at the stores, he came across harappa suddenly and naturally, like finding a rabbit out in the snow. The first thing you see upon entering the building is the small shop with art and goods from the local artists. The gallery is towards the back. And, it seems that behind that is the office. Ohno was greeted by Kosugi Ariyoshi-san (29 years-old), a harappa employee.
Kosugi: This has in a way become a place of memories, locally; we produce and announce our works here.
Ohno: Here (the gallery) and the rest of it?
Kosugi: These are works by artists who are based mainly in Hirosaki. This one here was drawn with ball pens. Besides ball pens, we also use crayons and the like. Ball pens are oils too, so you can smear and shape it with your finger to create the shading.
Ohno: Use your fingers on the ball pen? Ahh, I see. A wall like this is pretty unusual in the first place though, isn’t it?
Kosugi: Yes. When making the gallery space, we didn’t want it to just be a white cube. Actually, this wall was used in Nara-san’s exhibit. It’s a part, if you will. We gathered them up again and re-used them here.
Ohno: From the “A to Z” exhibit?
Kosugi: Yes, exactly. We all pitched in, nailing things in and painting.
Ohno: That sounds nice. I wish I could’ve participated too. Do you think Nara-san will do an exhibit in Aomori again?
Kosugi: Nara-san is the kind of person that would have an exhibit where there are people who want to have one, rather than do one in Aomori just because it’s his hometown. He has already done three in Aomori, so he might be settled for the time being.
Ohno: Does Nara-san ever come here to visit?
Kosugi: Yes, he does come every so often.
Ohno: Are there other places like this here?
Kosugi: All together, there are probably about 50 galleries here in Hirosaki.
Ohno: Wow, that many!
Kosugi: It’s common for everyone here to make and present their pieces. They do it during breaks in their work, or after work. At any rate, there are a lot of people here who create art.
Ohno: Why is that? Because it’s so cold out (lol)?
Kosugi: I think that’s part of it (lol). It’s cold, so there’s not much else to do, and not many places to go out to. It’s the same feeling like in Scandinavia. We wouldn’t be surprised if someone told us they paint or sculpt. It’s just, “Oh, I see.”
Ohno: I wonder why Nara-san started drawing pictures?
Kosugi: Nara-san was also born and raised in this town, so it seems that as a child he spent a lot of time at home by himself, drawing. Actually, we have a few of his works here in the back.
Ohno: Oh! I want to see them!
Ohno, who hadn’t been expecting to be able to come across Nara-san’s works so quickly, excitedly made his way towards the back of the gallery. And, what appeared there was…
Ohno: Wow, this is amazing!
Kosugi: This is currently being managed by someone who used to run a CD shop; that person is quite good friends with Nara-san. Apparently they were music buddies around the time they were in middle school and high school.
Ohno: Ehh~. This drawing is also Nara-san’s?
Kosugi: Yes it is. He drew this for the event in 2008, and it went up here afterwards. Whenever Nara-san is in Hirosaki, he always drops by here. Incidentally, we’re here each day, in the evenings.
Ohno: It’s like a hideout.
Kosugi: Nara-san is always back here slouching over while drinking, chatting away in his thick Tsugaru-dialect.
Ohno: Sounds nice~ (lol)
Kosugi: This painting was also displayed during the event.
Ohno: The way this painting is displayed here, it’s nice. Nara-san must have wanted to have it put up in this way. I’m sure it’s completely different from looking at it in a museum. It almost feels like something I’d see at Kichijou Temple in Tokyo. Its casual and carefree feeling is really nice. Having a place like this, instead of a gallery alone, really helps people connect with each other.
Kosugi: That’s true. Seeing Nara-san’s works here in the midst of our everyday lives makes you look at them in a different way. Like that ballpen drawing you saw earlier, many people in Tsugaru like creating things using familiar everyday objects. There are many times we use either things in nature, or from our daily living to create our works.
Ohno, excited at having come across Nara Yoshitomo’s works in such an unexpected manner, took some photos at that hideout-like place. Also, at Kosugi’s invitation of “I’ll show you to another great place,” the group headed outside. They started out from there on foot. Ohno, in his boots, looked almost enviously at the cameraman in his rubber boots stepping deeply into the snow. With a “Maybe I’ll step into the snow too,” he plops into the snow. Though he said, “It doesn’t matter if my shoes get wet, right?” the trip has only just started…
Then they suddenly see in front of them a lovely building. It’s a church called the “Hirosaki Episcopal Anglican Ascension Church.” According to Kosugi-san, Hirosaki was not affected by the war, and so has many important buildings remaining that were built before the war. Not only that, but this church has bells, which were even rang to signal the opening of Nara-san’s exhibit.
As they kept walking, they came to the Yoshii Brick Brew House, where the exhibit “YOSHITOMO NARA+graf A to Z” was held in the summer of 2006. Adjacent to the Brew House is Hirosaki’s green park, which was actually the place that Kosugi-san wanted to bring Ohno. Just when they thought they were almost there, something caught Ohno’s eye.
“Wow! Amazing!”
What was waiting there was the “A to Z Memorial Dog,” a work that Nara-san donated to the city using the profits from the “A to Z” exhibit, as a way to remember it. It was so photogenic that Ohno couldn’t help but say, “It’s so cute… I want to ride on it!” Kosugi-san, overhearing that, added, “The local middle and high school kids often take pictures riding on top of it.,” which only made Ohno want to ride it even more. As if to egg him on, Kosugi-san also said, “There’s a jinx going around that once you’re older than 25, you can’t (physically) climb up it anymore.” That one remark added even more fuel to the fire. Ohno Satoshi, with his excellent physical ability, completely conquered that jinx (lol). He certainly fully enjoyed Nara-san’s works with his whole being.
He enjoyed himself so much that before realizing it, he’d already went past the scheduled time. But, being able to travel freely, depending on how he’s feeling at the moment, was one of the loose goals of this trip. That being said, since everyone was getting a little hungry, the group walked over to a café that Kosugi-san recommended.
And off to the next part, located here~~
Masterpost here
Comments are <3