今週金曜日、R/GA サンフランシスコオフィスにお呼ばれしてきました。
R/GAとは、Nike+ キャンペーンでも知られる米国でも大手の広告会社（インタラクティブ • フルサービス • エージェンシー）。New York、San Francisco、London, Chicago, São Paulo, Singaporeと世界6都市にオフィスを構えています。このR/GAが、３ヶ月に渡りCreative Connectという春のレクチャーシリーズをキックオフ。建築家、アーティスト、キュレーター、シェフ、ダンサー、ストリートアーティストなど、様々なジャンルで活躍するクリエイティブ • プロフェッショナルをピックし、それぞれの作品や考えなどに触れてインスピレーションを共有する場所をR/GAが提供するというものです。トークは全て一般公開。今月から６月まで毎週金曜日に行われるそうです。
このシリーズの幕開けを飾るスピーカーとして、書家/アーティストとしての活動や思想についてお話させて頂き、その後35分間の書道パフォーマンスも披露しました。上のような、素敵なフライヤーと、ポスターまでデザインしていただきました。
R/GA is one of the world's most awarded full-service digital agencies. R/GA San Francisco office is hosting a creative lecture series called, “Creative Connect” starting Friday, March 25 at 4:30 p.m.
Creative Connect is open to the public and intended to provide a space for San Francisco’s creative professionals to speak, perform, or display groundbreaking work and ideas. The series will showcase architects, multi-media artists, curators, chefs, dancers, and even street artists to showcase their talents with the community at large. R/GA's hope is to reach out and inspire San Francisco’s burgeoning creative community to come together across multiple disciplines to share their work and insights. I was invited as the one to kick off Creative Connect with a reflective presentation and a live large-scale calligraphy performance.
In this unique setting, the audience experiences calligraphy in its entirety and become immersed in the creative process that is usually hidden from public view.
Calligraphy Performance:
甦生 SOSEI (Regeneration)
"甦生 (regeneration)" - This piece is dedicated to Japan...
Music score:
関東東北大震災に心を痛め、そしてその復興支援募金を集めるためのアートイベントRISE JAPAN.の企画に全身全霊かける日々を送る私が、このパフォーマンスで伝えたい事は何だろうと考えた。それは、故郷への愛だった。
このアーティストトークは数ヶ月前から計画されていて、パフォーマンスの方では、当初の私の計画では違う音楽を流す予定だった。トークの前夜になるまで、何を題材に書いたらいいのか決断がつかず、心に靄が架かったようだった。頭を悩めても仕方がないのだと、雑念を振り払おうとスケッチブックに向かい、夜一人で作業をしているとき、癒しを求めて聴きたくなるのがこの２曲だった。純粋に非の打ち所無い美しさを感じるこの音色に、Ann Sallyの優しい歌声に涙を流した。そして私が欲している音は、体の中に今流れている音はこれだと思い、パフォーマンスの曲に選んだ。
３枚に渡る大きな画仙紙に、「蘇州夜曲」の歌詞を淡墨で書き、その上に大きく「甦生」と書いた。
このプレゼンテーションとパフォーマンスを見に来てくれた方々、本当に有り難うございます。
被災地の方々、そして日本という国を支えている国民一人一人へ、日本国の「甦生」を願い、信じ祈りを捧げます。
It has been really emotional days since the Japan earthquake and tsunami happen: I have been pouring all of my attention and energy into the series of fundraiser art exhibition RISE JAPAN. The night before the presentation & performance at R/GA, I began refining my plan for the live calligraphy performance and struggled with wiping chaotic fog off of my mind. Couldn't decide what to write, and which music to play. I asked myself, what is the message I want to tell through this performance? What do I want to say, what do I want audiences to take home with? - then I heard, "it's the nostalgia and love for my home country."
This artist talk was planned from several months ago, and I had a different plan for the theme and music for this performance. Something has changed inside of me - I wasn't feeling right about my initial plan. My heart wants to relax with these two songs when I'm working at home in the late night. Surrounded by the warm and emotional sound, I was touched and cried, then I thought that these were the sound my soul desired. Then I immediately knew what to do.
On the three large sheets of paper, I wrote lyrics of "Soshu Yakyoku" (written in Showa 15 = 1940), and wrote "SOSEI" (regeneration) with a big brush.
This performance and calligraphy piece is dedicated to people who are suffering from this tragic natural disaster and nations living and supporting the country to heal and rebuild. Praying for regeneration of the country, believing in our strength to do so. Thank you everyone so much for coming to see my presentation and performance. It was such a pleasure to share this amazing space and opportunity with you all.
_
Performance 甦生 SOSEI
Music score:
1. Last Emperor / Ryuichi Sakamoto
2. 蘇州夜曲 / Ann Sally
Mixed by Kento Tanaka
Photos by Akko Terasawa / Akira Okawa
Flyer & Poster credit:
Flyer designed by Francisco Tavares (R/GA)
Photo credit:
Calligraphy x Beauty Project w/ Taichi Imai
Model: Crystal
Photography: Taichi Imai (http://taichiimai.com/)
Calligraphy facial painting: Aoi Yamaguchi
Make up: Tomoya Motegi
Hair: Kanako Ito
Special thanks to:
Min Hu, Shagane Barsegian Launey, Brett Rampata, Francisco Tavares, Mauro Cavalletti, all R/GA staff, Akira Okawa, Akko Terasawa, and everyone who attended Creative Connect.
