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Years before becoming a Nichi Bei Creative Artists fellow, Philadelphia-based muralist Ben Volta gave a dynamic presentation about his artistic process for CreativeMornings. During the presentation (available for viewing online at creativemornings.com/talks/ben-volta), Volta discussed his use of color, his creative practice, and his collaborations with student artists. Whenever possible, Volta begins his mural projects with a completely blank slate, and relies on collective brainstorming with his team members to determine themes and directions. The process of discussion, experimentation, and discovery has yielded compelling results; among his collaborative public art projects are a train car painted with imagery of neurons and the human brain, a mural representing a gramophone for a music venue, and a large-scale work exploring circuits and electricity. Learn more about Volta’s many works of public art at
www.benvolta.com/projects. Volta’s Creative Artists project is a collaboration with educator Cho Kuwakado, artist Yasuyuki Sakura, and photographer Hiroaki Seo; together, they are creating a work of public art that draws inspiration from the accomplishments and careers of scientists, sports figures, and educators from Japan and the United States. The finished work, scheduled for debut this summer in Japan, will combine individual pieces of art created by students from both countries. Learn more about the project at bit.ly/NichiBei_MuralProject. And for more on the Nichi Bei Creative Artists Program - made possible with support from Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC, National Endowment for the Arts and International House of Japan - 国際文化会館 - visit nichibei-artists.org/en/.
Woodblock print artist Kiyoshi Saitō is the subject of a new exhibition at The Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida, and an upcoming online lecture from the Japan-America Society of Washington DC (JASWDC). Saitō, who lived from 1907-1997, was a seminal artist in the Sasaku Hanga (or “creative print”) movement, which drew inspiration from European modernist artists like Paul Gauguin and Edvard Munch (who themselves were inspired by Japan’s ukiyo-e printmaking tradition). Unlike practitioners of traditional woodblock printing – a process which often relied on multiple specialized craftspeople to produce a finished work – Sasaku Hanga artists like Saitō carved and printed their own designs, and retained control and authorship of their works. (Learn more via the Bowdoin College Museum of Art at bit.ly/Bowdoin_Art.) Saitō became a renowned and significant Sasaku Hanga artist in post-World War II Japan. He began his career as an illustrator, sign-maker and oil painter in Tokyo, before transitioning to the Sasaku Hanga practice. Saitō was a self-taught printmaker who experimented with a variety of techniques; his works, which are notable for their simple and striking designs, depict architecture, landscapes and streetscapes, as well as human figures and animals. His internationally acclaimed “Winter in Aizu” series features haunting wintertime street scenes and natural tableaus from the Fukushima town in which he was born. In 1951, Saitō was honored at the São Paulo Biennial for his print “Steady Gaze” (Flower); the achievement elevated his career, and helped draw international attention to the creative print movement. In its review of the Ringling exhibition, the Herald-Tribune writes that Saitō’s prints possess “a sensual quality, an emotional resonance, even a sense of delight. And from such simple images.” Read the Herald-Tribune’s full review of the exhibition at bit.ly/HT_Saito, and visit the exhibition homepage at ringling.org/events/saitō-kiyoshi-graphic-awakening. On April 29 in the U.S. (April 30 in Japan), the Ringling Museum’s curator of Asian art Rhiannon Paget will discuss Saitō’s creativity and “Winter in Aizu” prints in an online lecture hosted by the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC (and made possible with support from Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC); register to attend at bit.ly/Saito_Lecture. For more on Saitō and his artwork, visit the British Museum at bit.ly/Saito_BritishMus. See more examples of his prints via the The Art Institute of Chicago, at bit.ly/ARTIC_Saito.
Still so excited to be mentioned in the @nytimes article by Jason Farago. Incredibly honored to have learned from Shuzo Azuchi Gulliver, and extremely humbled to work with Stuart Comer, Sophie Cavoulacos, Peter Oleksik, Julian Ross, Go Hirasawa, Pioneer Works, Gabriel Florenz, Vivian Chui, and David Everitt Howe. Shout out to Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC for their continued support in this project, and CCJ. Fantastic!
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/arts/design/expanded-cinema-gulliver-moma.html
Our book is coming soon!
Collaborative Cataloging Japan is proud to announce the launch of its first publication, Japanese Expanded Cinema and Intermedia: Critical Texts of the 1960s, co-edited by Go Hirasawa, Julian Ross, and Ann Adachi-Tasch, and published by Archive Books in Berlin.
Thank you to Jennifer Cornwell, Rachel Valinsky, Colin Smith, Yuzo Sakuramoto, Shuhei Hosoya, Reiko Tomii, Akihiro Suzuki, and many others. Special thank you to the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC for challenging us to do this project, and for supporting the organization since the beginning.
https://www.collabjapan.org/expanded-cinema-critical-texts
Tomorrow, June 4th at 6:30 PM ET
Climate Change and Coral Reefs in the U.S. and Okinawa
"How is climate change impacting coral reefs and what are the implications of this? How are researchers in the U.S. and Japan working together on this issue? Come find out in the first U.S.-Japan Science Synergy Webinar sponsored by the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC and co-sponsored by OIST Foundation and Florida International University's Institute of the Environment."
Register:
http://tinyurl.com/OISTwebinar04
現在多くの公演がやむを得ずキャンセルとなる中、2020 日米芸術家交換プログラムのフェローであるダンサーのキャメロン・マッキニーは引き続き制作に励んでいます。
マッキニー氏はKizuna（絆）Danceという自らのダンスカンパニーを率い、 アーティスティック・ディレクターとしてコンテンポラリーダンスを通して日本文化を世に広める活動をしています。最近では自宅待機期間を利用して、Kizuna Danceのルーティーンを教える動画（bit.ly/Kizuna_Class）を公開しました。 このルーティーン動画を見て勉強して自分でダンス動画を公開した方もいます。（bit.ly/Kizuna_routine）また、同じく動画で、2011年の東日本大震災に思いを寄せて制作されたRebirth（再誕）という作品を無料公開しました。（bit.ly/Kizuna_Rebirth）
2020 日米芸術家交換プログラムでは、振付家の島﨑徹氏と共に、日米の友好関係を表現する30分のコンテンポラリーダンス作品を制作しています。もともとは今年の夏に東京で公演にて発表する予定でしたが、新型コロナウイルス流行の影響によりスケジュールが変更となった為、来年2021年夏の公演に向けて準備に取り組んでいます。
キャメロン・マッキニーウェブサイト： cameronmckinneydance.com
NEAインタビューページ：bit.ly/McKinney_NEA
2020 日米芸術家交換プログラムの詳細はこちら（nichibei-artists.org/）から。
Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC
National Endowment for the Arts International House of Japan - 国際文化会館
#nichibeiartists #TTF
JCIE served as a co-host for an excellent discussion between current and former Japanese and US legislators on the importance of legislative exchange in supporting the bilateral relationship. Hon. Joaquin Castro, Hon. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Hon. Tom Petri, Hon. Mark Takano, and Hon. Hiromi Takase all offered their insights on the benefits and challenges associated with joining exchange programs.
Thank you to Dr. Sheila Smith for moderating the discussion and to CULCON (U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange), Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC, U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress, The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, and the U.S.-Japan Council, for co-hosting the event in cooperation with Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, the National Association of Japan-America Societies, and Japan-America Society of Washington DC (JASWDC)
Cameron McKinney is one of 6 artists who—with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC—will work with a Japanese artist peer to create a project celebrating this year's Olympics.
In his own words, here's McKinney on creating work at the nexus of his love of dance and his love of Japanese culture.
Just Announced!
The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC and the National Endowment for the Arts are pleased to announce the selection of five artistic teams for the 2019-2020 US/Japan Creative Artists Fellowship Program. Each team of artists from the United States and Japan will work together on a project (for a total of five projects) that each reflect the themes of this year’s Olympic Games; unity, collaboration and the long-time friendship between the United States and Japan. The completed projects will be showcased in Tokyo next summer at the same time as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is the first time since the program’s inception in 1978 that artists were selected as a U.S.-Japan pair to produce a completed work to present to the public. Visit the NEA News Room for the full press release.
Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission - JUSFC has just launched
www.nichibeiconnect.com #NichiBeiConnect is an exciting website for Americans and Japanese who have lived, worked or studied in one another’s country, with free resources for you to build pathways for professional development and remain engaged with Japan and the United States. The website houses updated, searchable information about U.S.-Japan-related jobs, internships, scholarships and fellowships. Users register as opportunity seekers or as contributors.
