The Open-Air-Art Exhibition this year marks memorial 20th of the series since its first opening in 1998. (No. 17-12)
Date/time : October 21 (Sat) 2017 10:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.
Opening ceremony: storehouse at the Old Inoue’s Residence
Art-Viewing tour: Kingfisher garden, Fusa citizens’ woods, Miyanomori Park, and around Fusa area
Volunteer interpreters: 6people: Mitsuo Kitagawa, Suzue Fujii, Rie Hama,
Yasuhiko Hesaki, Mitsuru Sato, Yuko Yamanishi
AIRA started sending several members as volunteer interpreters in 2004 and since then supporting activity has been continuing as several foreign artists usually participate in the event. AIRA’s assists are ranging from interpretation at the artists’ courtesy visit to the Mayor of Abiko, Lake Teganuma cruise, to artworks-viewing tour by citizens together with artists. Casual interpretation and translation services are also provided.
Not only the invited domestic and foreign artists but also local regular participants including nearby junior high students and kindergarten kids are working hard to complete each artwork at their favorite location of, field, wood, citizen’s field, in a shrine, in an old storehouse, and others, located at Fusa area, east part of Abiko city.
The opening ceremony and the following art-viewing tour of AIOE were carried out in the unfortunate rain influenced by autumn rain front and a coming typhoon No.21. This year 7 invited artists joined the event from abroad to create their own art works. AIRA sent 6 volunteer interpreters for respective foreign artists except one who have lived in Japan according to the request.
The opening ceremony was held from 10 o’clock in the storehouse at Old Inoue’s residence due to rain. They started with the duet performance of the saxophone (by French artist, Masto) and the piano (by Mr. Komaba). Then, Mr. Akira Aoki, vice mayor of Abiko, gave the opening speech, saying “I hope that a new culture will be born through the various cultural exchanges.” (Mr. Sato interpreted.) The chief of working committee of AIOE, Mr. Suzuki also gave a speech, saying “I hope this exhibition will continue for another 10 years, or 20 years with your understanding and cooperation.” (Mr. Hesaki interpreted.) Next, invited artists and other artists introduced themselves in order.
The art-viewing tour started at 10:30am. We took a bus to Kingfisher Garden in Kohoku area, 10 minutes apart. This is the first time they use that place as exhibition site. Since the location was close to Lake Teganuma and the atmosphere was different, the art works displayed there looked somehow different from those displayed in the woods in Fusa area.
After viewing the art works in Kingfisher garden, we returned to AIOE office in Fusa, where we had lunch together, listening to the ocarina performance.
In the afternoon, we looked around art works at Sengen Shrine, in Fusa citezens’ woods, in Miyanomori Park, and at a vacant shop near Fusa station. The interpreters translated what each artist was saying about his/her work into English or Japanese.
Many of the foreign artists create their work after they arrive in Fusa area, look at the allocated sites, and look for materials available in the local area. It is sometimes hard to appreciate their art work though we listened to their art image they have in mind only through words. Interpreters had a hard work to catch each artist’s concept in order to explain it in appropriate words to the viewers. Sometimes a few interpreters cooperated each other to explain one art work.
(Translated by Yasuhiko Hesaki)
