Narratives of the Body at Roppongi Crossing 2016

     With new discourses come new perspectives. This is what the exhibition Roppongi Crossing 2016: My Body, My Voice is trying to convey with its wide selection of artworks from photographs to paintings, from music to videos, from machine-like installations to interactive games. The exhibition was first mounted in 2004 at the Mori Art Museum to showcase the works of contemporary Japanese artists, reflecting a vast range of creative techniques. This year, 20 artists selected by curators from Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, displayed their works depicting complex relationships between the body and the world around it as told in visual narratives that were distinct and personal. 

       Makoto Aida, one of the participants in the first Roppongi Crossing exhibition in 2004,  noted in a short interview conducted by the Mori Art Museum, that seeing this year’s exhibition gave him the impression that the works contained very personal elements. Participating artists this year tried to explain, through their chosen medium, their answers to the questions, “Who am I? How is my body connected to history and to other people?” Their interpretations of these questions and their corresponding answers reflected a process of looking at the self and projecting the self to the context – time, place, dynamics – of the world where it is placed. 

Katayama Mari, Courtesy of TRAUMARIS, TOKYO

Some artists focused on the relationship between the body and the creation of a distinct identity of the self. Katayama Mari, who had both of her legs amputated at the tender age of nine and has since used prosthetics, displayed her self portraits together with her dolls to represent how she reconciled the idea of who she is as a person and as an artist in relation to her body. Her photos in her room filled with dolls seemed to suggest the objectification of her body as parts of it are joined and rejoined. Through these self-portraits she depicted how the society sees her and with a lifesized doll with a mirror for a face, she depicted how she absorbs the things going on in the society around her.

Goto Yasuka showcased her paintings created with the use of Japanese ink depicting scenes during the Second World War, which she had reimagined based on the stories told by her relatives. Her paintings featured her grandfather who was drafted to war. The paintings showed him writing letters together with other soldiers before they were sent to different places for the war and riding a navy ship about to be deployed in a faraway camp. The very distinct expressions on the faces of the soldiers, which showed their emotions, personalities, worries and fears in the middle of the raging war, were very notable in of her art. One of the most notable pieces of this collection was the Aioi Bashi, which showed a panoramic painting showing her grandfather as a young boy who wanted to enlist in the army facing his adult self who was already drafted to war as a soldier and was facing the horrors of it. 

Yosegaki by Goto Yasuka,
Courtesy of The National Museum of Art Osaka

Hasegawa Ai presented photos showing the projected appearance of the would-be children of a real life same-sex couple if the technology of using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) became possible and ethically recognized. This technology would allow the children to inherit the genes of both parents even if they are of the same sex. The installation featured photos of the couple with their children happily having breakfast and celebrating a birthday.  

       As this exhibition depicted new ways of presenting the body and the self in relation to time and place, new perspectives were brought into the center to instigate its audience to ponder on them. Aida Makoto referred to the exhibition as interesting because “it makes you realize what you don’t know.” Everyday identities are being invented and reinvented, relationships being established and demolished, and bodies move in a projection of time that transcends ideas and space. With this, reinterpretation of old discourses are strongly encouraged and the formulation of new narratives are more than welcome not only in art, but in everything else, where bodies can be used to communicate to others.

      This exhibition ran at the Mori Art Museum from March 26 to July 10, 2016 and was curated by Natsumi Araki of the Mori Art Museum, Sunjung Kim of the Art Sonje Center, Keisuke Ozawa of the Arts Initiative Tokyo, and Dar-Kuen Wu of the Taipei Artist Village. 

Photos: Grabbed from the website of the Mori Art Museum

1.Flyer/ promotional banner of Roppongi Crossing 2016 

2.you’re mine#001

2014

Katayama Mari

Lambda Print

104.8 X162 cm

Private Collection

Courtesy of: TRAUMARIS, Tokyo

3.Yosegaki 

2008

By Goto Yasuka

Oil, acrylic and Japanese ink on canvas

304 x 480 cm

Collection: The National Museum of Art, Osaka

*** Published in the August 2016 issue of the Filipino-Japanese Journal

Kichijoji: Hanami at iba pa

Orihinal na inilathala sa April 2016 issue ng Pinoy Gazette

Simula 2004, nangunguna ang Kichijoji sa mga taunang poll ng mga lugar na pinakamainam tirahan sa Tokyo – hindi kamahalan, maganda ang lokasyon at maraming maaaring puntahan at pasyalan. Kilala rin ito sa mga jazz bars, street musicians, at mga hiphop dancers na matatagpuan sa iba’t ibang sulok.

Hanami sa Inokashira Park

           

Kilala ang Inokashira Park na isa sa mga paboritong puntahan ng mga tao sa Kichijoji lalo na kung spring season. Makikita ang magagandang cherry blossoms na nakapaligid sa isang maliit na lawa kung saan mayroong mga pinaparentahang mga bangka. Mainam itong pasyalan para sa buong pamilya sa kahit na anong panahon sa buong taon. Kung autumn season naman, napupuno ng naglalabang kulay dilaw at pula ang mga puno sa paligid ng parke.

Sa halagang ¥400 ay maaari nang bisitahin ang dalawang zoo na nasa loob ng parke. Kasama sa koleksyon ng Inokashira Zoo ang ilang species ng mga hayop na matatagpuan lamang sa Japan. Sa isang bahagi ng zoo makikita ang duck sanctuary at sa isang bahagi naman ang iba pang hayop kabilang na ang kinagigiliwan ng mga bata na si Hanako, isang Thai Elephant. Huwag rin kalimutang bisitahin ang Benzaiten Shrine na itinayo para sa Japanese Buddhist goddess na si Benzaiten. Dahil napapaligiran ng tubig at cherry blossoms, litaw na litaw ang ganda ng matingkad na pulang kulay ng shrine.

Sa hindi kalayuan, makikita ang Ghibli Museum na nagpapakita ng mga likha ng isa sa mga pinakapopular na animation studios sa Japan, ang Ghibli. Kung fan ka ni Totoro o ni Princess Mononoke, mga karakter na pinasikat ni Hayao Miyazaki, tiyak na ikatutuwa mong makita ang malaking estatwa ni Totoro sa labas palang ng museo at ang replica ng cat bus na matatagpuan naman pagpasok.

Shopping galore

Matatagpuan sa paligid ng istasyon ang magkahalong malalaking malls tulad ng Marui at Isetan at maliliit na mga independent boutiques at vintage shops tulad ng Ragtag. Katabi ng train station makikita ang dalawang mall, Atre ant Kirarina, na may kanya-kanyang floors para sa mga damit, gamit pambahay, sapatos, at mga specialty stores.

Pero higit sa mga karaniwang tinda sa mga malls na ito, mas magandang tuklasin ang mga maliliit na tindahan sa paligid ng istasyon na nagbebenta ng mga kakaibang bagay tulad ng mga gamit para sa mga alagang aso, stationery shops at iba pang hobby shops na doon lamang makikita sa Kichijoji. Kung maswerte, makakabili ka ng mga branded second hand items sa napakamurang halaga.

Murang kainin

Ang Harmonica Yokocho ay unang nakilala bilang isang flea market matapos ang WWII pero ngayon ay mas kilala na ito sa mahabang linya ng mga yakitori restaurants na nagsulputan noong 90s. Mayroon din itong mga specialty shops na nagbebenta lamang ng mga Japanese delicacies tulad ng yokan at taiyaki. Makakakain din ng masarap na pizza sa Kichijoji sa halagang ¥500.

Bagamat nakatago sa isang maliit na iskinita, puntahan ng mga tao ang Garage 50 dahil sa Roman-styled thin crust pizza nito. Maganda rin ang ambience ng restaurant kahit maliit dahil sa VW camper na ginawang kitchen ng may-ari kung saan inihahanda niya ang order ng mga customers. Ang Village Vanguard naman, mas kilala bilang American goods shop, ay mayroong restaurant sa Kichijoji na naghahain ng burger at beer.

Masarap na kapihan

Kung miss mo na ang mga duyan sa Pilipinas, isa sa mga relaxing café na pwede mong puntahan ay ang Mahika Mano Hammock Café. Sa halip na mga ordinaryong upuan, mga duyan ang nasa loob ng restaurant. Hindi nga lang maaaring magtagal masyado rito kahit mapasarap na sa pagkakaupo dahil may time limit lamang na dalawang oras ang bawat stay dito. Hindi rin maaaring magsama ng maliliit na bata dito.

Dahil showroom din ang café na ito ng Hammocks2000, isang kumpanya na nagbebenta ng mga duyan, maaaring bumili mismo sa café na ito ng kaparehas na mga duyan kung gugustuhin mo. Ang Deva Deva Café ay patok naman para sa mga mahilig sa healthy food. Naghahain sila ng vegetarian at vegan dishes.  Hindi rin mawawala ang cat café sa Kichijoji. Mayroong 15 pusa sa Cat Café Calico na maaaring mong laruin habang nagkakape. Bawat oras ay nagkakahalaga ng ¥1000 at ¥150 naman ang mga inumin.

Makinig sa jazz

Ang SOMETIME ay unang binuksan noong 1975 at hanggang ngayon ay paborito pa rin itong puntahan ng mga jazz enthusiasts. Kilala ang Kichijoji na jazz town noong 60s-70s pero sa paglipas ng panahon ay marami na rin nagsarang mga jazz bars sa paligid nito. Isa ang SOMETIME sa mga matatag na naiwan sa mga ito. Halos bawat gabi ay mayroong live music dito. Ang pinakahighlight ng lugar ay ang malaking grand piano sa gitna ng bar.

What to do in Tokyo: Learn to Bat

After watching a baseball game, there's no better way to end your day other than learning how to bat yourself. At the back of Tokyo Dome, where baseball games are usually held in Tokyo, you can find a 5-story sports center where you can try your hands on a real baseball bat.

Batting area

For only Y400 for 20 balls, you can practice batting and know what it feels like to hit a ball with a speed of 80km/h. This is the slowest among the speed of the machines. If you want to challenge yourself, you can try faster machines. You can try something as fast as 130km/h. It's also exciting that you can see Japanese baseball players pitching for you on the screen right in front of you. 

If you get tired batting, you can also try bouldering, golf and bowling in the same building. 

Where to get your coins to play

You can purchase your tokens from this machine. You will put insert the token in a small machine inside the batting booth and you can choose the height of the balls - whether you want them pitched high or low. You can get a discounted rate for 3 games for only Y1000.

I mist say, this is not only a fun activity for baseball fans but it is also a great way to relieve stress and release after a kong day at work. 

A Geek's Afternoon Walk at Nakano Broadway

Today, I decided to go for a walk at Nakano Broadway, a four-story building outside the South Exit of Nakano Station - a so-called haven for geeks of all ages and interests like me. Here you can find shops selling different kinds of goods that cater to different fan bases and collector groups. There are those selling anime and manga goods, from figurines to very old collectible cards; idol goods such photos, concert goods, CDs/DVDs, and other memorabilia; manga, books and magazines, both new and secondhand; clothing stores selling costumes for cosplay or everyday street wear; vintage shops selling dolls, accessories and collectibles; and other specialty stores catering to specific interests like train model kits, create-your-own-doll-kits, and vintage samurai film posters from the 1960s.

Entrance to an otaku wonderland

Akihabara is the first place that pops into mind when the word anime is mentioned. Indeed, Akihabara is home to a lot of specialty stores catering to different otaku subcultures. However, if you don't want to get lost in that bigger world called Akihabara, you can just wander around Nakano Broadway (I warn you, it is a jungle in itself!). As expected, you can spot an anime and manga shop after every two shops, sometimes, they are right next to each other you don't know where to go first! I must admit I got so overwhelmed I din't get to take a lot of photos! 

A cosplay shop

Of course when we talk about anime, along comes with it is cosplay. There are specialty shops in Nakano Broadway that sells not only costumes but also accessories. So if you are into cosplay and you want to add amazing details to your costume, you might want to drop by in these shops and purchase your much-needed sunglasses, pin, hair accessories and other important pieces to complete your ensemble.

Gacha gacha land

Dragon Ball Z gacha gacha

I am addicted to gacha gacha machines, I can't help myself from trying it once I saw one. When I passed by this shop, I was so excited I didn't know what to try until I found my pick at the bottom of the row. The last time I tried gacha gacha (and yes, it was also a Dragon Ball Z gacha gacha), I spent thousands of yen because I couldn't get Vegeta's 3D sticker! So I dropped two Y100 coins into the machine and waited for my toy to come out but it didn't! I didn't know if the machine was broken or what but I feel too lazy to talk to the guy in Japanese and tell him that his machine ate my precious Y200 and there were a lot of people too asking him questions. So I just let it pass and I lost Y200 and a precious chance to get a DBZ memorabilia! Maybe it's also a good thing because the heavens thought that I might overspend again if I didn't get Vegeta the first try.

Baseball goods

Create-your-own-doll Shop

I also found a store that sells baseball memorabilia and oh boy, these items are so precious it will really make you spend Y60,000 for a signed ball. Another interesting shop sells different toy body parts that you can use to create your own doll. A head or a torso costs around Y1600.

A table full of V6 goods

I also went inside some shops that sell idol goods but I didn't find anything good to purchase but I was so happy to find this table especially dedicated for V6! The shop is even playing one of their old concerts and there was a message on top of the TV greeting Morita Go a happy birthday! When I went to another shop, there was also another girl who was so engrossed in selecting nice photos of Okada Junichi, I wasn't able to look at it! 

sushi shop outside Nakano Broadway

Bar Zingaro in Nakano Broadway

There are also a lot of restaurants inside Nakano Broadway, which I must say I was surprised to find because I thought that this building is all for anime and manga goods. I decided to have an early dinner at one of the sushi places right outside Nakano Broadway. You can find it at the end of the long stretch of shops right before you enter the main building.

One cafe that is definitely worth a visit is Bar Zingaro, a cafe on the second floor of the building. This cafe was produced by the company Fuglen togethr with contemporary Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, who recently had his exhibit at Mori at Museum. See my post here. Takashi Murakami opened Bar Zingaro as the latest addition to the Zingaro Galleries, a chain of contemporary art galleries that he is running in Nakano Broadway such as Kaikai, Hidari, Ox and Pixiv.

If you are into more artsy fartsy stuff, you can have your caricature drawn by a young artist outside Nakano Station. She looked so happy when she was drawing this other girl. 

A small alley outside Nakano Broadway

A young caricature artist outside Nakano Station

However, if you are feeling a little adventurous, you can explore the smaller alleys around Nakano Broadway that can lead you to more interesting and quainter cafes and restaurants that are off the beaten path.

Delicious looking bread at Paul Saint-Germaine

You can also explore the other side of the station by passing under the train tracks and going to the North Exit side. There are other shops and restaurants around that area. Not very far from the station is Paul Saint-Germaine, a bakery that sells fresh and delicious bread. Even though I just had an early dinner, I bought a few pieces of bread when I saw the bakery. I guess, that is how good the bread looks like. It's so inviting! So whether you're planning to buy something or just want to look around and amuse yourself with what weird things people get crazy about, then going to Nakano Broadway for an afternoon walk is a good idea to kill time.