• Artists: Motoyuki Shitamichi

  • Taro Yasuno

  • Toshiaki Ishikura

  • Fuminori Nousaku

  • Curator: Hiroyuki Hattori

Exhibition

April 18, 2020

The homecoming exhibition opens at Artizon Museum.
(In the prevention of the infection and spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), the opening has been postponed.)

Exhibition

April 8 – 15, 2020

Installation period at Artizon Museum.

Event

February 28, 2020

In the prevention of the infection and spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), like many other museums, Artizon Museum closes temporarily from March 3 to 15.

Production

February 27, 2020

In Aichi, the frottage prints of the story are unpacked. The condition of the works is checked by Noda of Ippongi roduction, who managed the frottage production, and Hattori. Later, they discuss the framing at the framer’s and decide on the details.

Event

February 24, 2020

At an event in conjunction with the IAMAS graduate show, Hattori, Shitamichi, and Yasuno each give a presentation themed “After Venice Biennale: On collaborative projects” and have a roundtable discussion with Masahiro Miwa.

Production

February 19, 2020

At Artizon, the condition of the pieces such as the balloon is checked and the exhibition footage is viewed.

Event

February 4, 2020

Akishobo issues magazine Tagui vol.2 published by Multispecies Anthropology in Japan. There is a special feature on “At the Horizon of Hybrid Gathering.” Ishikura contributes his essay “‘Cosmo-Eggs’ and the Generation of Hybrid Gathering: From the 58th Venice Biennale Japan Pavilion.”

Production

January 31, 2020

Hattori, Shitamichi, Yasuno, Ishikura, Nousaku, Tanaka, and Arimoto (HIGURE) of the installation team meet at Artizon Museum and discuss installation details with the museum curator. The overall exhibition plan is in place.

Event

January 12, 2020

An open symposium to mark the renewal of Society for the Ethno-Arts arts/ magazine titled “‘Cosmo-Eggs’ (Venice Biennale 2019 Japan Pavilion): Thinking at the Intersection of Art and Anthropology” takes place at the National Museum of Art, Osaka. Shitamichi and Ishikura take the stage.

Event

January 10, 2020

Taro Yasuno’s exhibition “Unrealized Composition: Icon 2020-2025” begins at Art Front Gallery. The 12 recorders that were used at Japan Pavilion, which arrived from Venice four days prior (on January 6), take form as a new installation.

Meeting

December 13, 2019

A meeting with Hattori and the museum curators takes place at Artizon Museum. Details and budget, as well as the events during the exhibition, are discussed. He also takes part in a TV interview.

Production

December 12 – 17, 2019

The works are shipped back to Japan from Venice.

Event

December 7, 2019

At Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media (YCAM), a Venice Biennale debriefing session co-hosted by Yamaguchi Institute of Contemporary Arts (YICA) and Life&eat Club. Shitamichi and Hattori take the stage.

Production

December 2, 2019

An exhibition plan and budget plan with reduced installation costs are submitted to Artizon Museum. At Akita University of Art, “Japan University Consortium for Arts,” a symposium for high school art teachers in the Tohoku area is held, where Ishikura and Hattori give a lecture about “Cosmo-Eggs” titled “Transdisciplinarity of the Arts & Roots.”

Exhibition

November 25, 2019

Deinstallation takes place at the Biennale from the morning. Frottage rubbing continues at Japan Pavilion and is completed by the evening. Shitamichi makes frottage of the plaque in San Marco Square that marks the high tide level of 1966, the highest in recorded history.

Exhibition

November 24, 2019

The Venice Biennale closes. There is a small party with the Japan Pavilion team at the venue. In the evening, a closing party for all staff members is hosted by the Biennale Foundation.

  

November 23 – 24, 2019

Acqua alta strikes Venice again. Garibaldi Street near the Biennale overflows with water. Shitamichi and Hattori experience acqua alta for the first time.

Production

November 21 – 26, 2019

Hattori stays in Venice for the closing of the exhibition. Shitamichi, who is in France, visits Venice from 23 to 25. The story carved on the walls was transferred by frottage rubbing for two hours from 6pm to 8pm every day for three days of the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd and from 9am to 7pm on the 25th.Washi (traditional Japanese paper) and graphite are used.

Meeting

November 20, 2019

Following design considerations, a phone meeting is held with Arimoto (HIGURE) of the installation team. Reducing installation costs is discussed.

Meeting

November 18, 2019

Tanaka and Hattori consult about the graphics and design of the homecoming exhibition. As there are bodies of material that deviate from the original framework of the installation work, they discuss the arrangement and presentation.

  

November 12, 2019

For days since entering November, the streets and squares of the city of Venice have been inundated by the acqua alta (high tide). On this day, a tidal level of 187 cm is observed—the second highest water level in recorded history.

  

October 29 – November 1, 2019

Ishikura visits Venice with his family.

Production

October 21, 2019

It is revealed that the submitted estimate had far exceeded the projected budget. Cost adjustments begin.

Production

October 18, 2019

An installation estimate is submitted to Artizon Museum.

Meeting

October 10, 2019

Hattori visits the office of HIGURE 17-15 cas and have a meeting about the exhibition installation with Arimoto. In the afternoon, at Tanaka’s office, Tanaka, Shibahara, and Hattori have a meeting about the organization, structure, and graphics of the second catalogue.

Production

October 7, 2019

Shitamichi, Yasuno, Hattori, and Nousaku visit Artizon Museum. They see the newly completed exhibition room in its empty state.

Meeting

October 6, 2019

A meeting for the homecoming exhibition is held at Nousaku’s office. In addition to Shitamichi, Yasuno, Nousaku, and Hattori, Tadokoro from Artizon Museum joins. They move forward in solidifying exhibition details to some extent and securing the budget.

Event

September 23 – 27, 2019

As part of Akita University of Art’s research project “Concept-Building for Transdisciplinary Arts and Hybrid Gathering,” Ishikura, Hattori and Taisuke Karasawa (Associate Professor at Akita University of Art) visit Venice Biennale. With the students of the university, a “Venice Biennale Study Tour” is conducted over two days from September 24 to 25. Views are exchanged with the docents and others at the Japan Pavilion. After pavilion hours, for the homecoming exhibition, Ishikura and Hattori test out the frottage technique on the story carved on the wall.

Production

September 3, 2019

To make a frottage transfer of the story Cosmo-Eggs that has been carved onto the wall of the Japan Pavilion, Hattori seeks advice over the phone from Masao Okabe, an artist who represented Japan in the 52nd Venice Biennale and works with frottage method. Okabe gives advice about paper and other media, and the rubbing process.

Meeting

August 30, 2019

A meeting with Amino (torch press), Shibahara, Tanaka, and Hattori takes place. It is decided that the second catalogue for “Cosmo-Eggs” will be published through torch press.

Event

August 23, 2019

In Nagoya, Shitamichi and Hattori are interviewed by the Chunichi Newspaper about the Venice Biennale.

Production

August 19, 2019

Artizon Museum sends notice that the homecoming exhibition plan that was submitted on July 18 has been approved and can proceed in the general direction of the proposal. There are a few issues that need to be cleared regarding museum regulations and exhibition space facilities.

Research

August 8 – 10, 2019

Ishikura revisits Tarama Island to investigate the Sumafusara ritual. Although Shitamichi had scheduled to be there as well, his flight is canceled due to the typhoon and is unable to join.

Event

July 31, 2019

At the request of the Window Research Institute, Shitamichi and Nousaku interview each other at Nousaku’s office.

Event

July 30, 2019

Invited to an event “Discover Kamenocho vol. 27” at Yamakiu Minami Soko in Akita, Ishikura and Hattori give a talk titled “Ecology of Co-existence: Venice Biennale Report.”

Event

July 29, 2019

At the “TAC Talk” hosted by Natsunosuke Mise at Tohoku University of Art and Design, Hattori speaks about “Cosmo-Eggs.” Also on this day, Shitamichi gives a talk at Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts. He touches upon “Cosmo-Eggs.”

  

July 18 – 25, 2019

Shitamichi visits Venice with his family for a week.

Production

July 18, 2019

An exhibition plan is submitted to the curator at Artizon Museum.

Event

July 16, 2019

Shitamichi gives a talk at Tokyo University of the Arts. He touches upon “Cosmo-Eggs.”

Meeting

July 15, 2019

Shitamichi, Yasuno, Ishikura, and Hattori gather at Nousaku’s office for a meeting about the homecoming exhibition. An exhibition plan, which reproduces and examines the Japan Pavilion space within the Artizon Museum like stage sets and where the present and archive overlap, is born. After the meeting, Tanaka and Shibahara join, and a roundtable discussion between the artists, curator, and designer to be included in the second catalogue takes place.

Event

July 14, 2019

At the Tokyo Art Book Fair 2019 held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tanaka, Ishikura, Nousaku, Yasuno, and Hattori give a talk titled “We Will Talk About the Exhibition at Venice Biennale Japan Pavilion and the Catalogue,” which focuses on the catalogue.

Event

July 13, 2019

Ishikura gives a lecture and workshop session at Tohoku University of Art and Design. A “myth creation workshop” based on the methodology realized at “Cosmo-Eggs” is conducted with the participating students.

Meeting

July 12, 2019

Hattori, Tanaka, and Shibahara visit the Ishibashi Foundation. They have a meeting about PR materials such as the flyer, website, and catalogue. The relationship between the archival website for the overall “Cosmo-Eggs” exhibition and the website for the homecoming exhibition is discussed.

Event

July 1, 2019

Ishikura and Hattori have a Venice Biennale debriefing session at Akita University of Art.

Event

June 21, 2019

Nousaku holds a Venice Biennale debriefing session for Architectural Institute Japan’s Voice of Earth Design Subcommittee.

Event

June 16, 2019

NHK Educational TV programming “Nichiyo Bijyutsukan” reports on the Venice Biennale and Japan Pavilion in the “Art Scene” segment.

Meeting

June 13, 2019

With the artists and curator all together, they make their first visit to the Artizon Museum that is currently under construction. Artizon Museum has three floors of exhibition space from the 4th to the 6th floor. Although they were first suggested to use the 6th floor, due to the plan of the Tomoko Konoike exhibition taking place at the same time, it is decided in the end that they will exhibit on the 5th floor. The 5th floor is a unique space with a large opening in the center of the room that connects to the open atrium on the lower level. In the afternoon, there is a meeting at Tanaka’s office to discuss the second catalogue to be published for the homecoming exhibition.

Event

June 12, 2019

Ishikura gives a lecture on the “Cosmo-Eggs” project at Meiji University.

Event

June 2, 2019

Hattori gives a lecture on “Cosmo-Eggs” at Tama Art University Museum.

Meeting

May 21, 2019

At the Ishibashi Foundation office, museum staff and Hattori have a meeting. The Biennale opened without problems and planning for the homecoming exhibition is underway. The framework of a homecoming exhibition, in addition to what can be realized, the conditions and such, are discussed with the foundation.

Exhibition

May 11, 2019

The Venice Biennale opens to the public. A seabird’s nest is found on the roof of the Japan Pavilion.

Exhibition

May 4 – 12, 2019

The artists and curator are in Venice to attend the opening of the 58th Venice Biennale: International Art Exhibition. The preview takes place over three days, from May 8 to 10.

Research

March 27 – 31, 2019

While the other members are in Venice setting up the exhibition, Ishikura, who remained in Japan, is spending several days on Tarama Island to investigate the Mushiokuri event. Ishikura is drawing on the “Cosmo-Eggs” project to expand his research.

Meeting

March 24, 2019

Hattori is in the second day of setting up the exhibition in Venice. He holds a video conference with Shibahara, who had suddenly become involved in the editing team for the catalogue and the designer Tanaka. The Appear In online video conference service works pretty well.

Exhibition

March 22 – 30, 2019

Along with the installation team, Shitamichi, Yasuno, Nousaku, and Hattori are in Venice for the set-up of the exhibition.

Meeting

March 15, 2019

Tanaka, LIXIL, and Hattori hold a meeting on the catalogue at Tanaka’s office. Finally, the overall image becomes visible, and everyone is relieved.

Production

March 13, 2019

Shitamichi’s drawings, nautical charts, and other materials are shipped from Tokyo to Venice. They are scheduled to arrive on March 20.

Production

March 7, 2019

The balloon is shipped from Tokyo to Venice.

Production

March 1, 2019

PR materials (text and images for social media, etc.) to be sent to the Venice Biennale Foundation are submitted to the Japan Foundation.

Production

February 27, 2019

A discussion on details of the exhibition is held at Nousaku’s office. They examine color samples for the wall that arrived from Venice and decide on the color of paint to use.

Production

February 25 – 28, 2019

Shitamichi once again shoots tsunami boulders on Ishigaki Island. This is the last video session for the project.

Production

February 16 – 17, 2019

Shitamichi attends an event for the exhibition of graduation works at the Akita University of Art as a guest. Shitamichi, Ishikura, and Hattori gather in Akita, paint an MDF board the same as the wall in the Japan Pavilion grey, and experiment in engraving characters in it with an engraving knife.

Event

February 1, 2019

The Japan Foundation, LIXIL, Case, the designer Tanaka, Hattori, and Ishikura gather in the afternoon and have a meeting on publication. In the end, the catalogue will be jointly published by LIXIL and Case, with LIXIL Publishing the Japanese version, and Case Publishing the English version. Hattori speaks at the Japan Foundation Asia Center’s symposium, “Representation and Participation: The Venice Biennale and the Southeast Asian Pavilions,” along with curators from Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia. He gives a presentation entitled “A Methodology of Co-Diveristy.”

Production

January 31, 2019

A draft of the myth arrives from Ishikura. It fits together wonderfully with the Tsunami Boulder video and Yasuno’s music.

Research

January 22 – 29, 2019

Ishikura travels to Taipei, Taichung, and Taitung to research the local myths in Taiwan. He inspects the Taipei Biennial and Taiwan Biennial. He gives a presentation at a symposium at the Taiwan Biennial 2018 “Wild Rhizome.” In Taitung, he gives a lecture titled, “On the Necessity of Myths: The memories of the end the beginning of the world.” Ishikura conducts a cosmological survey of the native Rukai tribe.

Production

January 22, 2019

Shitamichi, Tanaka, and Hattori visit Yasuno’s studio in Saitama, and match up Shitamichi’s video and Yasuno’s music for the first time. They fit together surprisingly well. The idea of engraving Ishikura’s Cosmo-Eggs creation myth on a wall emerges.

Event

January 21, 2019

Another visit is made to LIXIL Publishing. In the evening, a discussion on the returning exhibition is held at the office of the Ishibashi Foundation. In the night, Tanaka, Nousaku, and Hattori talk with Daijiro Ohara at an event related to the Daijiro Ohara & Yoshihisa Tanaka Joint Exhibition “Ohara’s Physicality, Tanaka’s Bionomics.” They discuss a lot of things about “Cosmo-Eggs.”

Production

January 20, 2019

The texts and images for overall catalogue and guidebook for the 58th International Art Exhibition published by the Venice Biennale Foundation are submitted to the Japan Foundation. Afterwards, they will be translated into English and Italian. Submission of some materials is delayed until February or later due to issues such as receiving signatures for permission to use images and texts.

Meeting

January 8, 2019

A visit is made to Case Publishing to discuss the publication of a catalogue.

Meeting

December 25, 2018

A visit is made to LIXIL Publishing in the morning to discuss the possibility of publishing a catalogue. Afterwards, there is a meeting at the Ishibashi Foundation’s office regarding the returning exhibition. Furthermore, in the afternoon, a meeting involving Tanaka is held at Nousaku’s office to discuss the graphics and sign design in the exhibition space.

Production

December 17, 2018

Yasuno, Nousaku, and Hattori once again visit Aerotech for the final balloon test. Yasuno buys a thick hose from a nearby hardware store and attaches it to the bass recorder flute, making it possible to produce a stable volume. The balloon is almost completed.

Event

December 15, 2018

Shitamichi, Ishikura, and Hattori move from Kanazawa to Kyoto and take part in a symposium hosted by Kyoto Anthropological Society at the Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA. As it relates to the symposium’s theme of “Collaboration between Anthropology and Art,” they present a “Composition of Co-Diversity.”

Event

December 14, 2018

Shitamichi, Ishikura, and Hattori give a special lecture entitled “The Cosmology of Co-Diversity” at Kanazawa College of Art.

Production

December 6, 2018

A meeting on construction is held at Nousaku’s office, involving Higure.

Production

December 5, 2018

Yasuno and Nousaku visit Aerotech. They test out connecting the nearly-completed balloon and recorder flutes, but a problem with the sound volume arises. They have several revisions to make before the final test 10 days or so later.

Research

November 29, 2018

Shitamichi and Hattori go to Sendai. They visit Kazuhisa Goto, who is researching tsunami boulders from a tsunami engineering perspective at Tohoku University.

Research

November 16 – 18, 2018

Shitamichi goes back to Tarama Island in time for the Uganbutuchi event. He videos tsunami boulders during the sugar cane harvest.

Production

November 15, 2018

Shitamichi, Yasuno, and Hattori meet at Nousaku’s office to discuss the screen, wall colors, and how to hang Yasuno’s recorder flutes. Afterwards they move to Tanaka’s office to meet each other and talk about graphics.

Event

November 12, 2018

All the artists gather in Akita to participate in the symposium “Perspectives on Co-Diversity” hosted by the Akita University of Art. This is a valuable opportunity, as it is the second time for all the artist to gather. A meeting is held on new candidates for the screen material and a test of video projection.

Production

November 5, 2018

Yasuno finishes the pitch table for all fingerings for the recorder machines. All sounds outputted by the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass machines are written down.

Research

October 29 – November 4, 2018

Ishikura and Shitamichi investigate the Miyako Islands and Tarama Island. They participate in the Myakuzutsu ceremony on Ikema Island in the Miyako Islands. On Tarama Island, they mainly conduct investigation for Tsunami Boulder. Shitamichi takes videos of tsunami boulders, while Ishikura researches myths and stories related to tsunami boulders.

Meeting

October 26, 2018

Shitamichi and Hattori meet in Nagoya and discuss the video loop and possibilities for collaboration.

Production

October 23, 2018

Hattori travels from Sapporo to Saitama to visit Yasuno. Higure also comes to the studio that Yasuno rented to create works, and they discuss the device for hanging the recorder flutes, and how to fix them on the ceiling of the Japan Pavilion.

Production

October 22, 2018

The idea for a movable screen with wheels is nearly finalized.

Meeting

October 19, 2018

Hattori travels from Kanazawa to Tokyo to visit Yoshihisa Tanaka. They talk about thoughts on design for more than an hour. There are many things that Hattori can empathize with, so Hattori discusses Tanaka’s participation in the project as a graphic designer.

Production

October 16, 2018

Nousaku, Yasuno, and people from Aerotech Co., Ltd., the company that will be producing the balloon, meet at Yasuno’s studio to discuss a balloon. The Aerotech staff bring samples, making the ideas easy to check out.

Production

October 6, 2018

A study on 10 patterns of set-up ideas combining the screen and projector stand for Tsunami Boulder is proposed by Nousaku.

Meeting

October 4 – 9, 2018

Nousaku visits Venice. On October 8, a meeting is held over Messenger with Nousaku in Italy, Ishikura and Hattori in Akita, and Shitamichi in Aichi.

Production

October 1, 2018

Yasuno rents a studio in Saitama until February 2019 to create the works for the project.

Production

September 28, 2018

Shitamichi and Hattori go from Nagoya to Kyoto and Osaka. They look at art books in bookstores in Kyoto and Osaka to consider candidates for the graphic designer. They are drawn to the work of Yoshihisa Tanaka.

Production

September 19 – 23, 2018

Hattori visits Palermo to see the Manifesta 12. Then he moves to Venice. Shitamichi, Yasuno, and Hattori meet up there. Before and after closing of the facility, they conduct a variety of simulations, including the spatial layout, and the flow of light. They connect with Nousaku, who is in Japan, via Messenger and have a meeting on September 23.

Production

September 6, 2018

Ishikura and Hattori visit Yasuno’s workspace at Nihon University College of Art Ekoda Campus. They report about the Miyako and Yaeyama investigation and speak about a wide range of topics from myths to music.

Production

September 5, 2018

The Ishibashi Foundation announced that the Bridgestone Museum of Art (currently closed for the construction of a new building) will be renamed the Artizon Museum. They also officially release an announcement of the returning exhibition.

Production

August 27, 2018

The specifications for balloon production are almost finalized.

Research

August 17 – 25, 2018

Shitamichi, Ishikura and Hattori investigate the Miyako Islands and Ishigaki Island in Okinawa. They also visit Hateruma Island and Kuro Island. Ishikura also takes a look at the Sohron Festival, a lunar calendar Bon Festival event held in the Yaeyama Islands from the 23rd through the 25th, August.

Production

August 9, 2018

The team tests out projection at a gymnasium in Oji, Kita-ku to decide on a projector and screen. They test out two types of projectors with the support of Canon Marketing Japan Inc. and pick the WUX500ST model as the candidate.

Production

July 30, 2018

Nousaku and Yasuno come up with a new idea for the balloon. They propose a major change from the previous idea of creating balloon stairs below the pilotis to creating a gigantic balloon bench penetrating the floor to the exhibition room.

Production

July 19, 2018

A meeting on installation is held with Higure 17-15 cas, an art work installation team that has been requested to set up the exhibition and provide technical support for the artists’ works. Consultation mainly relates to the projector and screen.

Production

July 12 – August 21, 2018

Yasuno looks for a balloon company for his music composition.

Research

July 7 – 9, 2018

The team investigates the Miyako Islands in Okinawa. Ishikura has other plans, so Hattori goes with Shitamichi, Yasuno, Nousaku, and Sato from the Japan Foundation.

Meeting

July 5, 2018

The first overall meeting is held at the Japan Foundation. Finally, the four artists and the curator all meet. They also visit the Ishibashi Foundation, co-organizer of the returning Venice Biennale exhibition in 2020.

Production

June 7, 2018

A press conference is held at the Japan Foundation. The names of the artists and curator participating at the Japan Pavilion are released, along with the plans.

Meeting

May 28, 2018

Hattori holds a Skype meeting with the artists to make some minor revisions before the press release. They talk about issues that the selection committee had pointed out.

Production

May 17, 2018

Hattori receives a phone call at the university in Akita that his plan was selected.

Production

May 11, 2018

Six curators take turns giving presentations at the qualifier held at the Japan Foundation. 20 minutes are designated for presenting the plan, and 15 minutes for questions and answers.

Production

May 7, 2018

Hattori brings the proposal from his home in Nagoya to the Japan Foundation in Tokyo and submits it.

Production

May 6, 2018

Hattori finishes up the proposal, gets the participating artists to provide their revisions, and it is almost completed.

Meeting

May 4 – 5, 2018

Shitamichi, Yasuno, Nousaku, and Hattori spend the night in Nagoya brainstorming ideas to flesh out a proposal. Ishikura joins the group via Skype. They imagine the floor holes and wall space in the Japan Pavilion in their actual dimensions while looking at a model to consider the composition of the project. Yasuno proposes several music plans. Essentially, he is pursuing music composition rather than sound art, so everyone settles on mimicking the songs of birds with Zombie Music on recorder flutes. Ishikura brings up egg creation myths, in which the universe is born from an egg, so they decide on “Cosmo-Eggs” as the title.

Meeting

April 23, 2018

Hattori visits Nousaku’s residence and office, Holes in the House, along with Shitamichi, and is shocked by the architectural space. It is an outstanding structure. Hattori feels a sense of empathy for so much of Nousaku’s thoughts and actions and is sure that they all could create a wonderful project together.
In the afternoon on the same day, Hattori and Shitamichi meet with Yasuno at Coffee L’ambre in Shinjuku, Tokyo. They talk about how to involve a musician to launch a project centered on Tsunami Boulder.

Production

April 18, 2018

Hattori sends e-mails to Taro Yasuno and Fuminori Nousaku to ask them to participate in the project. Hattori has experienced several of Yasuno’s works, and after researching Nousaku primarily through the internet and books, he feels a stronger sense of connection with him than with any other architect, so he decides to ask him. Hattori has only received a tiny bit of information about his character from friends but decides to take a gamble and contact him anyway.

Meeting

April 15, 2018

Hattori meets with Shitamichi at Komeda’s Coffee in Hoshigaoka, Nagoya. They decide to see if Taro Yasuno and Fuminori Nousaku would be interested in participating.

Meeting

April 5, 2018

Hattori has a Skype meeting with Shitamichi and Ishikura.

Production

March 23, 2018

At a party to honor teachers at the graduation ceremony for the Akita University of Art, Hattori asks Toshiaki Ishikura to be involved from the concept design phase and provide advice from an anthropological perspective.

Meeting

March 18, 2018

After seeing an exhibition at the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, Hattori meets with Motoyuki Shitamichi at a Mos Burger restaurant in Nisshin and tells him that he will be entering the competition for Venice. They talk there about Shitamichi participating as an artist, and as Hattori was listening to him speak about his recent works and activities, he becomes interested in his Tsunami Boulder. Hattori asks him things such as if they could work on a project as a team.

Production

March 17, 2018

Hattori once again replies by e-mail, stating that he will officially enter the competition.

Production

March 9, 2018

Hattori replies from Cuba that he will think about it, as he is visiting to set up an exhibition which he co-curated.

Production

March 8, 2018

Hattori receives a request to participate in a competition to be named the curator for the Japan Pavilion in the 58th Venice Biennale: International Art Exhibition by e-mail.