AOI YAMAGUCHI CALLIGRAPHY

Category: Performances

  • “New Traditions: Buhay x Sei” at Asian Art Museum

    “New Traditions: Buhay x Sei” at Asian Art Museum

    “It’s Golden!” — San Francisco Asian Art Museum is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. On the first weekend of March, Saturday March 5th and Sunday March 6th, 2016, I was invited to perform live calligraphy, give a presentation and have a studio talk at San Francisco Asian Art Museum. Titled as “New Traditions: Buhay x Sei.” I performed large-scale live calligraphy in collaboration with Kristain Kabuay, a Baybayin (an ancient Philippine script) artist, with live music that represent our traditional culture and own rhythm.

    “Buhay,” in Tagalog and “sei” in Japanese mean “life” and “breath of life.” Inspired by the springtime and celebrating the Asian Art Museum’s 50th birthday, the theme for this performance evokes a positive, uplifting energy, the spirit of awakening from hibernation after a long winter.

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    My large Japanese calligraphy brush, resting before the big moment… 

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    Setting up, having a quiet moment before the opening:
    My large-scale Japanese calligraphy paper for the performance is laid out on the floor in the North Court of the museum.

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    Meditation..

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    My collaborators, Aleo Mok & Galen Rogers of Jiten Daiko

    My performance was accompanied by talented young Japanese taiko drummers, Galen Rogers and Aleo Mok of Jiten Daiko.  Starting with ambient sound by scratching the surface of the taiko drum, they transformed the liveliness in the North Court into a small cosmos — everyone held his/her breath, slowly invited to the rising energy with dynamic crescendo of the drum beats.  Together, it was a collaborative performance to artistically express 生 “life” in both calligraphy writing and sound.  They were so in sync with the rhythm of my calligraphic movements, and I loved holding brush surrounded by their drumming, that sounded like the heartbeat of the character I was writing.

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    The first stroke.

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    “生 – Life” 

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    Writing in unison with Kristian Kabuay 

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    Thank you so much for those who made it to our two-days live calligraphy performances & presentations. I’ve never seen North Court of the museum so packed, great energies. It was really exciting to perform to dynamic drum beats by Galen Rogers & Aleo Mok of Jiten Daiko, it was transcending. Thank you all for such an inspiring day.

    Happy 50th birthday AAM, hope to come back again!


    Collaborators: 
    Japanese Taiko Drums: Galen Rogers & Aleo Mok
    Baybayin Calligraphy: Kristian Kabuay
    Klingtang: Kulintronica (on 5th) & Titania Buchholdt (on 6th)

  • 陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows on Hokkaido Newspaper / SHIFT

    陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows on Hokkaido Newspaper / SHIFT

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    My on-going solo exhibition “陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows” was featured in Hokkaido Newspaper, evening edition on March 1st.  The article briefly summarizes my background and artist activities in foreign countries.

    It is such an honor to have an exhibition and share my life work with people in my hometown Sapporo, Hokkaido — where I grew up surrounded by beautiful nature, taught and learned the deep world Japanese calligraphy.  I was so grateful, in owe, to perform my art in front of not only the “dosanko” curious minds, but also my childhood friends and family, calligraphy peers, professors, masters and members of the calligraphy association.  Hokkaido is always my home, where nurtured me into who I am now. I am determined to continue my journey to share the beauty of Japanese traditional art and spirituality with the world.

    3月1日の北海道新聞夕刊に、クロスホテル札幌で開催中の私の個展『陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows』、そして私の海外での活動について、こんなに大きく掲載してくださいました！嬉しいです。多くの方々に、展示を楽しんで頂ける事を願っています。そしてまた近い将来に、もっと多くの日本の方々に観ていただけるよう、来日パフォーマンスを実現出来たらと思っています。

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    SHIFT.JP.ORG, a trilingual creative culture magazine, featured my solo exhibition on the front page. Thank you SHIFT for such beautiful words about my work, and my collaborative performances with Corey Fuller. English version is going to be published soon.

    Exhibition runs until April 30th, 2016 at Cross Hotel Sapporo, Hokkaido. If you have a chance to visit Hokkaido, please stop by the exhibit and enjoy the expressive shades of sumi-ink and strokes along with the poem I’ve written for the concept of the show.

    また、世界のクリエイティブカルチャーを紹介するトライリンガルマガジンSHIFTが、私の個展のレビュー、また北海道での２つのライブパフォーマンスについても、とても素敵なレポートを書いてくださいました。
    実際に足を運べなかった方々も、ぜひご一読いただけると嬉しいです。

    展示・作品販売は、4月30日まで開催されております。北海道札幌にお立ち寄りの際は、ぜひクロスホテル札幌まで足を伸ばし、濃墨と淡墨の世界に触れ、作品のコンセプトとなる私の自詠みの詩を読みながら、一つ一つの作品をじっくりと味わっていただけたら幸いです。

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  • Live Calligraphy Performance + Presentation + Studio Talk at Asian Art Museum

    Live Calligraphy Performance + Presentation + Studio Talk at Asian Art Museum

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    Tomorrow & Sunday, I’ll be back at San Francisco Asian Art Museum for a large-scale live calligraphy performance, accompanied by Japanese taiko drummers Galen Rogers & Aleo Mok of Jiten Daiko, slide presentation and open studio talk + Q&A, 12pm-4pm.

    Our event, titled “New Traditions: Buhay x Sei“, is in collaboration with Baybayin calligraphy artist Kristian Kabuay, who’ll also be demonstrating Baybayin calligraphy accompanied by Filipino musicians. Our performance begins from 12 noon both days in North Court inside of the museum!

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    I’m excited to be part of the Asian Art Museum’s 50th Golden Anniversary events (yes, long history!), and share my knowledge, skills and experiences with the community in San Francisco Bay Area. FREE ADMISSION ALL WEEKEND! 
    Can’t wait to see you all there!

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    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column align=”” class_type=”md” width=”2/3″ animation=”” animation_delay=”” animation_duration=””][vc_column_text]New Traditions: Buhay x Sei – Aoi Yamaguchi/Kristian Kabuay calligraphy demonstration, lecture and workshop
    Saturday March 5th & Sunday March 6th, 2016
    12–4 PM, North Court
    Free Admission

    “Buhay” in Tagalog and “sei” in Japanese mean “life” and “breath of life.” Inspired by the springtime and celebrating the Asian Art Museum’s 50th birthday, the theme for this performance evokes a positive, uplifting energy, the spirit of awakening from hibernation after a long winter.

    12–1 PM Performance
    1–1:45 PM Presentations and Q&A
    1:45–2:15 PM Break
    2:15–4 PM Open studio, table presentation

    Asian Art Museum
    200 Larkin St.
    San Francisco, CA 94102
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  • Solo Exhibition & Live Performances in Japan “陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows”

    Solo Exhibition & Live Performances in Japan “陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows”

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    I’m proud to announce that my solo exhibition, titled “陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows”, is opening on Friday, February 19th at Cross Hotel Sapporo, Hokkaido.  All artworks for this exhibition are new series of works written in my atelier in Berkeley, California.  During the opening reception, I’ll be performing live calligraphy in collaboration with Corey Fuller (12k, Illuha), a Tokyo-based musician and multimedia artist. The exhibition runs for two months, from February 20th – April 30th.

    The theme is “IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows”:  “陰翳 (in-ei)” in Japanese is defined as “shadows”, as well as “a sense of beauty that we capture in shadows and nuances in colors, sound, and emotions”. I find this In-ei in calligraphy — I feel drawn to the world of black and white, light and shadow — it’s visually simple and minimal, but its world depicted is infinite.

    As we see in Japanese words like “侘び寂び Wabi-sabi” or “もののあはれ Monono-aware,” “陰翳 In-ei” also cherishes the beauty of simplicity and evanescence in our ordinary lives. In the darkness, we see the presence of light. The light makes our lives possible: we see shapes in the world because of shadows. Thus the shadows shape our lives, and it could disappear at any moment by the absence of light. In the dull shadows, we find silence — where our senses calm, time has slowed, you will find your inner ’self’ in that very moment in a space, which is only limited by your mind.  This sensibility is the foundation of Japanese traditional aesthetics, and it makes what we see, hear and feel more meaningful and flavorful. I have written a poetry about my own imagery of In-ei, and painted conceptual calligraphy artworks inspired by these words, trying to find my own In-ei in my artistic expressions…which you will see on the walls in this exhibition.

    For the conceptual calligraphy performance for the opening reception, I have invited Corey Fuller, one of the musicians I admire and respect to collaborate with me for this special occasion. Corey’s beautiful sound resonates with my inner spirit… and sparks imagination. I’m very excited to share the moment together to create a live performance piece.

    As a pre-event, I’ll be also performing live calligraphy in collaboration with Corey Fuller at Ice Hills Hotel in Tobetsu, Hokkaido on Thursday February 18th. We are going to be part of this Cross Generation, Cross Hotel’s regular DJ event featuring resident DJs and eclectic musicians. There will be a chartered bus from Cross Hotel, and it takes about an hour to get there – with amazing view of snow-covered landscape of Ishikari. I just visited Ice Hills Hotel, it was just beautiful, and warmer than I imagined! 🙂 It’s going to be inspiring and intimate experience, art and music in nature.  Limited tickets available.

    Come visit snowy Hokkaido and say hello!
    Looking forward to see your lovely face there.

    Hours / Venue / More details below.

     

    『陰翳 IN-EI: The Resonance of Shadows』と題し、クロスホテル札幌の二階ロビー＆meet Loungeにて、個展を開催します。
    2月19日（金）の夜には、オープニングレセプションパーティが開催され、東京在住のミュージシャン・マルチメディアアーティスト、コリー・フラー氏（12K / Illuha) とコラボレートしライブ揮毫パフォーマンスを披露します。コリーの奏でる、陰翳を感じる美しい音の世界とともに、「陰翳」をテーマに言葉に起こした、自詠の詩の世界を描きます。展示は2月20日 ~ 4月30日までの二ヶ月間となります。

    そのプレ・イベントとして、前夜の2月18日（木）には、マイナス零度以下の当別町のアイスヒルズホテルにて、氷と雪で創られた空間の中で、コリーのライブ演奏と共にライブ揮毫パフォーマンスを披露します。

    テーマは『陰翳』。
    この言葉は、私の中で不思議な響きを持つ言葉です。『陰翳』には、「影」（単純に英語に訳すと、”shadows”）という意味のほかに、「色、音、感情に微妙な変化があり趣が深いこと」の意味があります。この『陰翳』の中に美しさを捉える感覚というのが、私が白と黒、光と影の世界で表現される「書」に魅力を感じる一つの理由であり、古くから伝わる日本の伝統芸術文化の礎となる美的要素なのではないかと思います。今回は、現代に生きる私にとっての『陰翳』、ふとした日常の瞬間に感じる『陰翳』を、淡墨と紙の持つ生き物のような生命力を生かし、書で表現しました。

    真っ白な雪景色の広がる、真冬の生まれ故郷北海道で、こうして個展とパフォーマンスを開催できることを嬉しく思います。クロスホテル札幌＆クラークギャラリー＋SHIFTよりこのお話をいただいた昨年からこつこつと、バークレーのアトリエにてすべて書き下ろした作品を、展示予定です。リミテッド・エディションジクレープリントも販売予定です。

    真冬の北海道でアート×音楽を体験しに、そして雪と戯れに、ぜひ遊びに来てください。私も今から、どんなセッションになるのか、ものすごく楽しみです。一夜限りの、音と言葉で満たされていく真っ白で幻想的な空間を、みなさんと一緒に共有したい。たくさんの方々の笑顔と触れ合えることを楽しみにしています。[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row cover=”yes” repeat=”no-repeat” attachment=”scroll” fluid=”no” padding=”no-padding” margin=”no-margin”][vc_column align=”” class_type=”md” width=”1/1″ animation=”” animation_delay=”” animation_duration=””][rs_section_title align=”left” title=”EVENT DETAILS” show_right=”no”][/vc_column][vc_column align=”” class_type=”md” width=”1/1″ animation=”” animation_delay=”” animation_duration=””][symple_heading title=”SOLO EXHIBITION & PERFORMANCE ” type=”h5″ style=”dashed-line” text_align=”left” icon_left=”none” icon_right=”none”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row cover=”yes” repeat=”no-repeat” attachment=”scroll” fluid=”no” padding=”no-padding” margin=”no-margin”][vc_column align=”” class_type=”md” width=”1/4″ animation=”” animation_delay=”” animation_duration=””][vc_column_text align=”center”]

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    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column align=”” class_type=”md” width=”3/4″ animation=”” animation_delay=”” animation_duration=””][vc_column_text]クロスホテル札幌とクラークギャラリー＋SHIFTのコラボレーションで展示を行う「まちなかアート・クロス・ エディション」の第19弾として、カリフォルニアを拠点に世界各地で「異文化の架け橋」となり活躍する北海道出身 の書家/アーティスト、山口碧生による個展を開催します。

    本展では、書の世界に見える「陰翳」、そして私たちがふとした瞬間・空間に感じる「陰翳」を、色、音、感情の 3つの視点から見つめ、言葉に起こし、詩のイメージを表現した現代創作書・前衛書作品を展示します。

    2月19日(金)には、個展のオープニングレセプションと併せて、本展のために曲を書き下ろしたシアトル出身・ 東京在住のミュージシャン、コリー・フラー (坂本龍一氏との共作が話題となったILLUHAのメンバー) とのコラボレーションによる「ライブ書道パフォーマンス」を披露します。

    山口碧生 個展
    「陰翳    IN – EI」 THE RESONANCE of SHADOWS

    会期：2016 年2月20日(土)〜 4月30日(土)
    会場：クロスホテル札幌 2階ロビー・ミートラウンジ
    住所：札幌市中央区北2西2
    ミートラウンジ営業時間：10:00〜24:00(貸切の場合がございます)
    主催：クロスホテル札幌(企画部 011-272-0051)
    キュレーション：クラークギャラリー＋SHIFT
    協力：まちなかアート
    http://www.crosshotel.com/sapporo
    http://www.clarkgallery.co.jp

    ◼︎ オープニングレセプション & 山口碧生 × Corey Fuller ライブ書道パフォーマンス
    2月19日(金)19:00〜22:00
    クロスホテル札幌 2階ミートラウンジ
    入場無料(ワンドリンクオーダー制)／予約不要

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    Aoi Yamaguchi Solo Exhibition
    “陰翳  IN – EI: THE RESONANCE of SHADOWS”

    Duration: Saturday February 20th, 2016 – Saturday April 30th, 2016
    Venue: Cross Hotel Sapporo 2nd floor & Meet Lounge
    Address: North 2 West 2, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
    MeetLounge Hours: 10:00 ~ 24:00 (Occasionally closed for private events)
    Hosted by: Cross Hotel Sapporo (Event Department: 011-272-0051)
    Curated by: Clark Gallery + SHIFT
    Supported by: Machinaka Art

    ◼︎ Opening Reception & Aoi Yamaguchi × Corey Fuller Live Calligraphy Performance
    Friday February 19th, 2016 19:00~22:00
    @ Cross Hotel 2F MeetLounge
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    CROSS GENERATION in ICE HILLS HOTEL

    ・Resident DJ: Fuminori Kagajo
    ・GUEST DJ : NAOHITO UCHIYAMA
    ・Special Art Performance: 山口碧生 ライブ書道パフォーマンス ✕ 音楽：Corey Fuller
    ・MC : 潮音

    会期：2月18日(木)
    19：00　クロスホテル札幌出発　※貸切バス
    20：00　ICE HILLS HOTEL着
    CROSS GENERATIONスタート
    21：45　終了
    22：00　ICE HILLS HOTEL出発
    主要駅立ち寄り、クロスホテル札幌着

    会場：ICE HILLS HOTEL IN TOBETSU
    住所：スウェーデンヒルズゴルフ倶楽部特設会場　石狩郡当別町スウェーデンヒルズ2788-28
    食事：１ドリンク+フィンガーフード
    会費：2,500円（バス、1ドリンク、フード込）
    定員：50名

    お問い合わせ：クロスホテル札幌(企画部 011-272-0051)
    ※会場は氷のホテルです。暖かい服装でご来場ください。
    http://www.icehillshotel.com

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    CROSS GENERATION in ICE HILLS HOTEL

    ・RESIDENT DJ : Fuminori Kagajo
    ・GUEST DJ : NAOHITO UCHIYAMA
    ・Special Art Performance : Aoi Yamaguchi Live Calligraphy Performance ✕ Music by Corey Fuller
    ・MC : 潮音

    Thursday, February 18th
    19:00 Departs from Cross Hotel ※By the chartered bus
    20:00 Arrive at Ice Hills Hotel – Event starts
    21:45 Closing
    22:00 Departs from Ice Hills Hotel
    Bus will make stops at major stations on its way to Cross Hotel.

    Venue: ICE HILLS HOTEL IN TOBETSU
    Address: Sweden Hills Golf Club Special Venue  2788-28, Sweden Hills, Tobetsu-cho, Ishikari-shi
    Food: 1 drink + finger food
    Ticket: ¥2,500 (includes bus, 1 drink, food)
    Capacity: 50

    For inquiries: Call Cross Hotel Sapporo at 011-272-0051
    ※ The venue is a hotel made of ice. Please dress warmly.
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    Corey Fuller 　コリー・フラー

    アメリカ生まれ、日本育ち。現在、東京在住。ミュージシャン、サウンドデザイナー、エンジニア、ディレクター、映像作家、写真家として幅広く活動中。2009年にファースト・ソロアルバム「Seas Between」(米Dragon’s Eye)を発表して以来、NYの名門老舗レーベル12kよりILLUHA名義でアルバムを数々リリース。その後ヨーロッパ、アメリカ、日本を含め世界各国をツアーで周り、様々なアーティストとコラボレーションを積み重ねる。2013年には 坂本龍一、Taylor Deupreeらと日本を代表するアートセンターYCAMで共演を果たし、そのライブ音源が「Perpetual」となりリリースされた。自然とテクノロジー、場の力などをテーマに、写真、舞踏、短歌、書道、映画など幅広い分野でコラボレーションも展開している。

    Born in the US and raised in Japan, Corey Fuller is a musician and multimedia artist from Tokyo, Japan. Growing up between several different cultures and traveling extensively as a child have made geography and a sense of place major components of Fuller’s music. His work is a slow and gradual music composed of infinitesimal details comprised of processed and delicately treated acoustic instruments, field recordings, and other sound sources. In addition to his work as a solo artist, Fuller finds his collaborations with other artists invaluable. Besides his work with Date as ILLUHA, Fuller has collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Taylor Deupree, Marcus Fischer, Simon Scott, Stephan Mathieu and others on releases and tours. Following a slew of collaborative releases, 2016 will see the release of Fuller’s long anticipated second solo album, following the critically acclaimed Seas Between.

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