Studies in Japanese aesthetics of dress and performing/literary/visual arts, using as a starting point the motif of the mask. Also continuing freelance arts writing, maintaining content for www.biginjapan.com.au and undertaking research for future curatorial projects.

Achievements of the residency

I stayed at TWS for four weeks conducting research for my thesis in Japanese aesthetics and writing for my website www.biginjapan.com.au. It was a valuable opportunity for me to make contacts in Japan and interview contemporary artists and designers. I formed relationships with some of the other TWS residents and hope to collaborate with them in the future. I wrote several exhibition reviews (eg http://www.frieze.com/shows/print_review/roppongi_crossing_2010/) and was also able to travel to James Turrell's House of Light in Niigata.  I am interested in Turrell's ongoing inquiry into the nature of perception and light, and in particular the ways his work is interpreted in Japan. This site was of particular interest because it arose as a response to Tanizaki's In Praise of Shadows, a text I am referring to in my thesis.

Outcome of the exchange

I wrote several articles and took a lot of notes for my research. Some of my achievements from the residency are still unfinished and I will be sending TWS an updated file of my writing portfolio.


James Turrell's House of Light (Photo by Amelia Groom).
I traveled to Niigate to stay at the House of Light.

 
Kisho Kurokawa's Nakagin Tower (Photo by Amelia Groom)
I visited the Nakagin Tower in Ginza and published an article here http://biginjapan.com.au/2010/04/flexi-building/


writtenafterwards studio (Photo by Amelia Groom)
I visited the writtenafterwards studio and interviewed the fashion designer Yoshi Yamagata - see http://biginjapan.com.au/2010/05/writtenafterwards/


Aikawa Masaru, CDs (photo by Amelia Groom)
 I reviewed the Ropongi Crosing exhibition - see http://www.frieze.com/shows/print_review/roppongi_crossing_2010/

■Click the play button to watch the video of the interview,
Amelia Groom