Source in Ukranian: ArtsLooker
From 25 to 26 May 2018, the Tokyo International Art Fair was held in the capital of Japan. The art event brought together art dealers, collectors, spokesmen of the galleries and artists from around the world, including the United States and the United Kingdom. From New Now Gallery, a platform dedicated to the advancement of contemporary Ukrainian art on the world stage, four authors were represented in Tokyo: Dmitry Grek, Egor Zigura, Roman Minin and Oleg Tistol.
Egor Zigura and Roman Minin shared their impressions of participating in an international project and told ArtsLooker about the culture of the "Country of the rising sun".
- What particular works - your works in particular - were presented at the fair? What was the selection criteria?
E.Z. - Ukraine was presented to the world of contemporary art by the works of Dmytro Grek, actually mine, as well as of Roman Minin and Oleg Tistol. From my sculptures, I have chosen two from the series "AfterToday" - "Core that Awakening" and "Colossus that Ruins".
R.M. - Two of my paintings were presented - "Award for Silence" and "Natural History". Most of them I cut up in small fragments, and when I arrived in Tokyo, I glued them back, into entire first-order composition. I had to do this because transporting work abroad often has unexpected inconveniences. When I was packing suitcases to go to Japan, it seemed to me that the best way to gain the attention of the public would be the most up-to-date media and traditional clothing. I offered spectators to visit the project "The Temple of Mining" in virtual reality, as well as the park of sculptures. People liked my approach and we received positive feedback from the visitors, the queue was set next to our stand.
- What kind of projects did you like, which one stuck to your memory?
R.M. - A project from Taschen, one of the most famous German publishing houses that presented a magnificent album: the most valuable preserved frescoes from the legacy of Tibetan Buddhism.
E.Z. - I liked the pictures made by Keiko Imadzumi: two photographs that transmitted all the picturesque nature of Japanese landscapes. In addition, there were interesting conceptual projects of galleries from Poland and Russia.
- Have you ever gotten a little closer to become acquainted with Japanese culture?
E.Z. - In fact, we had quite a bit of free time. Roma and I remained particularly impressed by the contemplation of both old constructions and modern buildings. Let us say - looks pretty colorful. We were lucky with the location of the fair - Tokyo's prominent places were nearby. Introduction to Japanese culture began with the Mori Art Museum. Its fund includes works by local and world artists, namely collections of sculptures, photographs and other works of art of XX-XXI centuries. In addition, we were able to visit the Tokyo Academy of Arts.
R.M. - In this country you feel a complete harmony, the entire Feng Shui, despite the modern accelerated pace and way of life. I really wanted to visit the Sumo tournament, but unfortunately, it turned out impossible, since tickets were sold out long before we came.
- Did you communicate with representatives of the Japanese art scene? Do they know Ukrainian culture, Ukrainian art?
R.M. - There are many independent bloggers in Japan, so information is spreading like rumors. It strikes you from the very first moments of your stay in the country. For example, at the airport, we were met by a team of journalists. Tokyo people were naturally interested in Ukrainian art. However, it is obvious that they have the same steady interest in many cultures. Now we only regret that we did not have enough time to integrate into their cultural space. At the fair, where the representatives of the international community meet, there was a normal positive atmosphere, and we did not miss the opportunity to present not only our creativity but also the Ukrainian national color. We sold several works, so we can say with certainty that Japanese collectors have grasped the true Ukrainian art, not the least because of the efforts of New Now Gallery.
E.Z. - Beyond the work program, we managed to visit the Ukrainian embassy in Tokyo. We agreed to organize an exhibition in Tokyo next year, which most likely will determine our further exhibition activity abroad. This is one of our strategies for introducing Ukrainian art into Japan. In general, we have many plans (smiles).
- Do you think there is anything in common between the tendencies in the art of Japan and Ukraine?
E.Z. - I think the modern globalized world has already got rid of the borders and it has been a long time ago, so trends are common. Although we should not forget that the art sphere in our country and the art market in particular are developing in different conditions.
R.M. - In Japan, I was expecting to meet the boom of media-art, as one of the leading spheres in the country is the development of new technologies. Although my predictions did not prove true in the locations that we visited. For myself, I have made such a conclusion: a few days is probably not enough for the research of any sphere, especially when you are in another country. All these processes need to be tracked online, and above all, it is necessary to maintain contact with art activists.
- How would you evaluate the relations between our countries?
E.Z. - It is very pleasant that the Ukrainian embassy is in a cozy area of Tokyo. Let us begin by pointing out that our countries have evolved under different conditions, and therefore one cannot confirm that they have special, private relationship with each other. At the moment, we can, apart from all doubts, share the common tragedy and its understanding - a catastrophe at nuclear power plants. That is why I am fully convinced that Ukraine and Japan are waiting for fruitful cooperation ahead of them, so the task of cultural workers on both sides is to make all necessary efforts to do so.
Interview by Viktoria Kulikova