Art Frontier: Creators forge new paths into the future

Kyoto artists are focusing on new styles of art, based in the traditions of the old capital. One captures paint splashes with a high-speed camera to create "ikebana" in motion. Another uses the natural slippage that emerges when dyeing and weaving handicrafts to create works with a human touch. Advocates of the arts are organizing large art festivals and providing dwellings for young artists to help them hone their styles. Discover how artists are reimagining Kyoto as a "future city of art."

Transcript

00:12

Core Kyoto.

00:27

This digital art display projects the world view of Zen Buddhism.

00:36

Video data of temple buildings and gardens is reconfigured into 3D images through a technique known as photogrammetry.

00:45

Accompanied by music, the images fill screens with points and waves in response to visitor movement and sound.

00:57

A Zen temple collaborated in the creation of this artistic work to forward the spiritual world which can be achieved through meditation, or Zazen.

01:12

We begin to note subtle changes around us
and then realize that we too are changing.

01:20

Zazen blurs the lines that usually separate us
from the garden, the interior from the exterior.

01:28

Zazen confers the state of mind
to see ourselves as part of nature, but for some this takes time
and can be difficult.

01:40

The changes are expressed visually with
musical accompaniment to immerse visitors.

01:48

Produced in collaboration with a Tokyo-based company, the work was unveiled at a major digital art event, garnering significant attention.

01:59

Using art as a doorway allows us
to capture the interest of more people.

02:07

Kyoto is experiencing a transformation through art.

02:12

The former capital is recreating its identity as a city deeply rooted in the arts.

02:23

Core Kyoto explores how artists are trailblazing a new future for the city.

02:39

Kyoto's traditional beauty is communicated using cutting-edge technology.

02:56

Artist and professor Tosa Naoko settled in Kyoto after a long sojourn abroad.

03:02

She produces digital videos that share the stories and culture accumulated throughout history in this ancient capital.

03:19

Her masterpieces focus on creating ikebana through video art, bypassing actual flowers.

03:32

Tosa dribbles a paint and glue mixture, and alum beads on plastic film spread over audio speakers.

03:40

3, 2, 1, 0!

03:45

A high-speed camera captures the images of the paint colors leaping skyward at 2000 frames per second.

03:53

3, 2, 1, 0!

03:59

This formative art invisible to the naked eye unfolds in three seconds, propelled by a blast of sound Tosa calls "The Sound of Ikebana."

04:10

The rule of ikebana is to create a scalene
triangle of humans, heaven, and earth.

04:19

We constructed a similar triangle
using the vibrations of sound and liquid, which jumps around
creating an image of a flower.

04:34

Tosa discovered the aesthetics of shapes through technology.

04:38

Manipulating time, her works capture once-in-a-lifetime encounters with beauty.

04:49

The Sound of Ikebana has drawn acclaim both domestically and abroad.

04:53

In 2017, it was projected onto 60 outdoor screens for a month in New York's Times Square.

05:04

Through the ages, culture and the arts have
always incorporated forefront technology.

05:12

Choosing the right form of technology
to capture and express the existence - of new Japanese beauty is foremost to me,
and a theme I feel compelled to embrace.

05:32

Tosa reinterprets Japanese culture through the lens of advanced technology.

05:38

1, 2!

05:42

An air gun is used to strike flowers frozen in liquid nitrogen, that moment is preserved with a high-speed camera.

05:57

The work is likened to the spirit of ikebana as it echoes the majesty of life and the transience of beauty through decaying flowers.

06:09

Learning from a template, and daring to break away - this, in fact, is how Kyoto's early artists came to invent their own forms of beauty.

06:24

Kennin-ji was constructed over 800 years ago.

06:30

The Zen temple owns the masterpiece "Wind God and Thunder God" by 17th-century Kyoto painter Tawaraya Soutatsu.

06:38

In 2016, Tosa also presented artwork to Kennin-ji.

06:48

One is a artwork made to resemble an Indian-ink painting without the use of a single brush stroke.

06:57

It uses 1,000 aerial photographs of clouds digitally processed into a single work.

07:04

The piece mimics the landscape of an earthly paradise filled with mountains and rivers.

07:16

The second is a photo of the 200-year-old tree that once thrived in the temple garden.

07:23

This tree originally had a brace,
of course.

07:29

Once I erased it using computer graphics,
the feeling of tension was heightened.

07:35

To me, the tree stood with great effort,
like a wise old man with his cane.

07:44

I added emphasis to this strength.

07:48

Only an aged tree, which had survived many a year, could possess such an overwhelming life force, reminiscent of Kyoto's own legacy of beauty both shared and preserved.

08:03

When the community first saw "The Wind God
and Thunder God" screens at Kennin-ji centuries ago, they no doubt wondered about a Zen temple
sanctifying such a glittery item.

08:27

Yet 400 years later, the artwork
was designated a national treasure.

08:34

This unparalleled work was painted by the unparalleled
Sotatsu, using the most sophisticated skills.

08:43

Tosa also used cutting-edge
technology in her creations.

08:48

In 400 or 500 years' time, they too
might become designated cultural assets.

08:57

Art is meaningless without
a universality that transcends history.

09:04

The ubiquity emerging
from individual creation - is both paramount and
what gives art its appeal,

09:20

allowing it to resonate
with others.

09:31

Spring, and downtown Kyoto is awash in artistic color.

09:37

Every March since 2018, the prefecture has jointly hosted a contemporary art fair.

09:46

The art show features works in galleries, temples, established kimono shops, major stores, and other locations all over town.

10:04

The creations are similarly varied to include paintings, 3D artworks, and video performances.

10:16

The fair's primary objective is to provide a platform for young artists.

10:23

Tsubaki Noboru serves as the fair's director.

10:29

He is an experienced and globally attuned modern artist, and also teaches at a university in Kyoto.

10:39

Tsubaki feels a sense of crisis in the fact that artists in Kyoto cannot make a living, with the exception of a select few.

10:48

I wish we could go back
a few hundred years, when the artist Jakuchu roamed
Nishiki Market and artwork abounded,

10:59

as did patrons of the arts.
The "halcyon days" of Kyoto.

11:06

Most of the participants are emerging artists introduced through recommendations or recruited through open application.

11:21

Works by almost 50 artists are shown and sold at two major venues.

11:29

Unlike most fairs in Japan, here the artists themselves offer visitors insights into the interpretation, background, and theme of their works.

11:44

- It creates facial images.
- Copyright-free material?

11:49

Yes, the images are
automatically generated.

11:54

The process encourages visitors to become proactive supporters of the artists.

12:00

It's a lake deep in the mountains
where you find limestone caves.

12:07

I heard she used a copying
technique that was new to me.

12:12

I'm lucky to have engaged
with the artist.

12:17

It was fascinating to hear concepts
and learn about the process, especially techniques
not obvious by appearance alone.

12:27

Art's not something you buy. It simply
serves as an interface for a story.

12:34

That is the most moving part
of the experience.

12:39

Conversation with the creator generates value,
so when you purchase a work, the artist's lifestyle and spirituality
accompany the work into your home.

13:00

Artist Shinagawa Ryo received a boost to his career after participating in the fair.

13:09

A graduate of a local art college, he focuses on painters who were active from the early 1600s to mid-1800s,

13:17

reinterpreting their works as modern art.

13:22

Shinagawa's work is grounded in gold tooling and other traditional techniques.

13:27

He uses acrylic paints and adds simplified images of flowers to bestow a modern aesthetic on Japanese-style paintings.

13:35

Now a popular and established artist, his works sell out during his solo exhibitions.

13:42

Two years ago, a long-cherished dream came true, he opened his own studio in Kyoto.

13:52

Studying in Kyoto left its mark on me.

13:56

All the painters I admired worked here,
so I feel "this" is where I must paint.

14:07

I want to get closer to them, so for me
working here in Kyoto is a must.

14:13

As long as art created here sells, I feel
more artists will decide to settle in Kyoto.

14:20

Huge galleries in the West aren't interested
in Japan, but they have an appetite for Kyoto.

14:30

For all creators worldwide,
this is "Our Kyoto."

14:34

I think Kyoto will succeed
if there is continuity.

14:39

If more people find our city awesome,
I'm sure it'll become a global city.

14:44

That's the city's mission.

14:50

The key issue is providing venues where young artists can shine.

14:55

Once that happens, they will bring a new allure to Kyoto.

15:07

Another project also supports artists in Kyoto.

15:15

The Kyoto Central Wholesale Market is located not far from Kyoto Station.

15:20

In 2019, a unique "art hotel" opened nearby.

15:29

Originally a warehouse and dormitory for market personnel, the 45-year-old building with five floors above ground and one below has been totally renovated.

15:39

The hotel is run on
the dual concept of - a residence where young
modern artists can live and work,

15:50

and a tourist hotel where guests
can meet those emerging artists.

15:59

It is tough for emerging artists to find lodgings with built-in studio space in downtown Kyoto.

16:07

However, as there are few residences in the vicinity of the market, artists can create 24 hours a day without fear of disturbing the neighbors.

16:20

Moreover, as the wholesale market is a transport hub, artistic materials and works can be moved in and out with ease.

16:30

Rent is comparable to that of a studio apartment.

16:33

Most of the nine artists currently residing on the dedicated floor of the hotel are fresh graduates of art colleges.

16:43

I felt uneasy about
being dropped into society - straight out of college as the
two environments are so different.

16:53

Living alone, I would have been lost
without mentors or colleagues nearby.

17:00

I'm fortunate living here.

17:06

Securing a place to work
saps their finances and energy, hindering them from immersing
themselves in their work.

17:18

Providing an affordable residence and
workspace conserves time and energy.

17:28

Ohgisawa, the force behind the art hotel, owns a real estate agency that specializes in arranging shared housing for craftspeople.

17:40

Rather than establishing a regular tourist hotel, he aims to make this a hub where resident artists can present their work to guests and the world.

17:54

In addition to showcasing the artists' works in its guest rooms, the hotel has a gallery in the basement

18:01

where hotel and cafe guests may enjoy the art free-of-charge.

18:08

The codes attached to each work link to artist profiles and related social media.

18:16

The hotel also archives information on artists who previously resided there.

18:28

We also share information on artists
who once lived here and introduce their work.

18:34

This system helps bring in more resident artists
and add works of art to our growing collection.

18:44

The fact that artists live and
work here is in itself valuable, and needs to be chronicled
within this building or by Kyoto.

18:56

Our Internet-linked society allows
us to preserve everything, so we made it our mission to witness
and archive these experiences.

19:07

Creating future possibilities for artists - that too is an artistic endeavor.

19:16

Collaborating with other artists who happen
to live here is also interesting.

19:22

Having a place where you can fully invest yourself
after graduation can transform an artist's life.

19:31

I can be an artist thanks to the
support of this residence.

19:44

Artists are also a minority.

19:47

The city rallying behind people committed
to a challenge adds to its appeal, and is something Kyoto is
uniquely positioned to do.

20:03

This major art museum opened in 1933.

20:10

Eager to give voice to contemporary art, the museum began sponsoring exhibitions by young artists in 2020.

20:25

Kyoto has a long history
and is deeply rooted in tradition.

20:32

On the other hand, there is also
tremendous enthusiasm for modern art.

20:37

This program is part of a series exploring
how modern and past traditions co-exist - for young artists with a "Kyoto connection."

20:51

The museum sponsored an exhibition by Kawato Aya.

20:58

Kawato, who spent her formative years in Kyoto, studied textiles at one of the city's art colleges.

21:08

At first glance, her works give the impression of being created digitally with computer graphics, but they are actually painted by hand.

21:16

Countless, individually rendered colored lines are superimposed in multiple layers in a lattice design.

21:24

They become optical illusions depending on the lighting, and the viewer's distance and angle from the work.

21:32

Put briefly, my work revolves
around control versus slippage.

21:38

When I studied dyeing
and weaving in Kyoto, I discovered that
even for the most proficient craftsman,

21:51

dye would run ever so slightly,
or threads would expand and contract, generating beauty
which surpassed human control.

22:07

I determined the most straightforward way
to communicate this was - a simple grid format upon which
I would paint layer upon layer.

22:33

Beauty emerges from slippage which inevitably occurs despite the artisan's precise handwork.

22:40

Kawato's most recent exhibition featured a digitally printed grid as a backdrop to her hand-painted work.

22:55

Viewed from afar, the works appear to be flat, generating a slightly odd effect.

23:01

On approaching them, viewers realize that the effect emerges from the artist's own brush.

23:24

During the exhibition, Kawato used a space facing out for the public to watch her complete work on an installation, as a way to explain the process.

23:36

The installation took about a month and a half to complete and covered three glass surfaces.

23:44

Kawato used a computer to design her detailed layout and color scheme.

23:51

The design was then painstakingly reproduced by hand onsite.

23:56

The blueprint included detailed notes, identifying colors and the order in which the lines were to be painted.

24:11

She used masking tape to isolate sections, referring to her computer-generated design to confirm color and order.

24:23

She carefully applies her brush, intent on keeping each line straight.

24:29

Like dyers and weavers, Kawato is engrossed in the repetitive task, persevering to achieve accurate results.

24:37

That effort ensures that her painting will express the same beauty reflected in textiles.

24:49

Traditional dyeing and weaving
are truly painstaking processes.

24:57

Looking at beautiful art created
through mind-boggling effort - might prompt you to consider
the process hopeless.

25:10

But it gives me the
self-discipline I need to create.

25:29

Kawato also learnt something from creating this installation.

25:35

I'm fascinated by the creation of
great depth from a single plane, as it brings in factors beyond my control
to create that ultimate depth,

25:54

and I hope to continue
creating from that standpoint.

26:05

The Sound of Ikebana artist, Tosa Naoko, announced the completion of her latest work in spring 2022.

26:16

The work's theme is the future Buddha, Miroku Bosatsu.

26:20

It is believed Miroku Bosatsu will appear in 5.67 billion years' time as our savior in Buddha's stead.

26:35

The images lined up before Miroku Bosatsu symbolize our future selves.

26:41

The Sound of Ikebana video-concept has been reconfigured, using gravitational pull, into 3D objects made of molten glass that was allowed to droop naturally.

26:58

There is a universal beauty
which we all feel.

27:05

These glass figures express
that fascination we have - as Miroku Bosatsu
watches over us.

27:26

Art continues to metamorphose as the years slip by...

27:32

...and individuals continue to create beauty in all its forms.

27:42

That timeless artistic spirit binds Kyoto's past to its present, and its future.