Since February 2014, Parasophia: Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture 2015 has presented various events as part of our Access Program, which is meant to increase accessibility to Parasophia by communicating the ideas and principles behind the exhibition in 2015.  As an extension of the Access Program, Parasophia is now presenting the Community Program, where Parasophia reaches out to specific communities, beginning with the geographic community of Nishijin, a district in Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto that is known as a traditional weaving district (Wikipedia article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nishijin).  Our first Community Program event is a panel discussion at the former Nishijin Elementary School, at the heart of the Nishijin district, featuring the artist Aki Sasamoto, who is scheduled to be announced as one of the artists participating in Parasophia: Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture 2015, and Futoshi Miyagi, an artist who is currently exhibiting in Kyoto.
Aki Sasamoto is based in New York.  She has made many works that involve the interplay between performances and installations, in response to a variety of spaces that are not limited to museums of art.  On this occasion, Sasamoto will immerse herself in the city of Kyoto and its local community as research toward her work for Parasophia: Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture 2015.
In this panel discussion, Sasamoto will be speaking with the photographer Futoshi Miyagi, who is currently showing his work in a solo exhibition that opened on June 14 at Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA and the Horikawa Housing Complex, located in the southern end of the Nishijin district.  Sasamoto and Miyagi will talk about how they have forged/plan to forge connections with the city of Kyoto.  Since Miyagi has also spent a long period of time studying abroad in New York, it is likely that the artists will also discuss the relationship between their second hometown and art.
Additionally, the two artists will be joined by two moderators: Toru Koyamada, an artist whose practice is based on his contemplation of the possibilities held by “common spaces,” and Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA curator Hirokazu Tokuyama, who co-organized the art project “Artist Workshop @KCUA 2013” (2013–14), presented in the Horikawa Housing Complex by the Kyoto City University of Arts.  Our speakers will engage in a conversation about art and “common spaces” in Nishijin, a place that gives us a glimpse of the historical changes in the urban structure of Kyoto.
This panel discussion will be presented in collaboration with Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA.

Date:

Saturday, July 5, 2014  2:00–3:30PM (doors open at 1:30PM)

Admission:

Free (no reservation required)

Language:

Japanese

Venue:

Auditorium, former Nishijin Elementary School
689 Kozai-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8428
Google Maps: goo.gl/maps/wSj0k
Kyoto City Bus Nos. 9, 12, 67: 3 min. walk west from “Horikawa Kamidachiuri”
Kyoto City Bus Nos. 51, 59, 201, 203: 6 min. walk north from “Imadegawa Omiya”
* No parking available.

Panelists:

Aki Sasamoto (artist), Futoshi Miyagi (artist)

Moderators:

Toru Koyamada (artist; Professor, Kyoto City University of Arts), Hirokazu Tokuyama (Curator, Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA)

Seats available:

100 seats (first come first served)

Presented by:

Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture Organizing Committee, Kyoto Association of Corporate Executives (Kyoto Keizai Doyukai), Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA

With the cooperation of:

Hase Building Co., Ltd.

Related exhibition:

Futoshi Miyagi, American Boyfriend: Bodies of Water
Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA Gallery A, Horikawa Housing Complex
Saturday, June 14 – Sunday, July 27, 2014
Organized by: Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA
Presented by: Kyoto City University of Arts
gallery.kcua.ac.jp/exhibitions/20140614_id=563#en americanboyfriend.com/?lang=en