Hello ! おひさしぶりですね ~ It's been a month, and i'll go back to Indonesia again on 5th August. Time Flies huh? Rather than thinking about all the tragedy that happened to me these few days, i decided to write several highlight of my trip.
So just a few days after my arrival in Tokyo, i went to this Gallery named Design Festa Gallery. Its located in Harajuku (Almost to Omotesando). You'll recognize the building quickly because of the quirky design. The building divided into 2 section East and West, with a restaurant and a cafe in the between. I didn't have any chance to take any picture because i was kinda in a rush, but believe me it worth a visit for people who seeking a lunch with ambiance.
I think this is become my favorite place in Harajuku because it show so many independent artist. No wonder, because the rent fee of the space is quite affordable. Even they have this special space where you can put your work for a day only for 500 JPY (About 4 or 5 Bucks). And tourist come here often too, a nice publicity for the beginner i'd say.
Well, I love art, i enjoy making it, but i'm not as good as people out there. So recently i've been thinking about making curator as a career. And this place is a good start for me i guess, because i have a chance to see some fresh work (and meet the artist).
For example like this one, Ice Cream Alien (by Keisuke Shigeta)
I don't think the idea is really original, because it kinda reminds me with Bearbrick (Be@rbrick). And both also from Japan. But maybe these Ice Cream has a chance to be as iconic as the predecessor, well i'll wait for the figure then because somehow i know these little Ice Cream minion will be cuter than the Bearbrick (I still love Bearbrick anyway).
I also met with Keisuke Shigeta (The Artist), and i love his unique way to exhibit his work, he put a post card sized picture of these ice cream on the exhibition room's wall and the visitor can choose and buy one of them. He display it while sell it, smart. I bought one and got his sign (I'm the one who asked for it).
I got free stickers and his Name-card too, and he asked me to sign on an acrylic statue of the Ice Cream Alien, which is almost full with another sign from all the visitors i guess. Well i Hope he will be more successful in the future. You can check out his blog here.
The next one that catch my attention is this
『“trans.”-VIVID TRANSPARENCY-』by heliotrope. (I have no idea the artist is a male or female so i'll address the artist as 'they' here) I love it how they use transparency as the object not only transparent plastic but also glass and film. The promotional picture on Design Festa's website remind me with Mika Ninagawa (or maybe Riusuke Fukahara) because they're using vibrant colour. But still i'm thrilled with how beautiful the artwork, even-though they put it on such a small space. Overall i think they successfully bring a 'nostalgic feeling' with their work. I bought their bookmark but its so fragile, i hope they could do their work on more firm transparent item next time.
Nana Watanabe. Her work, seriously seriously reminds me with Sakurako Hamaguchi who just doing the "Ghosts, Underpants and Stars" Exhibition with other artist at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo. I suppose Nana Watanabe greatly influenced by other artist, even the last time i visit her website it was very Yayoi Kusama (Somehow). But when i checked on it again, it has change. Very distracted, very girly, emotional in some way. I think this girl only want to convey something, which somehow i can tell what this girl is thinking about. But overall i love her work.
