Being with the Place, Being with the Artwork

2022/09/09

Acrylic aerosol paint, concrete pillar / Sublimation transfer print, polyester organza

H.2750 × W.7790 × D.1140

Photo © Shu Nakagawa

Spatial Design: Shotaro Harada (Lights Co., Ltd.), Takuya Yoshiba (STUDIO TOO)

Fabric Design Supervision: Haruka Shoji (Haruka Shoji Textile Atelier)

Located on the 8th floor of the East Annex on the Mita Campus is KeMCo StudI/O, where a certain artwork is installed. It is "FFIGURATI #314" (2020) by Enrico Isamu Oyama.

"FFIGURATI #314" is both a work of art and a fixture for a room with multiple functions and characteristics. Created as a commissioned work, this piece consists of a mural painted with aerosol paint on the building's pillars and a curtain section featuring digital transfer prints on translucent organza fabric. In KeMCo StudI/O, a space that aims for creative activities moving between the physical and digital, discussions between the artist and the studio design team led to the concept of a variable wall (= curtain). By making the curtain itself part of the work, it became possible to gently divide and connect spaces of different natures.

Oyama is an artist who develops his unique motif, Quick Turn Structure (QTS), based on his interest in writing culture—an expressive culture of writing names on parts of cities and subways. QTS, a motif that extracts and repeats the movement of lines characteristic of writing, is said to propel itself across a support and form its own structure. In "FFIGURATI #314," QTS traverses two supports with different attributes and materials: the hard, immobile building pillars and the soft, movable curtains. In relation to these supports and depending on the state of the space, they show various expressions—sometimes clear, sometimes flickering—while incorporating surrounding elements such as light reflections and air vibrations. At certain moments, they even evoke the presence of something inhabiting the studio.

Until now, this work has been open to the public during "KeMCo StudI/O Open Days" held in conjunction with exhibitions and events. This autumn, an exhibition of Enrico Isamu Oyama's work (October 17 – December 16) will be held at KeMCo. How will QTS, which forms its own structure, develop in the space of KeMCo? Please look forward to it.

(Shiho Hasegawa, Staff Member, Keio Museum Commons)