Kyto Sightseeing
the 26th of June i left Scandinavia to visit Japan. Only real plan to display some works in The Dimlight Artspace in Hiroshima. And to paint a public work in Tokyo. I have been told by people who have been here, that i was to expect to feel like i was on another planet. When travelling i allways look forward to take the train from the airport to the city, on that trip i imeadtly get a feeling on the city, the life the vibe, by scanning the graffiti, that is present by the trackside. Went in the extremely cold airconditioned train put on a warm sweater, sat down turned my head for the window and started to wait. Passing through countryside, countryside rice fields small citys stopping at one station the next and it just kept on going. All walls by the trackside is clean! All! During a one and half hour train trip going deeper and deeper in to one of biggest citys in the world 37.million people there is no trace of any form of marking. NOT ONE! Not even a trace of something had been cleaned off or buffed? Just Nothing. There is no presence of graffiti-culutre or any kind of scribling or markings here in Japan. not that i have seen so far. For me that is extreme exotic. First i thought it was because the culture havent made the same impact here and nobody really picked the hiphop or graffiti culture op here. But i find that hard to believe. During my stay in Tokyo i was supposed to paint a store front shutter, it was organized by the local Hostel and Artist in recidence called Artnshelter in the Neigborhood, Samezu. My first thought on that was that i was just going to paint it the first day, in a couple of hours, but it soon became really clear that is was a long process to get the go to paint a old rusty small storage builidngs shutter. They wanted to see sketches, they wanted a company logo, wich i refused. I made a sketch that reflected on the story of the street where the shop is located. It is one of the most famous routes in Tokyo it is called Kyu-Tokaido.（旧東海道）for more info on that follow this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dkaid%C5%8D_(road)
Finally the day came when i was supposed to paint. And it went fine, untill the owner of the building came by and allmost put an end to it all. But after some talking back and fourth it was ok.
When going around Tokyo, it all feels like a machine, where all people do exactly what they are supposed to in certain ways, walking, the directions that the arrow shows on the ground, standing in the right line to wait to go on board on the train. Everything is extremely organized, it seems like it. I have noticed a little rebellion, everywhere is says no smoking on the street but walking the back streets you can see scared looking men standing in groups to 5-10 smoking the cigerets like there is no tommorow. Some people even run the red lights on bikes and walking. But none individual expression saying look at me i exist in the fom of writing in public. Maybe all the has been reduced to social media here, or cos-play? or manga fantasies? I dont know.
I have learned that there is a small graffit-scene, but they are having a hard time, no legal walls, only secret places and really underground. Sadly havent have enought time to research more on that.
leaving for Osaka now, after that i will prepare my solo exhibition at Dimlight Artspace Hiroshima.
More on that soon.
Following pictures from my stay and trip so far.
Hope you enjoy.
one of my markers exploded in the airplane
electric distrct Tokyo
Japanese Spraypaint. good paint.
clean Tokyo
clean Tokyo
Painting in clean Tokyo
Finished in clean Tokyo
Leaving clean Tokyo. Going to Kyoto.
I have been so lucky that my phone stopped working so i have produced a lot of new drawings here at my stay in Japan.
