Personal Circles • パーソナルサークルズ



On right now is a collaborative exhibition we've been organizing with itohen; "Personal Circles".
今週から私たちといとへんの企画展「パーソナルサークルズ」が始まりました。

The 5 artists featured will exhibit sketches of their own personal circles; things directly in their personal lives. The list of international guests with different academic backgrounds makes it a must see for anyone interested in either 1) the range of technical approaches to sketching to see, or 2) the relations the artists have with their own 'personal circles', and the comparisons that can be made between the participants.

参加者5人は自分の身の回りの世界(=Personal Circle)のスケッチを展示します。国際の様々参加者の学歴も違いますから、1)技術的アプローチと 2)参加者と身の回りの世界の関係と他の参加者と比べること、この二つのことに興味ある人々は是非見に来て下さい。

Featured for this first exhibition are the following people:
参加作家:
Eeshaun (Singaporean・シンガポール人)
Kasper Strömman (Finnish・フィンランド人)
Ross Siu (Japan based Canadian・日本に住まいカナダ人)
Shinichi Takeda (France based Japanese・フランスに住んでいた日本人)
Mugi Takei (USA based Japanese・アメリカに住んでいる日本人)

Personal Circles will be held at iTohen from Nov 4 Wed ~ Nov 15 Sun (11:00~18:00, closed on Mon, Tue).
パーソナルサークルズはいとへんで 11月4日(水)〜 11月15日(11:00~18:00、月・火休み)

There is also a silkscreen printing workshop @ OOO on the 7th of Nov, where participants are invited to screen print the various members artworks onto their own items of clothing, (or bags, or whatever!). All you can print for ¥3,000. I'll be helping out with that, so come along!

11月7日はシルクスクリーンのワークショップを行います。自分のシャツ、バッグ何でもに作品を印刷するつもり。¥3000でシルクスクリーンする放題。僕は手伝いますので、是非!

Also Ross Siu will be holding a sketch workshop on the 8th at Itohen in the afternoon. After his workshop is the reception party, which everyone is invited to come along to. Network, and expand your own personal circle.

8日、いとへんでロスさんはワークショップを行います。そのあとはパーティですので、ネットワーキングをして、自分の回りの世界に入っている人々を増やせましょう。

See you there!

What's goin' down, Nov 2009 • 何が起こってんの、2009年11月


Must Sees
Gallerism @ Genbi Centre, (2nd~14th)
When you think Osaka, you don't really think art. Gallerism is one event to shatter this preconception! Osaka has swaths of gallery areas and numerous established galleries, and Gallerism is one event bringing them all together: Amano Garo, Gallery AO, Gallery Haku, Gallery H.O.T, Gallery Wks. Cubic Gallery, Bangarou, and more! But it's not about the galleries, it's about creating a good atmosphere in Osaka, and supporting young artists like Kyoto NAKAMURA, Masaki TAMURA, Takao KANO, Yusaku MIYAHARA, Ayami ITO, Akiko KAWABATA, Tomoyuki NAKAMOTO, and more more more!
Get in there! Get down to Gallerism!

Personal Circles @ iTohen, (4th~15th)
Awesome mix of sketches from Artists all over the world. Participants of different academic backgrounds (illustration, fine art, etc.) present sketches of objects and items in their own personal circles. Screen printing workshop @ OOO on the 7th and workshop with Ros Siu, Canadian and participating artist on the 8th @ iTohen.


Other Recommends
Mon Ex Libris Vol.4 @ Gallery Bi-Damas (~8th)
「自宅から美術館へ」田中恒子コレクション展 @ The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama (~8th) (Woo! Yeah! Go Wakayama!)
Kobe Biennale (~23rd)
Art Cube 3 @ SoHo Gallery (17th~22nd)
苅谷昌江個展 @ AAS (Antenna Art Space) (~8th)
drowning room @ Kobe Art Village (~23rd)


Keep an eye on these information sites:
www.f-l-a-g.net
FLAG for the online masses. Coming soon. Bookmark.
destinationosaka-janellemac.blogspot.com
Janelle Mac takes on Osaka and includes everything I don't in her blog. Must read.
ART man days
Follow Machio Takamoto, an independent copywriter, on his adventures in the art world of Kansai.

Shovel at OOO • シャベル@OOO



A designer or an illustrator, any kind of creator without a network is like a dial up modem. Remember those? It took AGES to download anything. Yes, I was one of these dial up modems, but since Shovel has started I feel like I've switched to optic fiber.

I met Inomata san from Air Osaka, a very nice little artist in residence type hotel in the south of Osaka (cheap too, check it out), a lovely young lady called Emi Makita who's now helping us out with FLAG, also Iwabuchi San from 208 came along to talk about his project for Suito Osaka at the time.

If you're a creator looking for a network, Shovel is for you. It's only ¥500, with the first drink included.

"シャベル • Shovel vol.2"
場所 • Venue: OOO
日時 • Date and Time: 10月31日(土)19:30 - 21:30
参加費 • Participation Fee:500円(1ドリンク付き • with one drink)
お申し込み/お問い合わせはoootoiawase@gmail.com まで
For more information, please contact us at oootoiawase@gmail.com

*「クリエイティブな人」は、「職業クリエイター」という意味ではありません。
"Creative People" doesn't mean "people in the creative industry".
クリエイティブなことに関心のある方なら誰でも参加できます。

Anyone who's interested in creative things is free to participate.

If you're a creator whether in profession, or on the side, come and join in!

An English Workshop for Creators • クリエイターのための英語ワークショップ


On the 13th of October, I'll be holding a workshop for creators at Common Cafe, as part of Ogimachi Creative College!
10月13日コモンカフェーのOgimachi Creative Collegeでクリエイターのための英語のワークショップを行います!

作品の力で言語の壁を越えられるクリエイターにとって、英語は活動の枠を拡げるための有効なツールです。海外のエージェンシーに売り込んだり、海外の業者を使って作品を作ったり、さまざまな場面で英語が役に立ちます。 本講座では、いくつかのシチュエーションの中で実際に英語を使うことで、クリエイターのための「使える英語」をワークショップ形式で学びます。

場所: Common Café
参加費:1,500円 (税込み)
講師: Duncan Brotherton(ダンカン・ブラザトン)
    高槻市在住のオーストラリア人。西天満のオルタナティブワークスペースOOOで主に英会話レッスンとデザインの仕事を行っている関西のクリエイティブなスポットを外国人の視点で紹介するブログ"Tsunagari D"を運営も行っている
講座開講日: 10月13日(火) 19:30-21:00


Anyone (non-native speakers, of course) is invited to participate. If you're interested, you can click [here] to make a booking!

興味ありましたら(ここ)で予約できます!ご検討よろしくお願いします!

What's goin' down, Oct 2009 • 何が起こってんの、2009年10月




Must Sees
Suito Osaka (~22nd)
Namura Art Meeting '04-'34, vol.3 (3rd ~ 4th overnight)
Karahori Machi Art (24th & 25th)

Other Recommends
54のreset @ Gallery Den (~17th)
Jimmy KETS, Brightside @ Flanders Gallery (~24th)
Yayoi KUSAMA, Multiplying Room @ Six (COMME des GARCONS) (~Nov 8th)
Experimental Film Festival in Osaka @ Various venues (1st~2nd screening @ Bunkaza Cultural Plaza, Suito Osaka)
Bernard JOISTEN @ Super Window Project & Gallery (~Nov 22nd)
TACO @ iTohen (~11th)

Keep an eye on these information sites:
www.f-l-a-g.net
FLAG for the online masses. Coming soon. Bookmark.
http://www.opus-design.jp/
An awesome portal for all things creative in and around Osaka, by OPUS.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/artkobujime/
One of the most comprehensive blogs about the Art Scene in the Kansai area by Takafumi Kosui from Turner Paint.

Kinshi-Masamune Craft Beer, Kyoto



Inside JR Kyoto Station is Isetan, and down on the B1 Floor is a Liquor section that puts all other department stores in Kansai to shame.

JR京都駅の中に伊勢丹があって、地下1階には他の関西のデパートに恥をかかせる和洋酒売り場あります。

At first I thought it was some kind of joke. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Row after row of Ji-beer, crazy names and labels, but BEST of all, dozens of representatives from Kansai!

最初、何か冗談だっと思った。目を疑うことだった。地ビール!変な名前とラベルを次々並んでまして、とりわけ関西の代表のが多いよ!

So I walked out of Isetan the proud owner of two bottles of local brew; Kinshi-Masamune Craft Beer. 2 bottles only, 'Gosho Beer', and the 'Kaoru Beer', which particularly caught my attention with the words 'JR Kyoto Isetan X Kinshi-Masamune' printed down the bottom of the label.

2本の自慢で伊勢丹をでました。キンシ正宗地ビール。2つだけ、「御所麦酒」とラベルに書いた「JR Kyoto Isetan X Kinshi-Masamune」の言葉をオレの目に触れた「カオル」。

As is quite normal here, Kinshi-Masamune is actually a Sake Brewer who brew their own craft beer. I enjoyed my Gosho! A surprisingly smooth beer with a wonderful colour. It was also very lightly carbonated, as you can see from the absence of a head in the picture below.

日本でよくあること、キンシ正宗は酒造家やけど、今地ビールも作ります。御所麦酒おいしかった!驚くほどにスムーズですばらしい色。下にある写真に見える泡が立ってないことで炭酸化が軽い。

Now, I can't verify this any more that what I read directly off the label; but with the Kaoru beer, apparently the female staff of both Isetan and Kinshi-Masamune got together to brew this one, especially for women. Which probably explains it's light flavour and fizziness. At 4% it was a nice refreshing one.

直接ラベルから読んだ情報より証明できないけど、カオルのビールは伊勢丹の女性スターフとキンシ正宗の女性スターフが協力してこのビールを女性のため作り出した。それで味か軽くて炭酸化けっこうあったんかなぁ。4%でさわやかのでした。

Support local! Drink Kinshi-Masamune Craft Beer, Kyoto!
地方をサポートしょう!京都のキンシ正宗の地ビールを飲んでよ!


Kansai Creative: Workroom 関西クリエイティブ:ワークルーム



Workroom (Clockwise from top left • 左上から時計回り): Inada San, Endo San, Sugitani San, Adachi san, Tsukamura San (face hidden • 隠された顔), Yoshida San.

Guess who appeared in Cycle a little earlier on this summer? That's right! How'd that happen? Was it guuzen•偶然? Not in Kansai, where everyone creative knows everyone else creative.

ちょっと先の夏、Cycleに登場した人だれと思いますか?そうだ!どうやって?偶然か?関西なら違う、クリエイティブな人は他のすべてのクリエイティブな人している所。

I share the office with Cahier, One of Osaka's best web production companies. I almost fell off my chair when I heard that Ozaki San from Cahier was engaged (and is now married to) Endo San from Workroom. Creative people in Kansai say that it's really 'semai' (crowded) here, and they're not joking when then say it too. So in the end two lovely girls, Endo san and Inada San from Workroom came to interview me, and I'm now in issue No.02!

大阪の指折りのウェッブ製作会社「カイエ」と同じ事務所で働いてます。カイエの尾崎さんとWorkroomの遠藤さんが婚約している(今もう結婚)と聞きました時いすから落ちそうだったんですよ。関西のクリエイティブな人に「狭いんです」とよく聞きますね、ほんとに冗談ではないんですね。結局Workroomのすてきな二人の遠藤さんと稲田さんは僕をインタビューすることになりまして最新号のNo.02に出ました!

A perfect excuse to stick my foot in the door at Workroom and bother them with annoying questions!
Workroomで足掛かりをつかんでブログの取材の迷惑な質問を聞いて完璧な口実だ!よし!

Workroom is a Publishing/Editing company who have been around in Osaka for 20 years. Their published material focuses mainly on culture, and they produce excellent books about bicycles and cycling, food and eating, Kimonos and tea; of which I recommend 大阪自転車ホリデー (Osaka Jitensha Holiday) and 京都自転車デイズ (Kyoto Jitensha Days), which has just come out recently. They also organize and edit a few pages for TOKK, Hankyu Railway's free paper.

Workroomは大阪で20年前からあった出版/編集の会社です。自転車とサイクリング・食べ物・着物・お茶について、出版したものはかなり文化的です。「大阪自転車ホリデー」と最近出た「京都自転車デイズ」をお進めします。阪急のフリーペーパーTOKKの数枚も企画しています。

Workroom consists of 6 members, working in a sparkling clean office in the Mengyoukaikan in Kitahama. Cool building! Totally Jealous.
Workroomは北浜にある綿業会館のピッカピカする事務所で6人の組です。かっこいいビル。いいなぁ。

Endo San is the newest member in Workroom. She gives Design support, takes most of their photos and retouches the pictures, and does work on the web (like the Workroom homepage and the Cycle homepage). She enjoys meeting people through work who are interested in art and culture.

遠藤さんは一番最近入ったメンバーです。デザインサポートしたり、写真を撮ってレタッチしたりそしてウェッブの仕事をしたりします(WorkroomのホームページCycleのホームページなど)。

Yoshida San is a Designer and does layout work. She is supported by Endo san from time to time. In her job she really enjoys organizing things by herself and seeing them come into being.

吉田さんはデザイナでレイアウトをやっています。遠藤さんにサポートを貰います。仕事中自分で企画して生み出すことが本当に好きです。

Inada San collects information for Workroom's publications, and also translates and interprets. Her English is great. She's also interested in Designing and enjoys meeting new people through work.

稲田さんはWorkroomの出版のための取材をして翻訳も通訳もしっています。彼女の英語はすごいです。デザインに興味があって仕事の関係で出会いするのがたのしいですって。

Adachi San researches and writes for Workroom. She really enjoys the chances offered to look into new things related to the stuff Workroom publishes.

足立さんは調査執筆しています。Workroomが出版する材料と関係している物事を詳しく調べる機会に喜ぶ人であります。

Tsukamura San is the representative of Workroom, and she's proud to have brought a group of good people together. Working with them is a daily success in her opinion.

塚村さんはWorkroomの代表です。いい人が団結させるのを自慢に思っています。一緒に働くのは毎日の成功の意見であったんです。

Sugitani San, nice enough to organize a day where everyone was present for me, collects information, writes and illustrates the little strip in cycle for Workroom (Yurunori Kun). She loves going all over the place, and enjoys working in the Mengyoukaikan. I mean, who WOULDN'T.

親切にWorkroomの皆さんがいる日を企画して下さった杉谷さんは取材・執筆・Cycleの漫画「ゆるのりくん」をしています。あらゆる所に行くのが好きで、綿業会館で働くのも楽しいです。そこで働きたくない者いるのかなぁ。

Workroom also have their own 自習室•Jishuushitsu (translates as 'private study room') called Workroom*A, which is where they hold lectures, workshops, exhibitions and events. I found a cool flier last year about English lessons in Workroom, specifically about art. What a great idea! I thought. They've had Chinese, Wine lessons, English and even Ukulele lessons. After creating good links with people through work, they wanted to keep up real connections, not just on paper. Real interaction was important, and Workroom*A is a place where it all happens.

Workroomは『Workroom*A』という自習室があります。講義・ワークショップ・展示・イベントを行っています。去年アートについて話す英語のレッスンのチラシを発見しました。ええアイディアなぁって思いました。自習室で中国語・ワイン・英語・ウクレレのレッスンをやっています。仕事を通じていい繋がりができてから、その繋がりは大事にしたかったんです(ただ紙の上だけではなく)。本当の交流は大切からWorkroom*Aでそれぞれの繋がりを大切にしています。

In the future Tsukamura San, Workroom's Representative, wants them to continue making books; keeping up the good work they've already done. She wants the company to become a bit cooler and a bit more international (she said things could always be better). Well, I'm sure Workroom will always be doing something interesting!

塚村さんは将来に本を出版するのを続いてほしいです。今までの成果みたいにがんばりたいですって。もうちょっとカッコいいで国際的でしたらいいって、「常にもうちょっとうまく成るかなぁ」っていいました。まぁ、いつも面白いことをやってますでしょう!

Keep an eye on Workroom*A's event calendar (participate, even if you don't speak Japanese!). Make sure you bookmark Cycle's website. Very soon they'll be translating some of their articles into English, like awesome riding courses around Kansai including information about where to rent bikes, recommended cafes and courses to follow. I guarantee you won't find anything about these in English! And don't just read: participate!
Workroom*Aのイベントカレンダーをよく見てください。Cycleのウェッブサイトをブックマークしてね!もうすぐ、記事は英語でもでます;関西にあるサイクリングコースについて、レンタル・カフェ・コースの流れ。英語でこの情報珍しいですよ!読むだけしないで:参加しましょう!

Workroom: Making Osaka cooler than it already is!
ワークルームが、大阪をもっとええ感じにするで!