Totem, Alain Delorme

I stumbled across these images on Black Eiffel, a design blog. They're from Shanghai and while they appear to be photographs, it's hard to believe that they haven't been manipulated somehow. The coloring also contributes to a surreal feeling. It reminds me of photos of North Korea, saturated with bright, garish colors yet somehow washed out at the same time. His site doesn't strictly state that they haven't been altered, but isn't very straightforward about it either. In any case, they stayed with me and I snitched some from his website.

The expressions of surprise on the people around these load-bikers suggest that these are real scenes though.





(For similar color schemes but rather more creepy looking subjects take a look at his "Little Dolls").

Naoshima, Shodoshima, Teshima, Ojima...

I found out about this island called Naoshima out on the inland sea of Japan accidentally. I think I had been spending a lot of time on design websites over my internship and stumbled upon some gushing reviews. There wasn't too much information in English at the time, but enough for me to get around. It is a bit of the beaten path art island belonging to Shikoku but is actually closer to Honshu. There are sculptures scattered around the island, along with two, now three, museums. I went and loved it, but wasn't planning on going again. That was in 2008. Through a series of mix-ups and mis-communications I went again last year in the winter 2009. There were a few new additions in terms of experiences, a lot of new restaurants and minshukus. The experience was quite different as I went with some friends and took a lot less pictures but still got as miserably lost as I did the first time. I was taken off map duty before the end of the first day. Again, I didn't think of going again. But then the Setouchi International Arts Festival posters started circulating and I started thinking, maybe...and I didn't end up going. But I recently spotted a picture on Snow mag, which led to even more on Design Boom, and finished off today by this piece on Spoon Tamago on the newly completed Teshima Art Museum; I have to go back. The festival ends in a little over a week but I imagine the artwork will still be around. My goal is to stay at the Benesse House hotel next time. Fingers crossed.

A lunch on Naoshima, taken by my friend. (This was actually a second choice, we were looking for this other shop run by local university students but failed completely. It was a nice runner up though: one of the many chic cafes now on the island. The place transformed so much in one year! But there was still only the one place that served breakfast. I regret not having any good photos of that place. There was a tv in the corner, worn red carpet on the floor, mismatched furniture (not, in a cool hipster way, more like wobbly stools paired with end tables) well-loved stuffed animals in every nook and cranny. It felt oddly like dining in somebody, a grandmother's, living room. Breakfast was coffee, toast, a halved kiwi, and a hard boiled egg. Like the establishment itself, the meal felt thrown together from whatever odds and ends that happened to be around. )
And here are some photos I skimmed off of the Setouchi Art Festival site:

This is Shima Kitchen on Teshima, by Ryo Abe. I love the open, airy atmosphere.

My favorite perhaps, is this: "Tom Na H-iu" (also on Teshima) by Mariko Mori

Here is the explanation, copied directly from the Setouchi website:

"In ancient Celtic lore, Tom Na H-iu was the place where souls waited to pass on to their next life. Inspired by this myth, Mori has created a contemporary monument of glass. Networked to the Super-Kamioka Neutrino Detection Experiment, it responds when the observatory captures a neutrino, such as those emitted by a dying star. When it a neutrino is detected, the work emits a beautiful light."

Autumn

Just some images for now. I stumbled upon this over at Nowness. A series of images by Natsko Seki, a Japanese artist now based in London. It was done for a London Japanese deli (sounds odd to my New York ears) called Tombo. There's something whimsical and for me at least, so Japanese about these seasonal pastimes. Although I'm not entirely sure about the activities depicted in Autumn (unsure) and Winter (kite-flying I think), Hanami in the Spring and Hanabi in the summer are perfect, and so universal in Japan. This aspect rather surprised and amazed me about Japan, the appreciation for the changing seasons and how universal it is. I wouldn't admit it to some of my Japanese friends though as it seemed to be a point of pride with them that I didn't want to yield to. Not aloud anyway.

Which one is your favorite? I am wavering between Spring and Summer.




Images by Seki Natsko, from Nowness

Something Fun

It's definitely fall now in New York. It was still summer when I returned. Everything fell back in place so quickly that I didn't even realize until I uploaded photos.

There were a few surprises when I got back. Soho feels suffocatingly crowded now, all the time, I remember there being a reprieve on weekday afternoons. Now the streets are always packed. The meatpacking district has become almost unrecognizably chic. I remember going to bumble and bumble during my high school days to get those free hair cuts...it was one of the very few stores there. Western Beef was the other highlight. Now, name brand stores are everywhere and Chelsea Market is more crowded than I remember it ever being. It's become a tourist destination now; I don't think it was even a blip on the tourist radar four years ago. I'm glad for the sake of the vendors but it dampens my experience a bit. I think the addition of the high-line has helped make the area chic and happening-the meatpacking district! Chic! But, with that said, I still like the high-line a lot. What a great idea. I just wish - rather selfishly I'll admit - it didn't attract quite so many people sometimes.
Photos are actually from two different trips, had gorgeous weather on both days.

もう日本にいないけど/"Understanding Rap"

I found this post on Cool Hunting a while ago. A site with frequent postings about design, architecture, etc. It was about this book that decodes rap lyrics by translating the words into more standard American English. I had thought that I understand rap lyrics generally but it turns out I don't...at all. Probably never noticed because I don't listen carefully. and quite honestly, all that often

Anyway, the following "translation" had me laughing.


Both images from Cool Hunting

Breathe

In the process of seeing people and packing as I belatedly informed all of my acquaintances that I am leaving in a week and it's been a rush to do everything. I feel especially bad about a few of my kids lessons as I wanted to get them some small presents. Not happening I think. In my mind, I used to bequite good at this kinds of planning things. Now everything in my apartment is a mess and I try not to let anyone in.

Anyway, spotted on Seen and Said

excerpt from The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff (apparently, I haven't read it before but looks like now would be a good time for it).

"What's this you're writing?" asked Pooh, climbing onto the writing table.
"The Tao of Pooh," I replied.
"The how of Pooh?" asked Pooh smudging one of the words I had just written.
The Tao of Pooh," I replied, poking his paw away with my pencil.
"It seems more like the ow! of Pooh," said Pooh, rubbing his paw.
"Well, it's not," I replied huffily.
"What's it about?" asked Pooh, leaning forward and smearing another word.
"It's about how to stay happy and calm under all circumstances!" I yelled.
"Have you read it?" asked Pooh.

Sorry for the picture-less posts. A bit busy to dig for photos but not too busy to procrastinate/blog-post.

South Korea

I went to Korea a few months ago and blogged a tiny bit about that. But I was struck with by a sudden memory after attempting (very briefly) to organize my books a bit. Since I hadn't planned on going to Korea, I didn't have an English guide book with me. There wasn't one in the shelves here either, (there are several Japan ones of course and one or two China ones) but none for Korea so I bought one at a bookstore here. English ones might have been available, but I figured with the proximity of the two countries and the frequency with which people from Japan frequent Korea (see previous entries on Korea), Japanese guidebooks would be more detailed anyway. More picture and photograph-filled with many more suggestions for souvenirs than one would find in typical American guidebooks. I digress though...

On the train ride to Gangnam one day to do some shopping (my trip pretty much consisted of eating and shopping) I was standing on the crowded train, trying to read my guidebook while keeping an eye out for my stop. As it was in Japanese (aforementioned), it takes quite a bit of time and effort for me to get through a page of the book and maybe I looked a bit lost because some Korean grandpas sitting opposite me asked, in Japanese if I need some help. Seeing my book, they assumed quite naturally that I was Japanese, and started asking me questions...where I was headed, if I was traveling alone, and had mini discussions amongst themselves as to which was the best stop for my needs. They appeared to be strangers but started conversing in Japanese to each other as they started one of those back-and-forths one sometimes hears in New York, where a small circle of city residents bicker over the best subway route to get to the MET from Times Square or some such. It was so friendly and surprisingly so for me, as I would have thought (cynically it appears now) that they would have been bitter about speaking this language but they were so nice and friendly in trying to help me. I think they thought I was Japanese the whole time but the Japanese mother and daughter pair behind me probably found me out as soon as I spoke more than three words. They shot me a few glances during the course of my conversation with the group of harabojis. It could have been because of the conversation itself, Japanese with Korean grandpas, rather than my Japanese but I think my accent must have contributed.

All of the lines that were crossing in this little international exchange really left an imprint on my memory. Throughout the whole trip most store people I met thought I was Japanese. Almost never Korean though...my friend suggested that it was because I dressed Japanese. Maybe. People do tend to think I am native here but that might have to do with where I am as much as general appearance.