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NEWSCHIM↑POMPEOPLE

2011.6.1

PEOPLE

HAPPENING

6THINGS

1

Text: Yuko Miyakoshi

Revolutionist of the contemporary art?
Chim↑Pom was formed in 2005 with 6 artists. Since the start, they created works involvingsocial issues such as “Thank You Celeb Project I’m BOKAN” that exploded luxury
designers’ brand bags and plaster figure busts in Cambodia, and “Making the sky ofHiroshima ‘PIKA!'” which they drew a word “PIKA” by airplane in Hiroshima. The works
have gained a high reputation and they have been invited to both national andPLACETRAVELinternational exhibitions, such as 29th Sao Paulo Art Biannial, also Asian Art Award in 2010as Japanese representative.

Chim↑Pom member Photo: Hiroyuki Matsukage
Ryuta Ushiro, Ellie, Yasutaka Hayashi, Toshinori Mizuno, Motomu Inaoka and Masataka Okada (Clockwise fromthe right bottom)

Their solo exhibition “REAL TIMES” includes their performance at Shibuya Station featuring
Taro Okamoto’s “Myth of Tomorrow”, that reminds of Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant.

SHIFT interviewed Ryuta Ushiro and Masataka Okada.
Please introduce the exhibited works.

‘Never give up!’ (2011)© Chim↑Pom

Photo: Kei Miyajima Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, TokyoUshiro: Since our artworks created in Hiroshima, we’ve been associated with Sunao
Tsuboi, representative member of the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers

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Organization. We realized the importance of looking back at Hiroshima now after the East
Japan Earthquake on 3.11 and the accident of nuclear power plant followed. “Never GiveUp” is Tsuboi’s motto he keeps saying over the past 50 years on his book or at talk-shows
as well. It’s a message for himself who survived critical conditions 3 times, a message
aiming to abolish the nuclear weapons, and a strong wish for Hiroshima’s recovery, which

Shift Mag Japan@shift_en[Till tomorrow] Group Exhibition “WILD”

bit.ly/2F1px8C The common thing among thewho are all active in different ﬁelds is that they
are “lone designers”.

we thought could apply to today’s situation. We asked Tsuboi to write it down and send byfacsimile and placed it in a frame found abandoned in Soma City, Fukushima.

Embed‘Japanese Dog’ (2011) © Chim↑Pom
Photo: Kei Miyajima Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, Tokyo

Ushiro: “Japanese Dog” is a photographic work by Mizuno and Inaoka, taken in Soma City
right after the quake. They reached the affected area through volunteer and otheractivities on their way. In front of a demolished house, they found an abandoned dog, thatapparently used to be domestic. The dog stared at them for attention and started walking
away inside the house. When they followed, they found a companion dog, blessed, laying
on a mattress. The photo captured them.

View on‘Japanese Dog’ (2011)© Chim↑Pom

Photo: Kei Miyajima Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, Tokyo

Ushiro: We placed the photo in a frame collected in Natori City, Miyagi. We also created
one with a drowned cow body, another with a cat standing still, to make all 3 into a seriesof work.

“For me, producin
an installation art
and making a vesse
are the same”

Daisuke Takat

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Newsletter !
(Every two weeks)Enter Your E-mail AddressJoin‘Radiated Flowers -Harmony-‘ (2011) © Chim↑PomPhoto: Kei Miyajima Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, TokyoUshiro: “Radiated Flowers -Harmony-” is a collaborative work with Junichi Kakizaki, flower
artist. We collected flowers and plants in 30 km radius from the power plant, using thegeiger counter to make sure they were clean. Then Kakizaki transformed them intoIkebana. The situation is crucial but this is the time when people need the beauty. We
chose flowers as a symbol of the beauty of life. Plants cannot run away from the disaster.
They stay there and follow their fate. The work is to show the contrast between flowers’
remaining beauty and the human beings, who are troubled with the problems they causedon their own.

Remove‘100 KIAI’ (2011)© Chim↑Pom

Ushiro: “100 KIAI” is a video work filming the youngsters we got to know in Soma City,Fukushima. Located closed to the power plant, Soma had less volunteer rescuers
compared to other affected areas. Soma citizens are self-rescuing victims. They havefeelings of both sadness and cheerfulness. We filmed whatever their message was, from“Let’s survive” to “I want a girlfriend”, which was done in a completely improvisationalway.

‘Level 7 feat. Myth of Tomorrow’ (2011) © Chim↑PomPhoto: Kei Miyajima Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, Tokyo*On May 1, 2011, it was scandalously reported that Chim↑Pom added to Taro Okamoto’s“Myth of Tomorrow” at Shibuya Station a piece reminding the nuclear power plant
accident. The show exhibits the original panel piece added during the performance.

Is the work to show a succession of Okamoto’s work or a homage to the artist?
Ushiro: “Myth of Tomorrow” is a nationaly-famous public art. What’s important when
producing and exhibiting outdoor is if the work can simply entertain the viewers, not theway art appreciators appreciate. The work is not about our feeling for Okamoto norcollaboration, but consists of “Level 7 and Myth of Tomorrow”.
Okada: We get more direct feed-backs outside than inside galleries.
Ushiro: The work is titled “Level 7 feat. Myth of Tomorrow”. It is not remixed, collaged,

sampled, nor collaborated but literally a featured work. We can say the Level 7 chose tofeature Myth of Tomorrow. We don’t think so far there has been such featured style ofartwork, which we like very much.
How do you get inspired?
Ushiro: Most of our meetings take place in Shibuya, and the idea hit us when we werewatching “Myth of tomorrow”. It is a “chronicle of atomic bombs” referring to Hiroshima,Nagasaki, and Daigo Fukuryumaru. And now Fukushima… we saw an empty corner on thedrawing which ends with the sea…why not add Fukushima Power Plant there… that’s how
the idea got its shape.
Looking at this incident along with chronicle is crucial. Even with the lessons we learned
during the 20th century from the thread of the atomic bombs, we count on nuclear energy
in the 21st century. The work implies t the “Myth” of safe nuclear power plant has blinded
Japan that was once nuclear victim during the 20 century, and become exposed again in
21st century. We generalized that following the art history.
When did you install the work?
Ushiro: Between 21-22h.
There must have been many observers at the site.
USHIRO: Of course. We placed the panel against the wall, hanging a part on the acrylic
protective wall with weak adhesive masking tape behind the panel.
We prepared well and made it through very well and didn’t take much time.

‘REAL TIMES’ (2011)© Chim↑Pom

Ushiro: There is an observatory which now closed inside Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant
property . We shot this photo before it became closed. It is a video work filming a 40
minute walk from the entrance to the observatory. The title is “TIMES” referring to thatfamous journal: more specifically, REAL TIMES that reports now. From the observatory, wecould see the demolished and smoking buildings and the contaminated Pacific Ocean. We
took out a white flag, to which we first added red circle to make a national flag and thenlogo of nuclear power plant. We couldn’t understand why even the media no longer cut
into the area ever since the evacuation order. Even so, there are still people working in theplant. The media keep sending out the same image filmed from 30 km away from theplace. We wanted to know what was exactly going on there.
Having these experiences changed the work list of this exhibition. The building we added
to Okamoto’s work are actually something we saw with our own eyes and not something
we saw on TV.

‘Without SAY GOODBYE’ (2011) © Chim↑PomPhoto: Kei Miyajima Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, TokyoUshiro: “Without SAY GOODBYE” is a work we presented in the middle of the field closest
to the power plant, with a scarecrow wearing protective clothing and a gas mask.
Okada: In the area there is scarcely any one but the employees of the plant wearing
protective cloths, conceivably ready to die.

Ushiro: We built the scarecrow to pay homage to them. The field is contaminated, nolonger can get harvested, but still needs to be protected from something. The scarecrow
has a mission of guardian and might stay there for next 10 years.
Okada: A victim of the incident with the mission in hand.
Ushiro: The title “Without Say Goodbye” is literally fading away without saying goodbye.
Okada: “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” is a written work done on the tent site. It is
originally a song written by AD/DC, and is also a name of the dirty technique that a villaincharacter called Stand from “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” has. It is literally describing thecurrent plant situation and we repeatedly wrote that.

‘Libido-Electricity Conversion Machine “EROKITEL” third and practical version “KIBOU”‘ (2011)© Chim↑Pom

Photo: Kei Miyajima Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, TokyoUshiro: This is the third generation “EROKITEL”, which is the device we invented a longtime ago. People say that the petroleum will extinguish and clean energy should take over.
We thought making use of the sexual desire instead, which has extraordinary potential.
We put a 3-line ad on a sports tabloid “Chixxx Pom EROKITEL” with mobile phone numberand we do get phone-calls. The device is connected to the mobile, and when it receives acall, it lights up the device.

The first generation was with a normal electric bulb, and the second one installed in the US
with a device that lit up by a thunder. Due to the power plant incident and the power cut
caused, we improved the third generation for home use and named “Hope”. This latest
one lights up the room 20% brighter.
Which is the work you put the most effort on?
Ushiro: All of them. Tsuboi’s “Never Give Up” is one. “Japanese Dog” is exhibited at acharity show organized by Japan Art Donation. Each of the works has meanings.

‘BLACK OF DEATH’ (2007)© Chim↑Pom

Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, Tokyo

How did the earthquake affect the way you work?
Ushiro: We’ve already done away-artworks in Hiroshima and in Cambodia. We also did aperformance gathering crows in Shibuya, which was then edited and presented at agallery. The basics of how we work haven’t changed.

‘Making the sky of Hiroshima ‘PIKA!” (2008) © Chim↑Pom
Photo: Cactus Nakao Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, Tokyo

But one thing that is surely changed is that we all became a part of this big social issue.
Assumably one day in the future we will be questioned regarding what we did as artist ofthe time. From society to its thought, even from the past to the future, all eyes are on us.
This applies not only to us, but to every single Japanese citizen.
Most tend to think that your works are with strong messages.
Ushiro: Social issues exist in the reality and we are just witness of them. All we do is taking
off the filter that keeps you away from facing those issues which can be easily ignored. We
are not appealing any messages or directions but basically just reflecting the reality. The
show is titled “REAL TIMES” simply because we like something real. We see real, feel realand express real. That’s all.

Okada: Sometimes people misread and make up messages.
Ushiro: Of course there is criticism. But is it for us as creator or for the society itself
through our work? For example, “SUPER RAT” has been criticized by animal rights groups.
But the reality is that hundreds of rats are killed every day. We are attacked as an iconpresenting that unseen reality.

‘SUPER RAT’ (2006)© Chim↑Pom

Courtesy of Mujin-to Production, Tokyo
Stuffed rats captured in Shibuya Center-Gai, imitating Pikachu

You also have many video works.
Ushiro: A video camera is nothing but one of the mediums. We do sculpture, photograph,or paint. It all depends what we want to express and where we want to reach. Taking
photos as if you paint on a canvas gives a journalistic touch when presenting actualities.
We want to reach out for things that are regarded as untouchable and present them in aninteresting way of expression.
What are your upcoming plans?
Ushiro: In Japan, there are not many artists who do things like we do. It was when werealized we were a rare case that we started being invited abroad. Out there, there areartists who do alike. We hope this will become a worldwide interesting movement. In any
case, we will keep eyes wide open and try new and interesting things.
Do you think of moving abroad?
Ushiro: Since the beginning, our inspirations come from what we live. We were born andraised in Shibuya and love to create in Shibuya. What’s needed is being in Japan andconnected to the world.
What are your upcoming projects?
Ushiro: “REAL TIMES” will tour in Osaka in June. In September, we will present anothersolo exhibition at Mujin-to Production, where we would also like to launch self-produced
projects. Please check the latest news on Mujinto’s website.
Chim↑Pom “REAL TIMES”
Date: May 20th – 25th, 2011
Place: Mujin-to Production
Address: 1F Matanabe Bld., 2-12-6 Miyoshi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6458-8225
Addmition: 500 yen (A part of the admission will be donated to the quake victims)
http://chimpom.jp
Text: Yuko Miyakoshi
Translation: Ayako Ishii
TOKYO

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