TPAM Co-Production Meeting Program

International collaboration, where artists from different countries work together to create a piece, has actively been carried out since the 1990s and produced a number of outcomes. That led public supporting systems from unilateral application to bilateral practice, and the awareness of the meaningfulness of systems that support art beyond their communal frameworks was raised. However, “conditions,” for instance, that an artist from the country that runs the system has to participate in the project can be an obstacle to ambitions that are bigger than “learning,” so sometimes the limitations of this kind of system is criticized as being “institutional.”

On the other hand, co-production, where multiple groups support each other beyond national borders to create a piece, has recently been employed by a number of festivals and venues. Co-production is a system that is based on the creation itself much more than collaboration, but it often involves assumptions of equal economic conditions and similar cultural contexts, and it is not easy to go beyond the differences in terms of the situations of support for the arts and social systems. It has not yet been popular in Asian regions.

Aiming to tackle these problems and make international co-productions happen in Asia, we thought we should start from collecting voices of artists, who are the very players of creations.

In this meeting program, we have a session about “Asian Artist Interview” of which video recordings are exhibited and presentations by Asian artists who are going to work on / have been working on international co-productions.

2.8 Sun 10:30-13:00
Yokohama Creativecity Center (YCC) 3F
With Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation

Asian Artist Interview and Future Co-productions

TPAM has launched the “Asian Artist Interview” project as a long-term research for co-productions with a focus on Asia. This session introduces the project having the Japanese artists who were involved in it as interviewers and proposals / discussion for future co-production methodologies by performing arts practitioners. The latter half of the session explores the possibility of an international platform that can conceptually develop and offer production processes.

Speakers

 

Mikiya Ichihara (Director)
Artistic director, Nokosare Gekijo Theatre and Theatrical Center F. He started to present theatre works at Kitakyushu Performing Arts Center in 2005. In 2009, his company established a private theater in a shopping mall and developed management schemes and creations in close relationship with the local area. The innovative projects of Edamitsu Theatre Festival, for which he served as artistic director for five years, drew attention internationally. While its works were invited to international theatre festivals, it organized a number of creations for a wide range of citizens from children to old people as well as community programs. He received Kitakyushu Cultural Incentive Award for these activities in 2012. Currently also an annual advisor and lecturer for the supporter activities of Yokohama Triennale, an international contemporary art exhibition.

Photo by Yoshimi Sugawara

Masanori Okuno (Producer and production manager)
Born in 1982. Engages in planning and management for performing arts. After working at an advertising agency, as a member of precog, he planned and managed such projects and artists as Azumabashi Dance Xing, Nibroll, Mikuni Yanaihara Project, Masako Yasumoto, ASA-CHANG & Junrei, and personally produces Ho Ho-Do.

2.8 Sun 14:00-15:15
Yokohama Creativecity Center (YCC) 3F
With Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation

Artist Presentation 1: Choy Ka Fai

Ka Fai’s latest piece Soft Machine explores the genealogy of “contemporary dance” in Asia. The research for the piece has been accumulated in 13 cities in 5 countries, and 88 dance creators have been involved as interviewees. We have him talk about his current thoughts based on this project, which consisted of video recordings and documentary performances. This session is also a reflection on TPAM Co-Production, which has started with artist interviews to look for a clue to future co-productions.

Speaker

 

Choy Ka Fai (Artist)
Choy Ka Fai is an artist, performance maker and speculative designer. He is inspired by the histories and theorizations that together contain the uncertainties of the future. His research springs from a desire to understand the conditioning of the human body, its intangible memories and the forces shaping its expressions. These factors converge into complex articulations at the intersection of art, design and technology.
Ka Fai graduated in Design Interaction from the Royal College Of Art London, with the Singapore National Arts Council Overseas Scholarship, and was conferred the Singapore Young Artist Award in 2010. His works have been presented in festival, such as the 25th Tanz Im August (2013), Singapore Arts Festival (2012), Festival/Tokyo (2011), 2nd Asian Art Biennale (2009), 3rd Fukuoka Asia Art Triennale (2005). He also exhibited at institution, including the Israel Museum, Jerusalem (2012), White Chapel Gallery, London (2010), Singapore Art Museum (2009) and Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin (2005).

2.9 Mon 10:30-11:45
Yokohama Creativecity Center (YCC) 3F
With Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation

Artist Presentation 2: Democrazy Theatre Studio

Democrazy is a theater and company. The co-director of the artist collective that has a suggestive name that fuses “democracy” and “crazy,” Thanapol Virulhakul, introduces their activities including the contemporary dance piece Hipster The King that is based on observation of people’s enthusiasm for celebrities. Also, Suguru Yamamoto, the director of HANCHU-YUEI that works on Girl X in this TPAM, joins the session.

2.9 Mon 14:00-15:15
Yokohama Creativecity Center (YCC) 3F
With Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation

Artist Presentation 3: Mark Teh

Mark Teh’s practices have been responding to the political history of Malaysia. Among his works, his research on the documentations related to Malayan Communist Party — including the transcription of the Baling Talks — have continued throughout his career. He is going to present a performance based on that research at Asian Arts Theatre in Gwangju, Korea, which opens next autumn. We have him thoroughly talk about its vision and methodologies.

2.9 Mon 16:00-17:15
Yokohama Creativecity Center (YCC) 3F
With Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation

Artist Presentation 4: Eko Supriyanto

Cry Jailolo, presented in TPAM Direction, was created along with the establishment of Teluk Jailolo Festival in West Halmahera Island, Eastern part Indonesia. In this session, we have the artist talk about what made the festival take place and the premiere of the piece, in which 300 young people performed.

2.11 Wed 12:30-13:45
Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Middle Studio
With Japanese-Thai-English interpretation

Artist Presentation 5: Pichet Klunchun

Pichet Klunchun has internationally been presenting works that are created through intensive rehearsals with the company members at his studio in Bangkok. We have him talk about the creation environment. Also, in the tenth year since the premiere of Pichet Klunchun and myself, what is the contemporariness that he is thinking of now?