SurrealiTEA/AbsurdiTEA@ Kinosaki, Japan
PopUp Wonders @ Kinosaki International Arts Centre, JapanYumi and collaborator, a visual artist Riza Manalo undertook an intensive two-week residency at Kinosaki International Art Centre, to explore the metaphor of reflection in relation to nature, personal rituals, symbolic objects and the production of ephemeral spaces. ‘Pop-up Wonders’ examined and responded to the history of Kinosaki’s natural healing waters/hot springs, man-made tourist attractions and visitors social activities. With invited Japanese and Australian artists, the pop-up mobile spaces were explored the relationship of objects to movement,personal narratives, tea ceremony and cultural experiences. They have also conducted an artist talk where they provided insight into their individual practice and also discuss their artistic engagement, approaches and inspiration throughout our residency in Kinosaki.
Invited artists: Adam Hatsu-Shin(Tea Artists from Australia) , Kyoko Hirobe(Voice Artists from Tokyo), and Hisako Tsuzuku(Calligrapher from Hyogo)
Photo by Ivan Kovac, Yuichiro Yoshida(Kinosaki International Arts Centre), Igaki Photo Studio
ちょっと変なもの something odd ちょっとズレたもの something not fitted in ちょっとはみ出たもの something not matching ちょっと歪んだもの something bend ちょっと欠けたもの something missing or broken ちょっと見捨てられたもの something abandoned そんなワクワクと、とびだす不思議を探すエクスペリメント Experiment for seeking the excitement and ‘pop-up wonders’.
Pop-Up Wonders@Kinosaki
Two-week residency at Kinosaki International Arts Centre, with visual artis Riza Manalo and invited local and international artists, to explore the metaphor of reflection in relation to nature, personal rituals, symbolic objects and the production of ephemeral spaces. ‘Pop-up Wonders’ has examined and responded to the history of Kinosaki’s natural healing waters, man-made tourist attractions and visitors social activities.The pop up mobile space explored the relationship of objects to movement, new media technology, personal narratives and cultural experiences.
Performance by Riza Manalo and Yumi Umiumare, Adam Hatsu-Shin, Kyoko Hirobe
Photo by Ivan Kovac, Yuichiro Yoshida(Kinosaki International Arts Centre), Igaki Photo Studio
PhysicaliTEA
PopUpTearoom @ Lucy Guerin Studio
PhysicaliTEA
Yumi was working with Adam Hatsu-Shin, her teacher for tea ceremony, and her collaborator as a performing artist.They had one-week residency at Lucy Guerin studio, inviting 16 artists including dancers, videographers, Ikebana artist and Zen monk and many others. They have had several durational improvisations combining rituals of tea ceremony, physical expression of Butoh and dance.
Some participants have also joined to the improvisation and shared the feedbacks.
Quotes from the participants
“..suspended state of gratitude. The experience made me feel calm, inquisitive, slower somehow..”
"Movement freedom contrasted clarity of ceremony..After feel great respect everyday life + the unexpected"
“The intensity of sensation. Sweet bitter edging on my bones.”
CreativiTEA
PopUpTearoom @ Multicultural Art Victoria CreativeTEA The second experimental process of PopUpTearoom series, continuing to collaborate with a visual artist Riza Manalo. Small number of audience mainly from arts industries were invited to experience the tearoom in an atypical office setting of Multicultural Arts Victoria, to share simple dialogue about ‘creativity’.
Some quotes from the participants
“..a transitional experience- crossing boundaries- shifting from modern world of stress, panic…The simple structure but a haven of tranquility in the ‘battlefield’ of the office .”
“My chest is light and my breath affected I’ve just been in a magic world-like when I was small and reality was transformed in a game, in church, in pictures, in art, and it was magical and profound and I wanted to live there. I have been inside an ancient world, where every tiny detail matters, and there is a relationship with beauty in the smallest things. This is deeply moving. When she tapped the bowl twice, tears came. I can’t say why-because when things really matter, when there is gentleness and respect and beauty in little things, something opens up- perhaps meaning. A place to stop and reflect- away from the intense”tea” of everyday life.”
“…It became very clear that there was no difference between the surreal-ness surrealiTEA of the created world outside in the office and the created world in the chashitsu(tearoom). The meditation is: which one tastes like the rapture of being alive.”
Photo by NObu
AuthenticiTEA/DeformiTEA
PopUpTearoom @ Multicultural Arts Victoria AuthenticiTEA/DeformiTEA
Through the fellowship from Australia Council, this was the first experimental process of Yumi's pop-up tearoom series, collaborating with a visual artist Riza Manalo. The audiences were invited to experience tearoom in an atypical office setting of Multicultural Arts Victoria.
Inspired by the Japanese notion of ‘ma’ (space) and rituals of tea ceremony, visitors are invited to harness the simple rituals in silence and embrace deeper narratives in an atypical office setting.
Photo by Riza Manalo and Yumi Umiumare
