'Imin' at Kitakyushu Biennale 2009 and Haafu night.

I will participate in the opening symposium of the second Kiyakyushu Biennale which opens October 11 and runs for one month at Gallery SOAP in Kitakyushu city. The theme of the biennale is 'Imin' - Immigration, although widened to include aspects such as exiles, expatriates etc - a topic which rarely if ever gets a look in at art exhibitions and events in Japan. Sociologist and professor at Tokyo Geidai Yoshitaka Mouri has invited art critic Noi Sawaragi and myself for the opening symposium which takes place from 5pm at Gallery SOAP on Oct 11. Yoshi aksed me to touch on my recent citizenship change experience and engage with the issue of non-Japanese in the Japanese art scene. I am also very interested to share a platform with Sawaragi Noi, one of the more active and interesting (but unfortunately not-translated into English) art critics and writers from Japan. It will be the first time I speak publicly as a Japanese citizen!

The Kitakyushu Biennale is organised by artists and members of Gallery SOAP, an alternative space, cafe and music venue, and tends to take a uniquely critical direction, pondering social issues such as poverty and the post-industrial realities of the Kitakyushu region and this year the topical issue of foreign workers, migrants, exiles and expatriates.

On a related note this Saturday 19th September sees a talk event called 'Being in Between Two Worlds' organised by the the hafu project at Las Chicas, Aoyama, Tokyo.

Comments

[亜 真里男]

「Yoshi aksed me to touch on my recent citizenship change experience and engage with the issue of non-Japanese in the Japanese art scene. 」

Splendid project, Roger. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu....
Gambatte ne :-)

[koseki]

What was it like? Your hot report will be pretty appreciated.Thank you.