About this project
What is your most quintessential memory of a ‘Japanese’ experience? Or if you've never been to Japan, what can you imagine it being?
The project will be open the whole time I'm in
Japan making work in relation to this project. Updates on the project as it's happening will be posted via twitter @senseofplaceLAB and on the project website: www.senseofplaceLAB
Public Interactive Project
This project uses the platform of Kickstarter to
create art based on public interaction. This project will document my
experience of Japan for the first time via your suggestions of ‘sense of
place’ moments. Every Kickstarter backer can contribute to my experience of Japan: places to go, food to eat, people to meet,
art
and architecture to see etc. Anything you can imagine when remembering or imagining what is 'Japan'.
Over the 5 weeks I'm in Japan - from October 9 to November 12 - I will be documenting your contributions, which will become a self-published book.
Photography Book
The book is titled Honoring Japan’s ‘sense of place’ - An Artistic Investigation via Suggestion, and it focuses on artistic research into
Japan’s ‘sense of place’. The
photographs, collages and other works produced from this project will become a
publication on return to the U.S.
~
This is an important project to me - started on 3.11 in
response to the Tsunami in Japan. It investigates the ‘sense of place’ of
Japan: How has it changed? What is lost and what remains. Work is created
through photographing experiences based on public contributions to the question
“what is a quintessentially Japanese experience?”
I’m working towards receiving many backers in order to create a large body of work. Financial support will go towards the trip expenses, and work produced will be turned into a book. There will also be a postcard series as part of another project but based on work created with proceeds going to Japan Relief Fund as part of another project. There are also art ‘rewards’ such as found objects and handmade postcards sent to you from Japan, as well as being fully acknowledged in the book, next to my photograph of your ‘sense of place’ moment.
How You Can Become Involved
I would love to have your contribution, and it could take any
or all of the following forms:
1. Send me any thought you have about Japan; this could be something or someone that you think seems like an essence of Japan. Even if you're never been, send me what you imagine a quintessential Japanese experience would be. Your contributions will be visualized via my photography throughout my 5 weeks there. The work will become a self-published book; Honoring Japan's 'sense of place': An Artistic Investigation via Suggestion. Send your contributions to be visualized to: laurie@senseofplaceLAB.com
2. Contribute financially to the project. Via this website: http://kck.st/oNQOcH. Backers receive 'rewards' in the form of found objects, handmade postcards and a copy of the book.
3. Send the info about this project to anyone you think might be interested in participating or supporting a public art project.
The itinerary [so far].Oct. 9
SFO > 2 days in Tokyo [meet local photographer and walk through city taking
pictures] > Sapporo [1 week working on self-sustainable farm] > Minami
Alps [1 week working on orchard farm near Mt. Fuji] > Kyoto [3-day Vipassana
meditation retreat + textile mills and meet Haiku poets] > Nagaskai [work in
organic bakery for 3 days] > Yokohama [meet woman working on art for people
at risk project] > Fukoshima [meet woman that runs pottery studio] >
Tokyo [meet up with several friends of friends] > SFO Nov. 12
FAQ
-
Step 1. Contribute to the project via kickstarter backing, and share this project with other people that might be interested.
Step 2. Send me your quintessential experience of Japan via e-mail: laurie@senseofplaceLAB.com. Please be specific about what it is and how I can experience it for you and document it.
Step 3. I will go to Japan for 5 weeks [Oct. 9 to Nov.12], where I document suggestions by contributors to the project via photography and collage. I'll be making art, which will go to you as rewards.
Step 4. This work will culminate in a book titled: "Honoring Japan's 'sense of place' - An Artistic Investigation via Suggestion" as well as a postcard series and other art. You will be acknowledged in the book as well as in all other materials.
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
18
Backers
$501
pledged of $500 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on November 12.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
Your name will be included on the donor page as a Pocky donor in the publication as your support is much appreciated.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
You will receive a special found object [non-tourist item] from Japan, as well as being included in the donor page as a Harajuku Girl donor.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
You will receive a handmade postcard from Japan, and as well as being included in the donor page as an Maple Leaf donor.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
A limited edition autographed copy of the book; “Honoring Japan’s ‘sense of place’. An Artistic Investigation via Suggestion”, as well as being included in the donor page as a Samurai donor.
Project By
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I’m an artist working with the concept of ‘sense of place’, and have created many socially based public art projects in the U.S. and in Europe over the past fifteen years. My work investigates ‘place’ from many perspectives: in relation to art, architecture, design, urban planning, language and through a relation to the physical and psychological. I use a lot of photography in my projects, as well as many other mediums.
I moved to San Francisco in 2007 from Rotterdam where I had been living for 5 years [and 10 years in NYC before that]. I started an organization called senseofplace LAB here in 2008. It focuses on community workshops about place, which lead to the community-led design of functional public art pieces.
I’ve always had a strong affinity for Japan, and am very excited to be experiencing it for the first time this Fall. I plan to travel all over the country by train for five weeks: from Tokyo to Sapporo, to Kyoto, then Nagasaki and then back to Tokyo. Some of my ‘own’ experiences that I'm planning are to be at a meditation retreat in Kyoto, farming with several Japanese families. I will also be documenting what Japanese people there think are their own moments that define the ‘sense of place’ of Japan.
Please send your suggestions to laurie@senseofplaceLAB.com. I would also be happy to answer any questions at this address as well.
