Rica Takashima's Et Cetera : December 2024

Something that is ordinary to one person can be a strange practice to others. At the same time, that strange practice can be exciting to yet another. Rica wants to express the differences between cultures as something fun and exciting, rather than as creating conflict and friction.

In 1995, Rica started drawing the semi-autobiographical Manga portraying everyday lives of lesbians, in Japan’s premier lesbian magazine at that time. She struggled with her sexuality since her young age, but there were no movies/novels with themed positive lesbian stories even in 1980s. Her questions towards traditional Japanese patriarchal family values and discrimination against LGBT motivated her to start to draw conceptual Manga to public. Her project Manga book was published in 2003 and 2012 in English and Japanese, and Italian version in 2011. After she immigrated to the US with her family in 2008, she collaborates her work with Pride March, NewFEST LGBT film festival, and other diverse organizations.

She also created manga illustrations of We Can Do It! series, which encourages women in diversity.

Manga sculpture, El Barrio Comes All Colors, Shapes and Sizes was funded by Flow15, Randall’s Island park alliance, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, and Made Event 2015

Rica, Miho and Meechan Cat was awarded as Demystifying NFTs by Technology Gap and New York Foundation for the Arts, 2022

Her interactive public installation Aliens in New York has been supported by New York Foundation for the Arts since 2013 which Rica started in Tokyo Harajuku open street since 1994.(The name at the time was Aozora Art/Blue Sky Art)

*****

Aozora Art: Blue Sky Art 30th Anniversary!（Peek-a-boo Art project）

2024 is the 30th anniversary of Aozora Art(Blue Sky Art/ Peek-a-boo Art project）, which started in August 1994.

Is this really art? I started this interactive art project with the participation of passersby, although I was wondering if it was art or not.

It is an art project that asks not art fans but “passers-by” questions such as what family is, what marriage is, and what gender is. The name “social practice” is now attached to this genre of art project.

If you were something/someone other than yourself, how would you feel and how would things be different from the way you are now? It is a basic concept form that invites people to imagine this.

This year, in celebration of its 30th anniversary, I will hold “Who is Miura? part 2”. “Who is Miura?” is a legendary work that Miura fans went crazy for at the Aomori Museum of Art in 2000.

I will be able to tell you more soon♪

Photo: August 28, 1994

This is the Harajuku pedestrian street, Aozora Art(Blue Sky Art/ Peek-a-boo Art project）, for the second time, maybe.

I remember we held the first season of the art project at Omotesando side of Harajuku.

The artist asked passersby to “Create your ideal family, and get a commemorative photo!” Participants choosed their favorite family members on a family sheet, and a “Peek-a-boo board” to match each family member. Then, we took their family photo with an instant film camera. The participant was asked to sign the photo as a family member on the spot. One photo is given away and one was kept to us for preservation.

This “family menber” was almost a replica of the actual composition of grandparents, parents, and sisters. And they actually took a picture of them with their faces out of that roll's Peek-a-boo boards.

Here are some photos of the Aozora Art(Blue Sky Art/ Peek-a-boo Art project）series, mainly since I came to NYC. Please take a look, thank you!

https://www.nyfa.org/fiscal-sponsorship/project-directory/view-project/?id=RT1194

You can download a pamphlet about Aozora Art(Blue Sky Art/ Peek-a-boo Art project） here, so please take a look.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/w3j2c39wrpcahqjeswsuk/RICA_Takashima3.6.pdf?rlkey=a4e3ahtvb4ek5av2angepa43j&st=0z9uajp5&dl=0

1994年の8月に始めたあおぞらアートの３０周年になりました。

これってはたしてアートなのか？と自分でもわからず始めた通行人参加型のインタラクティブアート。

家族とは何か、婚姻とは何か、性別とは何か、などをアートファンではなく「通りすがりの人」に問いかけるアート。今ではソーシャルプラクティスという名前もこのジャンルのアートについた。

自分が自分以外の何者かになったら、どう感じたりどんなふうに今とは違うことがあるのか。それを想像してもらうアートです。

今年は３０周年記念に青森県立美術館での名作「みうらさん？」（2000）の第二弾ができそうです♪近々お伝えできると思います。

1994年８月２８日

この家族写真は原宿歩行者天国　あおぞらアート、2回目かな？？

この日も晴れ。最初は表参道でやっていたっけなあ。

アーティストは「あなたにとって理想の家族を作ってみよう」と通行人に問いかける。参加者は、家族シートに好きな家族構成とそれぞれの家族メンバーに合わせた顔出しくんを選ぶ。そして家族写真を撮る。インスタントカメラで撮ってその場で参加者には家族としての証明サインをしてもらう。一枚は差し上げて、一枚はこちらで保存用にした。

この「家族」は、ほぼ実際の祖父母、両親、姉妹の構成をなぞらえていた。そして実際にそのロールの顔出しくんから顔を出して撮影した。

↓ここに主にNYCに来てからの顔出しくんプロジェクトの写真があります。みてね。

https://www.nyfa.org/fiscal-sponsorship/project-directory/view-project/?id=RT1194

↓ここにあおぞらアートについてのパンフレットがダウンロードできるのでぜひ観て下さいね。

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/w3j2c39wrpcahqjeswsuk/RICA_Takashima3.6.pdf?rlkey=a4e3ahtvb4ek5av2angepa43j&st=0z9uajp5&dl=0

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Second Annual Astoria Local Artists Showcase

Participating in group show at

Second Annual Astoria Local Artists Showcase

Astoria Art center

2702 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria, NY

I’ll be at opening reception 7th, 6-9pm

Please come by!

It is a nice gallery that recently opened.

December 7-23

Wed - Thu : 1-6pm

Fri - Sat : 1- 8pm

Sun : 1-5pm

Please DM me when you come to the place. I’ll try to be there!

Let’s have some tea and nice talking together♪

地元アストリアでのグループ展に参加します。

最近オープンした素敵なギャラリーです。

来れそうな時は連絡してね。一緒にイエメンコーヒー飲んでお話ししましょ♪