A beginner's guide to CREAM
What is the CREAM International Festival for Arts and Media Yokohama 2009?
An international exhibition of video and other new media art to be staged in Yokohama for approximately a month from Saturday 31 October to Sunday 29 November, encompassing a range of image expression from media art to computer graphics, animation, films and photography.
What are the themes and concepts?
According to festival director Sumitomo Fumihiko (former curator, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo) the theme is indeed 'CREAM' (Creativity for Arts and Media), and the concept, 'Deep images: images as an ocean'. These days it's not simply a matter of watching the likes of TV and movies: technology in the form of digital cameras, freeview video sites and so on now gives us the opportunity to produce our own content, gradually transforming image expression from a passive to an active phenomenon. The Festival aims to offer the multiple perspectives and hitherto unnoticed latent possibilities in reality that image media provide in today's world.
The venue and exhibition setup?
There will be three venues: the Shinko Pier and BankArt Studio NYK (Yokohama Triennale venues in 2008), and the Bashamichi campus of the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media. There are also two satellite venues: Nogeyama Zoo, and the Koganecho Bazaar studio 1-1. The exhibition will consist of displays, a program of screenings, a community project, and numerous forums and events.
Why a festival dedicated to new media?
As part of Yokohama's 'creative city concept' one vision for the city's future prosperity is as a center for image culture. To date this has involved encouraging educational institutions such as the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media and companies in the image and content sectors to set up operation in Yokohama, and since 2007, running the Yokohama EIZONE digital media event. This year's CREAM will be staged in accordance with such concepts, and will also mark 150 years since the opening of the Port of Yokohama to foreign vessels. Incidentally the Graduate School of Film and New Media boasts an impressive lineup of lecturers including Kitano Takeshi, Kurosawa Kiyoshi, Sato Masahiko and Fujihata Masaki.
What will I see there?
The main venues at Shinko Pier and BankArt will feature work by video artists Fiona Tan and Alfredo Jaar, top media art practitioner Fujihata Masaki, and film director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, plus a 'film for music' by composer Yasuno Taro and installation by Khoomei throat singer Yamakawa Fuyuki. In addition, Hachiya Kazuhiko will exhibit Seeing is Believing, using a special device to display text collected from Twitter, while photographer Shiga Lieko will present her photographic works in a slideshow format.
The venue for the film program is the Tokyo University of the Arts Bashamichi campus. One undoubted highlight will be Pipilotti Rist's new full-length feature Pepperminta. This first foray into film direction for an artist distinguished by her mischievous sense of humor and vivid use of color features a pure-hearted, fearless heroine who confronts taboos and stereotypes. Note too the screenings of films in the competition that is another important feature of CREAM. The program will consist of prizewinning films from a total of 992 entries as judged by a panel including video artist Ukawa Naohiro, art director and also chief curator of the Hong Kong Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism Architecture Ou Ning of China, Asai Takashi, president of Uplink; ICC curator Shikata Yukiko, and film director Suwa Nobuhiro, as well as other much talked-about works.
And don't miss the opening event, the Teiden EXPO, featuring performances at Shinko Pier by five artist/performer units: Umeda Tetsuya, Kamimura Megumi, contact Gonzo, Neji Pijin and Horio Kanta (31 October, 1 November. For inquiries and bookings go to http://j-pai.net/teidenexpo.html).
At the Nogeyama Zoo satellite venue, new works by Izumi Taro and SHIMURABROS. have also been on display ahead of the Festival (since 29 August), while at the Koganecho Bazaar studio 1-1, Chris Chong, highly rated at international film festivals all over the world, will show a new film shot in Koganecho.
Any opportunities for the audience to take part/experience works?
As well as workshops where participants can learn how to make videos using digital cameras, this year will see the debut of Channel CREAM, a community broadcasting station screening documentary footage of local volunteers following artists as they work. The plan is to make the footage available on the official website.
International Festival for Arts and Media Yokohama official website
http://ifamy.jp/
back to index
An international exhibition of video and other new media art to be staged in Yokohama for approximately a month from Saturday 31 October to Sunday 29 November, encompassing a range of image expression from media art to computer graphics, animation, films and photography.
What are the themes and concepts?
According to festival director Sumitomo Fumihiko (former curator, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo) the theme is indeed 'CREAM' (Creativity for Arts and Media), and the concept, 'Deep images: images as an ocean'. These days it's not simply a matter of watching the likes of TV and movies: technology in the form of digital cameras, freeview video sites and so on now gives us the opportunity to produce our own content, gradually transforming image expression from a passive to an active phenomenon. The Festival aims to offer the multiple perspectives and hitherto unnoticed latent possibilities in reality that image media provide in today's world.
The venue and exhibition setup?
There will be three venues: the Shinko Pier and BankArt Studio NYK (Yokohama Triennale venues in 2008), and the Bashamichi campus of the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media. There are also two satellite venues: Nogeyama Zoo, and the Koganecho Bazaar studio 1-1. The exhibition will consist of displays, a program of screenings, a community project, and numerous forums and events.
Why a festival dedicated to new media?
As part of Yokohama's 'creative city concept' one vision for the city's future prosperity is as a center for image culture. To date this has involved encouraging educational institutions such as the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media and companies in the image and content sectors to set up operation in Yokohama, and since 2007, running the Yokohama EIZONE digital media event. This year's CREAM will be staged in accordance with such concepts, and will also mark 150 years since the opening of the Port of Yokohama to foreign vessels. Incidentally the Graduate School of Film and New Media boasts an impressive lineup of lecturers including Kitano Takeshi, Kurosawa Kiyoshi, Sato Masahiko and Fujihata Masaki.
What will I see there?
The main venues at Shinko Pier and BankArt will feature work by video artists Fiona Tan and Alfredo Jaar, top media art practitioner Fujihata Masaki, and film director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, plus a 'film for music' by composer Yasuno Taro and installation by Khoomei throat singer Yamakawa Fuyuki. In addition, Hachiya Kazuhiko will exhibit Seeing is Believing, using a special device to display text collected from Twitter, while photographer Shiga Lieko will present her photographic works in a slideshow format.
The venue for the film program is the Tokyo University of the Arts Bashamichi campus. One undoubted highlight will be Pipilotti Rist's new full-length feature Pepperminta. This first foray into film direction for an artist distinguished by her mischievous sense of humor and vivid use of color features a pure-hearted, fearless heroine who confronts taboos and stereotypes. Note too the screenings of films in the competition that is another important feature of CREAM. The program will consist of prizewinning films from a total of 992 entries as judged by a panel including video artist Ukawa Naohiro, art director and also chief curator of the Hong Kong Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism Architecture Ou Ning of China, Asai Takashi, president of Uplink; ICC curator Shikata Yukiko, and film director Suwa Nobuhiro, as well as other much talked-about works.
And don't miss the opening event, the Teiden EXPO, featuring performances at Shinko Pier by five artist/performer units: Umeda Tetsuya, Kamimura Megumi, contact Gonzo, Neji Pijin and Horio Kanta (31 October, 1 November. For inquiries and bookings go to http://j-pai.net/teidenexpo.html).
At the Nogeyama Zoo satellite venue, new works by Izumi Taro and SHIMURABROS. have also been on display ahead of the Festival (since 29 August), while at the Koganecho Bazaar studio 1-1, Chris Chong, highly rated at international film festivals all over the world, will show a new film shot in Koganecho.
Any opportunities for the audience to take part/experience works?
As well as workshops where participants can learn how to make videos using digital cameras, this year will see the debut of Channel CREAM, a community broadcasting station screening documentary footage of local volunteers following artists as they work. The plan is to make the footage available on the official website.
International Festival for Arts and Media Yokohama official website
http://ifamy.jp/
back to index
