Kenichi Obana + Toshiaki Ishikura Tamagawa Geontography

Chofu City Cultural Center

Finished

Artists

Kenichi Obana, Toshiaki Ishikura

Based on the history of the land and the memories of individuals living there, artist Kenichi Obana and anthropologist Toshiaki Ishikura, after a year of research in Chofu, express a narrative where fiction and reality intertwine. Their theme is the "Tama River," examining the relationship between people and nature and portraying a new story of Chofu.

The Tama River, which serves as a familiar place of relaxation for us and has been the creative source for the cultural industries of movies and manga in the Chofu vicinity, is explored. With sedimentation of sand and driftwood flowing down from upstream, various histories and cultures have flourished along the Tama River, encompassing the Nogawa and Sengawa rivers in its water system.

Using research methods such as data collection and fieldwork, Obana and Ishikura capture the target area through various fields, including nature, geography, history, and folklore. They collect the memories of people currently living here and the unnoticed memories of small groups and individuals not recorded in history, expressing them through drawing and sculpture. After a year of research and interviews with the citizens of Chofu for this exhibition, they focus on the "river" in Chofu and the activities of people and changes in the landscape originating from it.

Rivers, while continuing to flow beyond the boundaries of eras and lands, have also been perceived as boundaries themselves that separate life/death and sacred/secular. From the river's perspective, this exhibition examines the relationship between the people and nature of Chofu, painting a new narrative for the city.

Schedule

Jan 26 (Fri) 2024-Apr 21 (Sun) 2024