Being with the Place, Being with the Artwork

Acrylic aerosol paint, concrete pillar / Sublimation transfer print, polyester organza

H.2750 × W.7790 × D.1140

Photo © Shu Nakagawa

Spatial Design: Shotaro Harada (Lights Co., Ltd.), Takuya Yoshiba (STUDIO TOO)

Fabric Design Supervision: Haruka Shoji (Haruka Shoji Textile Atelier)

In the KeMCo StudI/O, located on the 8th floor of the East Annex on the Mita Campus, a certain artwork is installed. It is "FFIGURATI #314" (2020) by Enrico Isamu Oyama.

"FFIGURATI #314" is both a work of art and a fixture for a room with multiple functions and characteristics. Created as a commissioned work, this piece consists of a mural section painted with aerosol paint on the building's pillars and a curtain section featuring digital transfer prints on translucent organza fabric. In the KeMCo StudI/O, a space aimed at creative activities that traverse the physical and digital realms, discussions between the artist and the studio design team led to the concept of a variable wall (=curtain). By making this part of the artwork itself, it became possible to gently divide and connect spaces of different natures.

Oyama is an artist who develops his unique motif, Quick Turn Structure (QTS), stemming from his interest in writing culture—a cultural expression of writing names on parts of cities and subways. QTS, a motif that extracts and repeats the movement of lines characteristic of writing, is said to propel itself across a support and form its own structure. In "FFIGURATI #314," the QTS traverses two supports with different attributes and materials: the hard, immovable building pillars and the soft, movable curtains. In relation to these supports and depending on the state of the space, they incorporate surrounding elements such as light reflections and air vibrations, showing various expressions that are sometimes clear and sometimes flickering. At certain moments, they even evoke the presence of something inhabiting the studio.

Until now, this work has been open to the public during "KeMCo StudI/O Open Days" held in conjunction with exhibitions and events. This autumn, an exhibition of Enrico Isamu Oyama's work (October 17 – December 16) will be held at KeMCo. How will the self-structuring QTS develop within the space of KeMCo? Please look forward to it.

(Shiho Hasegawa, Staff Member, Keio Museum Commons)