越後妻有大地藝術祭 2012 小蛇隊義工招募 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2012 Kohebi-tai Volunteer Recruitment

小蛇隊義工
Be our volunteer, Join the Kohebi-tai!

香港的義工團隊於2006年開始參與第三屆越後妻有大地藝術祭。十五位來自香港大學的大學生及從日本城市來的年輕人，組成「小蛇隊」與農村裡的老人家走在一起，創造出近300件充滿當地風土人情的藝術作品，來迎接這三年一度的盛事。義工在大會的指導下，從事清理、木工及美勞等工作，這些活動促成各類的溝通，令當地的居民，旅客和義工在美不勝收的米田上打成一片。工作過後泡浸溫泉和晚上的經驗分享則為每一天畫上一個完美又充實的句號。

我們期待2012年可以有更多香港的義工一起參與，有興趣參與的人士請盡快與我們聯絡 !

The Hong Kong volunteers began to participate in the 3rd Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2006. Fifteen volunteers from the University of Hong Kong and students from urban Japan form a team known as “Kohebi-tai” (little shrimp gang) participated in the making of over 300 artworks. Volunteers were assigned a variety of tasks from simple clean-up, carpentry to fulfilling all sorts of creative ideas from artists and local residents. A day's work was usually summarized with a trip to hot spring and a night of sharing different experiences.

As our volunteer base continues to increase and strengthen over the years, we have begun recruiting volunteers for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2012. Please contact us as soon as possible for more information.

Application Form, please download here:
請在這裡下載活動申請表：http://senseart.hk/download/ET2012_Volunteer_Recruitment_201203.pdf

Important information

Due to limited accommodation space, priority will be given to those who can commit for the whole period of the said programme. Please indicate your preference below:

□ 1. Volunteer Period One - July 8* – July 29, 2012
□ 2. Volunteer Period Two - July 22* – July 29, 2012
□ Optional Complimentary Bus Tour for volunteers only: 30-31** July, 2012

* Meeting Time & Place: 6:30pm - Tokkamachi Train Station 十日町駅 (新潟県十日町市 Tokkamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, for more details on how to access the place, please refer tohttp://www.tokamachishikankou.jp/en/09.php)

** There will be NO accommodation provided after 1 August 2012.

Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial 2012 - Open Call for Artists to Participate

Start Date	15th Aug 2011 9:00am
End Date	31st Aug 2011 5:00pm http://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/2012kobo/eng/index.html
Description	Seeking artists whose artworks make the best use of history and culture of Echigo-Tsumari or a proposal for event/program that has the power to inspire or raise awareness of Echigo-Tsumari internationally. Ａ：Artwork in villages（nature・terraced rice field・"satoyama" ・abandoned houses） Ｂ：Artwork in shopping street（abandoned shops、small lanes） Ｃ：Event / Performance Ｄ：Other genre Enquiries: Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale - 2012 Open Call Proposals c/o Art Front Gallery, Hillside Terrace A, 29-18 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0033 Japan FAX 03－3476-4874 e-mail: tsumari-proposal@artfront.co.jp

A letter to everyone who had been a part of Echigo-Tsumari

We would like to share a letter from Japan

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To everyone who had been a part of Echigo-Tsumari,

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the messages of concern and support that we have received since the earthquake and tsunami which struck northern Japan on 11 March 2011. This enormous natural disaster, of a power unprecedented in our modern history, has triggered a cascade of secondary destructive events, in particular numerous large aftershocks, and the ongoing crisis at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. Echigo-Tsumari was not spared. A powerful aftershock (M6.7) struck Echigo-Tsumari in the early morning of 12 March 2011. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the current situation in Japan and our plan for how to respond to this disaster.

The human toll has been severe. At time of writing, the number of confirmed dead is over 10,000, with close to 20,000 missing people still unaccounted for. Over 400,000 people are taking shelter in evacuation centres and are dependent on relief supplies. A vast swathe of the north-eastern coastline of Japan has been subject to catastrophic damage, and reconstruction is expected to take many years. The situation at the nuclear reactor in Fukushima is serious and remains precarious, and people living within a 30-kilometer radius have been advised to evacuate, while much of the agricultural produce from the area has been withdrawn from market due to health fears. Much of eastern Japan, including Tokyo, is subject to rationing of power, fuel, and some products.

This winter had already been difficult, with unusually heavy snowfalls in Echigo-Tsumari. Damage from the earthquake has brought further challenges. However, the current situation has reminded us of the importance of the core principal of our project - “human beings as part of nature” and we are undertaking the following actions in these circumstances:

1. A thorough assessment of the damage to the buildings and artworks of Echigo-Tsumari, and devising a restoration plan, in close consultation with the local government and artists.
2. Provide assistance and support to those directly affected within the local community.
3. Provide accommodation to people displaced by the disaster. In keeping with our focus as an arts organization with local roots, we are particularly focused on those who are connected to the area or through art networks.

With sincere thanks for the encouragement from all our friends around the world.

Sincerely yours,

Fram Kitagawa

General Director

Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial

Recent updates : Hi from Shodoshima :)

This is my 6th day on Shodoshima, today is almost 35 degree c and everybody is working so hard under the big big sun. We have 14 volunteers as of today in our group. What our first task here was cleaning the dormitory, we tried to empty the biggest room (former gym hall) and to convert it into a common area for everybody, we dine together on the table, have meeting together, play and chit-chat at night and most importantly work so hard altogether in this small area.

We have been doing the mini Chinese Music concerts and tea class everyday at 1:45pm and 2:20pm respectively. As there will be a seminar featuring all Asian artists groups working on Shodosihma on 21 Aug and a Chinese Music concert right after the seminar. Starting from today, we encouraged our musicians to give small music jamming session ( petit concert) in Wang san's bamboo pavilion at 2:30pm for 20 mins. Today's response of the visitors were very positive and some of them were very impressed on what we have been doing these days. We have 40 audiences and this is in fact the weekend visitor rates when we were doing it in the cafe (see photos).

As we have noticed that there are not lack of information of our artworks in the official booklet/ maps, so we made a little route map, putting all our artworks and our events and hanged it in the bamboo pavilion as well ( as we have a small corner there, originally we only sell drinks, yet we do think selling drinks for the cafe lady was not our first intention but cultural exchange and introducing what we (as hongkonger)are doing on the island is far more important), so we then made some little paper writing " we are from Hong Kong" in Japanese and we tried to put more information of our own projects around the village area. Somehow we know the products we are using right now maybe too raw and of no longer the perfect one, yet we believe once we started doing something like this, our smart participants will then follow up with more interesting and useful ideas on better the things we have.

Regarding the visitor rates of our artworks, i.e. Cornelia Erdmann 's Red Lamp Shades and Kith's glove "hand in hand"in the Primary school situated in Hitoyama, we have more than 250 visitors stopped by, participated and spent some time on our tasks (writing their wishes on a green paper and fill up the gloves on the wall). Please refer to the photos attached.

Life on Shodoshima is not easy, we have to walk and walk all day, sometimes working under the sun made us feel tired, yet this is a very good experience for us to overcome all hardship and we do treasure what we have done here, especially the friends we made between all Japanese volunteers, locals and visitors, not to mention all our beloved participants from Hong Kong.

Joey

Sense Art Studio

Letter to all participants who can speak Japanese :)

Here is another message given by one of our participants - Mona:

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SUBJECT: Calling for Japanese-speaking participants!

Dear all Japanese-speaking participants,

Following my previous mails just now, I would like to explain a bit more about the cafe project. Now that we have ran it for a week, people have been enjoying the tea demonstration a lot. Chinese tea presents itself as a very interesting topic to local visitors.

To continue with the demonstration, we need Japanese interpreters to translate what the tea master is saying. He can speak in either cantonese or english. The demonstration last for about 30 minutes everyday.

I know from your registration that you speak Japanese. It's so lucky for us to have you = ) But at the same time we want to make sure you are comfortable with interpreting. Please let us know how well your spoken Japanese is, and how much you would like to handle this job.

Don't worry it won't be too hard, since we will have time to go through the content together before hand. Also, he is really nice = ) The more important thing might be that you are willing to share our culture with others, which I believe you all do = )

Kindly reply asap to Mona at monafpchu@gmail.com as time is running short. Should you have logistic questions, please do not hesitate to contact our volunteers in Hong Kong at 3487-4540 or info@senseart.hk.

Thank you.

See you all really soon!

Mona

Setouchi 2010 - Participant

Letter to participants :)

Here are the messages from one of our participants currently on-site - Mona:

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SUBJECT: Sense Art @ Setouchi : Calling for good cook :)

Dear Participant,

I hope summer is treating you well, and that you are all set for the exciting Setouchi Art Festival. You will be working with your fellow volunteers from HK to facilitate a couple of art projects.

As the team leader of a cafe project, I would like to give you some information about it, and see if you are interested in helping.

The cafe is opened by a local lady called Tachibana San. It runs from 12-6 everyday. The HK team is responsible for a Chinese daily tea demonstration from 2:30 to 3:00. We have invited a professional tea master to hold the demonstration. Volunteers will be facilitating the class, as well as preparing tea snacks to go with the tea.

Also, we will continue to sell the dessert from 3-6 pm everyday. Volunteers will have to prepare the food on receiving orders.

At the moment, we are thinking of fetching water from the nearby neibourhood for brewing tea, so to involve the community more. We might be approaching different households in the area. It will be a good chance to interact will local residents.

Due to the specific job nature of the project, it would be very helpful if you are interested/ good at cooking. Also, we need someone who speaks Japanese to be the translator of our daily tea class.

Sounds interesting doesn't it? Please let me know ASAP if 1) you are interested in the project, 2) you have the above mentioned skills, and 3) you have any other questions or suggestions.

Please email monafpchu@gmail.com. Please also contact our volunteers in Hong Kong should you have any logistic questions at 3487-4540 or info@senseart.hk.

p.s. please find the receipt we are currently serving here.

I am as new as you are to this project and this art festival. Let's work together to make it an interesting experience for all = )

See you all soon!

Mona

Setouchi 2010 - Participant

2010年7月7日

與小豆島相處已有一個多星期的時間，可愛的農村生活讓人忘卻都市的煩憂，卻喚起對親友的思念。

起床號還未響起，我已帶著矇朧的睡眼繼續昨天煮飯隊的工作，期望幫大家注滿一天的能量。我們吵吵鬧鬧地完成早餐後便向「小豆之屋」出發！「小豆之屋」是由台灣王文志老師用竹子作主要材料建造的一個大舞台，現在已到了編織頂部的時候，預計一個星期後便會完工。在一個毫無大型機器的農村荒地， 斗大強韌的竹子竟只需用一個有刀鋒的輪子破開， 看著那些有經驗的日本義工你推我拉，一聲施令發號下一口氣的把竹子分成五片，我們都興奮得歡呼拍手起來。然後我們也努力學習起來，起初，負責拉竹子跑的有時不夠力氣反被竹子拉回以至跌倒，也有負責把竹子對準刀口的有時手遲了放開而被扯進刀子受傷，經過幾番失敗與嘗試，我們也就熟練起來，於是整個上午我們就這樣和一片片青綠的竹片沐浴在猛烈的陽光下。

我是多麼的渴望與大哥們在那高築可擧的鐵架上一起編織我們的夢！然而踏在那搖晃的台架上實在令人膽憻心驚．．．．．．可是我是不能害怕的！大丈夫！在這重勞動力的地方，無論我多麼的不願也沒法像男孩一般大力氣，除此以外，我甚麼都願克服，我絕不希望被區分開來。

一如平日，我已習慣在午餐和休息時間與大哥們吃著說著，我們會分享同一個麵包，同一支飲料，無所不談，然後一同躺在竹台上睡午覺，看著那漸漸繁密的圓頂，感受著從竹縫透進來的陽光和清風。王老師和大哥們晚上還來了我們宿舍一起喝酒聊天放煙花呢！

由搬竹，破竹，修竹，織竹，到洗竹，「小豆之屋」上的每一根竹子每一片竹片都滿載著我們的血汗水，溢透著我們的手足之情。於是「小豆之屋」見證著我們的相遇，相處和分別吧。

Katie Ng

Architecture (1st Year)

University of Hong Kong

Setouchi 2010 - Participant