During spring and summer 2020, The Branch worked in partnership with the Scottish cultural trust, Lateral Lab, to host part of the “Ways of Thinking” cultural exchange program, featuring artists with Japanese and Scottish ties.
Originally planned to coencide with the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, the entire project was nearly canceled due to COVID-19. However, the artists, organizers, and a few determined galleries decided to push ahead. In particular, Masahiro Kawanaka, the curator from Art Spot Korin noted that “The talent and curse of the artist … is that they can not stop creating … they must somehow, always continue to find the way forward.”
We agreed, that it is in difficult times like these where art, and the open exchange it helps facilitate, are of critical importance. The works in this exhibition reflect on the Olympiad themes of inclusion & well-being, technology & innovation, and art in public spaces. The project is run by Scottish environmental artist Elizabeth Ogilvie, along with Tim Fitzpatrick.
For the program, we curated two exhibitions in Kitakagya Creative Village, one at our own space The Branch, and the other at Chidori Bunka. As well, there was an opportunity for Suhee and Patrick to participate as an artist team in a further exhibition at Art Spot Korin in Kyoto.
The following are a selection of images from these exhibitions.
Nishiko
The Branch, 2－5 July 2020
Transit
installation, paper tape, lettering
Takaya Fujii (藤井 隆也)
The Branch, 2－5 July 2020
Salted Leaves
leaves, books, salt
Stephen Kavanagh
Chidori Bunka ( 千鳥文化 ), 9－12 July 2020
Japan Experiment 67
charred oak and ice
Melissa Louise Lawson
Chidori Bunka ( 千鳥文化 ), 9－12 July 2020
Motion. Still. Time.
color photographs
Patrick Lydon & Suhee Kang
Art Spot Korin, 14－26 July 2020
Blueprints for the Possible City (Patrick)
prussian blueprints, pencil and ink drawings
Flower Travel (Suhee)
flowers, glue
Production
Produced by Lateral Lab
Production & Curation (The Branch & Chidori Bunka):
Patrick M. Lydon & Suhee Kang, City as Nature
Production & Curation (Art Spot Korin):
Masahiro Kawanaka, LOCALSHIP
Further exhibitions in this series are taking place throughout Japan, for more you can visit the Lateral Lab Instagram.
This project was carried out with support from The British Council and Creative Scotland. The exhibitions in Kitakagaya are supported in part by our local partners, Chidori Bunka, and Chishima Foundation for Creative Osaka.
More from The Branch
Enjoy more events and stories from our ecological art space in Osaka:
