Paying a Courtesy Call on the Incumbent Mayor by all His Predecessors in History

Paying a Courtesy Call on the Incumbent Mayor by all His Predecessors in History, 2016

展示風景：瀬戸内国際芸術祭2016、宮浦ギャラリー六区、直島、2016
写真：市川靖史
Installation view: Setouchi International Art Triennale 2016, Miyanoura Gallery 6, Naoshima 2016
Photo: Yasushi Ichikawa

ビデオスティル、2016
Video still, 2016

歴代町長に現町長を表敬訪問してもらう
2016, 9チャンネルビデオ（1時間6分34秒）、プログラムされた9台の電光掲示板、ネオンサイン、看板、写真、テキスト
瀬戸内海に位置する直島は、戦前に軍需産業による経済発展と引き換えに、近代化における工場排煙などにより公害被害を被ってきた歴史を持ちながら、戦後は人口流出による過疎化の一途を辿ったが、今やその負の歴史も影を潜めている。このプロジェクトでは直島を舞台に、日本全国の霊媒師や霊能者に歴代直島町長16 名の霊を呼び寄せてもらい、船で現直島町長を表敬訪問する。当時の町長が存命だった頃に起こった島に関わる大きな出来事の話や、当時の記者会見の再現など、その過程で行われる懇談会、食事会、記者会見などあらゆる出来事をビデオで記録し、9 面の映像として作品化する。また、芸術祭の会期中にもイベントして歴代町長の訪問をイベントとして企画することで、現実社会の中に、限りなく偽りに近い存在を持ち込み小さな混乱を起こさせることで島の歴史や時間の不可逆性を考える。

Paying a Courtesy Call on the Incumbent Mayor by all His Predecessors in History
2016, 9-channel video installation (66’34 min), 9 programmed-LED
Naoshima, located in the Seto Inland Sea, had been undergoing depopulation due to the outflow of the population after World War II, while having a history of suffering pollution damage due to factory smoke etc. in modernization in exchange for economic development by the military industry before the war. However, that negative history seems to have concealed itself. This documentary project takes place on Naoshima using mediums and psychics from across Japan to summon the spirits of 16 generations of past Naoshima mayors to pay a courtesy call on the current mayor. The video records everything that happens in the project such as spirits talking about happenings of the island during their time in the post, recreations of the press conferences at the time, and all events held during the process – reception parties, ceremonial dinners, press conferences, etc., and then it will be created into a work of 9-channel video. Also, by planning a courtesy call by one of the past mayors as an event during the Triennale, the project brings in a presence of almost a deceit into the real world and causes a small disruption to examine the island’s history and the irreversibility of time.

Graphic Brochure (Japan) Review 朝日新聞 (Japan)