• 作品 / Works
• 新・方法 / New-Method
• • Manifesto
  • Bulletins
  • The New-Methodicists
  • Multiposted Works
  • Exhibitions &
  • cf.
  • Other Records
• 年譜 / Biography
• 経歴 / Profile
• ブログ /

"New-Method" No. 2

Now we forward you our email bulletin "New-Method" No. 2 with our works and a guest contribution.  This issue features Kae Ishii for the contributor, who studies at the Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences of Waseda University.  Her major is the history of Japanese modern art.

[Contribution]

New-Methodicists by Nature
Kae Ishii (Art Historian)

The content of the exhibition "New-Method on TANA" held last month at TANA, a gallery located within a bookshelf of a workshop Bigakko, was to return books that used to be there to the space again.  A clear acrylic board in front of the gallery was kept open, the space was tightly filled up with magazines like "GARO" or "Music Magazine," and the exhibition was hardly distinguishable from other shelves.  The owner of TANA would have never imagined to be forced to return the books once removed to open the gallery for its commemorative first exhibition.  Audience who troubled oneself to visit the exhibition would have never imagined to be forced to appreciate just a shelf.

The New-Methodicists, however, must have little cared about how the owner or visitors would feel, and even the fact that it was the very first opportunity to demonstrate their work to the public.  I suppose the exhibition was the result of a simple reaction to the given condition to "exhibit in a bookshelf," and the choice of books must not be made out of any special reason since any meaning other than the given condition was unnecessary.  So it was natural for them to adopt the choice to use the most ordinary books for the shelf, that is, the books that used to be there before.

The characteristic of the New-Methodicists is that they thoroughly execute their doctrine by their very nature.  They are so natural that their actions appear unpredictable, and they often betray our selfish expectations.  As a result, they can realize situations rarely profitable for anybody such as this exhibition.  Overwhelmed with their simple honesty when I managed to catch the last day of the exhibition, I couldn't move from the front of the shelf for a while.

[Web Works of the New-Methodicists]

[Information]

- "New-Method" held our exhibition at TANA from October 10th to 20th, 2010.  An email interview with us over the exhibition and "New-Method" is available at the website of TANA.
http://rad-commons.main.jp/tana/101010.html

- "New-Method" will participate in "Neo Hybrid Manifesto 2 - Home & Body (Kara, Da!)" presented by Hiroyuki Oki on Nov. 22, 2010 at Vacant Harajuku, Tokyo.

- "New-Method" official webpage has been updated. http://7x7whitebell.net/new-method/

- Takahiro Hirama has updated his website.  http://hrmtkhr.web.fc2.com/

- Shogo Baba has not updated his website. http://7x7whitebell.net/

- Hideki Nakazawa has updated his website. http://aloalo.co.jp/nakazawa/

- If you would like to receive the email bulletin "New-Method," please let us know.

[Editor's Note]

How did you find the second issue of "New-Method"?  Although this issue is still only second distribution, cutting-edge works of the New-Methodicists have already been my monthly pleasure.  (Kaido)

http://7x7whitebell.net/new-method/bulletin/b002_e.html