There are walls of rain coming down outside and I’m sweating. Which means it’s rainy season in Japan. A quick update on a few exciting projects going on this summer here in Osaka…
PART 1 – REALtimeFOOD
In June and July, Suhee and I are opening a “restaurant” where you have to wait five weeks for your food to be ready (aka: grown to order). I say “restaurant” in quotes because it’s done in context of performance art. What does that mean? Well, you’ll have to see what it means as we undertake it. The project is called REALtimeFOOD, and beyond just the dinner bit, we are building an urban garden and hosting two months worth of activities in the garden as we grow food for the dinner, bringing the community into closer relationship with food and nature through art. Soil and paintbrushes, flowers, meditation in the garden, things of this nature will be taking place.
More about this project:
— REALtimeFOOD Project Begins in Osaka
— Slowest Restaurant in the World Opens in Osaka
— [ お知らせ ] REAL TIME FOOD開催！(Japanese)
Here are a few images from the project so far…
Suhee in the REALtimeFOOD garden (herb section)
Patrick working with Kenji, who lives near our urban garden
Patrick and Kaori taking orders at the opening of the restaurant
The team at the opening of REALtimeFOOD restaurant
PART 2 – Japan/Scotland Residency
From the end of July through August, I am undertaking the first installment of the Robert Callender International Residency for Young Artists at Contemporary Art Space Osaka (CASO). That’s a mouthful, right? This residency was awarded during my MFA show last year in Edinburgh, and the award is split into two parts, the first in Japan (this summer), and the second in Scotland (next summer). The part that takes place this summer is called Art Shower (although hopefully the rainy season is over by then). It is a chance to make art in an open studio where the community can get involved in the process and I’m extremely excited about it! More about this as it comes closer to the date.
That’s basically our summer. A mix of rain, local food, community activities, nature, heat, perhaps some sake… hope you all are enjoying your summers and if you find yourself in Osaka, well, come stop by our garden to say hello, won’t you?
See you around!
-Patrick