Café Washingtown was set up in October 2008, initially for just a month, in an abandoned house scheduled for demolition, situated in a depressed inner-city area of Mito. Through a series of circumstances, the planned demolition was postponed, which allowed for a series of neighbourhood events to be created, until the house was finally pulled down in May 2013. This was the project I undertook, in which all the events and works were performed manually, with the idea of retracing the history of the building. I had been able to halt the demolition work, leaving the ground floor exterior walls, which I repurposed as The Site of Washingtown, an alternative art space where practical activities and outdoor projects could take place. In 2018, in a house right next to the demolition site, the Café New Washingtown was opened, and has been quietly operating there ever since. I hope that this screening week provides a good opportunity to share the experience of watching the three works I have made, particularly for the way they offer a glimpse into a creative mind bent on a long-term commitment to practicing art, and for its focus on abandoned places. I also look forward to the chance to get together in Café New Washingtown after the screening to discuss your thoughts and opinions. The screening takes place under a winter night sky, so please make sure that you protect yourself against the extreme cold. I am looking forward to welcoming you. Katsunobu Yaguchi
Constructing Acts (Thirty-three minutes Ver.), 2013 - 2020
HDV, Colour, Stereo, Screening time: 33 min.
I documented the transformation of Café Washingtown that I carried out in 2013, involving the entire demolition process, and the renovation and refurbishment of an empty house next door into Café New Washingtown. All the recorded scenes of various tasks performed in this confined location were edited together, in order to provide a detached view of how I work and how untamed that can be.
Deconstruction of Suntopia (Forty-two minutes Ver.), 2016 - 2020
HDV, Black & White, Stereo, Screening time: 42 min.
During the 1980s and ‘90s, in the Showa era, the Suntopia was a prosperous department store in the centre of Mito City. It closed in 2007, at the time of the decline of the shopping district. In May 2016, demolition of the building finally started. I spent eight months video-recording the demolition process, up until its very end.
Deconstructive Drawing, 2013
HDV (converted from Super8 film), Black & White, Soundless, Screening time: 24 min.
In 2013, ‘Kiyoharae’, a purification ceremony, was performed on the day before the demolition of Café Washingtown. After the ceremony, I began drawing on every component of the house, including the walls, floor surfaces, pillars and ceilings. Through the process of drawing I tried to express my complex feelings ahead of demolition day.
名前、ご住所、ご連絡先、希望日、以上の項目を下記までご連絡ください。
Information you provide to us: Name, Postal address, Phone number, Prefferd date via the contact details below:
E-mail: reservation@keikooganegallery.com (24 hours) / Tel: 050-3690-3387 (11:00 - 20:00)
ご入場時には、必ずマスクを着用し、携帯電話等の電子機器はお預けください。身分証の確認、検温、手指の消毒をお願いいたします。ご理解とご協力のほどお願い申し上げます。
Please wear a mask at the time of entry, cooperate with temperature checks, and use the hand sanitizer installed at the entrance. Upon arrival, all guests will be required to present ID. Mobile phones must be checked at the front desk.
〒310-0021 茨城県水戸市南町1-2-10サントピア通り
Suntopia St. 1-2-10 Minami-machi, Mito City, Ibaraki 310-0021 JAPAN
Information you provide to us: Name, Postal address, Phone number, Prefferd date via the contact details below:
Tel:+81(0)29-279-2058 | E-mail:atochi@washingtown.jp | URL: https://washingtown.jp
前衛映像上映週間
ワシントン十二年
『場末と芸術の思考』
小料理喫茶乳ワシントン店主
上映日:
12月27日(日曜日)17:30 開場 18:00 開映 <予約受付終了>
12月28日(月曜日)17:30 開場 18:00 開映 <予約受付終了>
12月29日(火曜日)17:30 開場 18:00 開映 <予約受付終了>
12月30日(水曜日)17:30 開場 18:00 開映 <予約受付終了>
1月7日(木曜日)17:30 開場 18:00 開映
1月8日(金曜日)17:30 開場 18:00 開映 <予約受付終了>
1月9日(土曜日)17:30 開場 18:00 開映 <予約受付終了>
定員:各日
料金:各日
会場:ワシントン跡地
主催:アースホール・フィルム・フェスティバル / 大金恵子画廊
協賛:森永牛乳配給株式会社
意匠協力:ワシントン装飾社
フライヤーをダウンロード
THE ALTERNATIVE FILM SCREENING WEEK
The 12 years of Washingtown
‘The Abandoned Place of The Mind’
Katsunobu Yaguchi
Screening Date:
27 December (Sunday) 17:00 Open 18:00 Start (Fully booked)
28 December (Monday) 17:00 Open 18:00 Start (Fully booked)
29 December (Tuesday) 17:00 Open 18:00 Start (Fully booked)
30 December (Wednesday) 17:00 Open 18:00 Start (Fully booked)
7 January (Thursday) 17:00 Open 18:00 Start
8 January (Friday) 17:00 Open 18:00 Start (Fully booked)
9 January (Saturday) 17:00 Open 18:00 Start (Fully booked)
Seating capacity: 5 people
Admission:
Venue: The Site of Washingtown
Organisers: Earth Hole Film Festival / Keiko Ogane Gallery
Sponsor: Morinaga Gyunyu Haikyu Co., Ltd.
Design Cooperation: Washingtown Decorations
Download Flyer
特別展 | 矢口克信「ワシントンドキュメンタリー図 2008 - 2020」
会期:2020年12月27日 - 2021年1月9日
時間:17時30分 - 21時
入場:完全予約制 (前衛映像上映週間上映日は上映会参加者に限る)
会場:大金恵子画廊
住所:茨城県水戸市南町1-2-10サントピア通り ワシントン跡地内
https://keikooganegallery.com
Special Exhibition | Katsunobu Yaguchi "WASHINGTOWN DOCUMENTARIES 2008 - 2020"
Date: 27 December - 9 January
Time: 17:30 - 21:00
Admission: Reservation Only
Venue: Keiko Ogane Gallery
Address: C/O The Site of Washingtown, Suntopia St. 1-2-10 Minami-machi, Mito City, Ibaraki 310-0021 Japan
https://keikooganegallery.com