I moved for my first trip in Japan during spring 2023. Staying in Kyoto for six weeks I just had two short escapes on the eastern coast - in Fuji harbour and mountain - and western coast - in Tottori seaside resort, where I was expecting to visit Shoji Ueda museum. [Born in Tottori in 1913, Shoji Ueda left his mark on japanese photography with his series of family portraits. ]
Things were made possible thanks to the artist Ton-biii I met in Marugame harbour. The artist drove me to the museum we visit together. Next day, I walked alone to Sand Dunes where Shoji Ueda used to shoot his famous photographs. Walking down then climbing up the dunes, I got in touch with japanese people visiting the incredible place. In such a dizzy decor, I was surprised to hear that none of those I discussed with did know anything about Shoji Ueda, neither about his photographs nor his museum.
US
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US is a sound+vision inspired by Shoji Ueda built as a multimedia looping installation. US refers to the first letters of his name but it also refers to the pronoun US in english and the name US in french which means "habits" or "tradition".
US consists of a looping timelapse of 452 frames shot in black and grey at the top of Sand Dunes where Shoji Ueda used to shoot his portraits as in a natural studio with highnoon daylight. The huge dunes are a geological curiosity on Japanese west coast and are registered as a unique geopark by Unesco. Nowadays, people climb up the dunes to look at the infinity of the horizon of Japanese see as a reward. Do they know the life and the art of Shoki Ueda? Whatever the answer, they all are now as well as photographers or models. They shoot selfies, the horizon and their own family portraits.
After having discussed and taken portraits of very few lovers, friends, and couples up on the dunes, I changed my point of view to participate to this "ballet mecanique" which happened in front of me. Without a tripod, I climb up also at the top of the dunes then placed my iphone on my backpack straight in front of the horizon of the see from which emerged a lonely rock. Then I captured a timelapse where hundreds of people without uniforms appeared shooting selfies or family portraits with their smartphones after having performed to climb up the dune. Walking around, playing, going up and down, to and fro, they all seemed to be part of a strange contemporary ballet where time has no meanings, only the one of the end of the performance before going back home then at work, then in daily life.
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The installation consists of a looping projection of the timelapse.
The projection goes with a looping melody which can be played live. The music I choosed first is a title written and performed by Ryuichi Sakamoto playng Piano. It is called "happy end" on piano. Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died in 2023, is one of my favourite artist I listen to since his early carier with the band Yellow Magic Orchestra.
Originally released on the album BGM, "Happy end" is one of the title in which YMO experimented loops with electronic sounds of famous Roland TR-808. Considered as one of the first album of electronic music where "East meets West", BGM let also think about the strong influence of french composer Erik Satie had on electronic contemporary music and art. One of his pieces called Vexations was written to be played 840 times successively.
Visual Installation is opened to sound and music collaboration.
This is the meaning of US.