Susanna HERTRICH
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Exchange Residency Program
(International creators from abroad)
update: 2019.3.18
Susanna HERTRICH
| Participating Project | Exchange Residency Program (Creators from abroad) |
|---|---|
| Activity Based | Basel |
| City | Tokyo |
| Period | 2019.1 - 2019.3 |
Purpose of the residency
I have a strong interest in storytelling customs and methods, as well as in folk beliefs, particularly those related to the supernatural and uncanny. Japan has a specifically rich culture of ghosts stories and other tales of the supernatural. At the same time, Japan is at the forefront in the development of advanced computer-based technologies and embedding them into an everyday, e. g. with robots. With my project want to take the classic tales and rituals as a starting point to research and investigate how they might link to contemporary practices that are engaging with up and coming technologies.
Plan during the residency
-Travels to attend traditional Japanese festivals and rituals or places referring to classic ghost tales, folk beliefs where demons and other "supernatural beings" play a role (e. g. Namahage in Akita and more), visits to haunted sites or places referring to contemporary urban legends.
-Investigation of moments where uncanniness and the supernatural meet with current and coming technologies, such as Kanda Miyojin shrine or encounters with robots in shops or museums.
-Desktop research on the "Haunted Media" discourse and the role of "Yokai" in Japan (e.g. "Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yokai" by Michael Foster).
-Creating an installation in the shared studio that consists of photographs, videos, sounds and objects that I collect during my travels, additionally I plan to build a new version of "In the Eye of the Beholder" (viewing machine)
-Explore the Tokyo art scene, attend exhibition openings, talks and screenings to expand my network
