SUNOHARA Naoto

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SUNOHARA Naoto

Participating Project	Local Emerging Creator Residency Program
Activity Based	Yamagata, Japan
City / Place stayed	Tokyo
Period	2024.9 - 2024.11

Purpose of the residency

In recent years, my Skin series has focused on my relationship with the world around me. So far, the closest other element has been the “mountain,” influenced by my upbringing in Nagano and my current life in Yamagata. But what about the more immediate presence of “people”? In the vibrant, bustling environment of Tokyo, I want to explore what experiences can be found and what “urban skin” might look like through my work.

Plan during the residency

• Conduct research in the city center using methods such as photography and drawing.
• Use GPS to track the terrain while walking around Tokyo.
• Create flat artworks based on photos and drawings.
• Produce artworks by performing 3D modeling based on GPS data.
  

Activities during the residency

During my stay, I focused on exploring the city of Tokyo through the lens of “skin,” conducting research and engaging in artistic production. By walking daily, I collected GPS data and photographs, delving into the multilayered relationships within urban spaces. I paid attention to graffiti and the expressions of the city, using these elements as materials to create works that visualize the “sense of skin” of the urban environment. The resulting pieces include photographic works capturing graffiti, graphics created with GPS data, and drawings centered on the theme of vision.

Outcome of the residency

This project sought to reinterpret Tokyo through the concept of “skin,” examining the relationships between myself and not only mountains but also my surrounding environment. My creative process centered on the act of “walking,” which served as a pivotal axis for the work. In addition to the originally envisioned 3D graphics, the project expanded to include photographic works and drawings. I had previously lacked the notion of “seeing” in relation to painting, however, one of the key outcomes through the practice of drawing during this residency was that I have acquired a new sensory awareness of “seeing”. This has led me to pursue future works that examine the multifaceted relationships between myself and the external world. While I devoted more than half of the residency to research and did not produce any paintings, the act of drawing still brought an unexpected sense of fulfillment. This experience reaffirmed for me the significance of “drawing” in my practice. During the process of photographing graffiti, I began to interpret the act of “drawing” as a means by which individuals form connections with the urban environment. Like ancient cave paintings, the act of “drawing” could be understood as a fundamental method for forging relationships. Although I initially sought to establish a relationship with Tokyo through “walking,” I ultimately came to feel that “drawing” is, perhaps, one of the most essential acts of bridging the divide between myself and the external world.

Creator Information