KUSAHARA Machiko (Art Division Head Jury)
This year, too, it was very difficult to determine which prize should go to whom because the Art Division attracted nearly half the total applications this year and every accepted work was of high quality as well as having different concepts and presentations. Especially, the quality of works among interactive arts and visual images, including those which were applied for installation were very good. One work has a strong concept, another presents a cross-section of the media sprinkled with humor and nostalgia, and the other cuts out a new possibility for arts with technology which betrays one's expectations. All of them showed a balance between originality and presentation or technology as well as maturity which was impressive. In contrast, Still Images and Web Works were, it is sorry to say, lackluster. This time, we realized many award-winning works were achieved by Japanese creators only when the audition was completed, which surprised us. One can say that the unexpected big success of Japanese artists in the Art Division, where excellent works from abroad meet shows of activation in the media arts in recent Japan, is due especially to the population of young artists which has become larger.
A curator and a critic in media arts, and media studies internationally since the early 1980s. In addition to exhibitions at the International Science Expo'85 in Tsukuba, the International Design Expo'98 in Nagoya, the Kobe Yumehaku and NTT/ICC, she has been involved in assessment at many exhibitions with international public subscriptions such as SIGGRAPH, Ars Electronica or ISEA. Conducted many lectures and done a variety of writing. Her subject of research is the relationship between digital media technology and arts, culture and societies. She has been a Visiting Professor of the School of Arts and Architecture at UCLA, and is Doctor of Engineering.
Interactive¥Others Critique/YANOBE Kenji(Artist)
On one hand, we have a work which blows viewers away with its sophisticated digital technique and quality, on the other hand, we have a work which goes back to the extreme analog mechanism and criticizes technology humorously. Also, we have a progression from a work which is done by personal craftsmanship to a work in which the artist lays out a large scale of collaboration with musicians. I was able to enjoy a variety of presentations in which the categorization of the Interactive seemed to be a question. However, on the contrary, it cannot be denied I had an impression that there were not many works in which elements amazed the audience. In a situation where every work has mastery of technology or presentation, what is necessary is a burgeoning "eccentricity". I believe that the novelty with chimerical charm will create the next era.
Installation Critique/TOSA Nobumichi(Maywa Denki)
Among this year's applications, there were many works in which the characteristics both of "digital" and "analog" such as with plants and fluorescent light tubes, mechanical structure and lenses are present. In the case of an installation work the human body of the person who is visiting the sight, is integral to it. This is different from media arts where human beings' "eyes and brains" function, as a film, a video tape, personal computer, which people sit and watch. In installation arts, it is important to visit the space where a work is exhibited and feel it with your entire body. This appeals to sensory organs of human beings who feel empathy for analog expressions and we had many works which seemed to try to connect to the analog character which human beings have in their bodies. It can be said that it focuses on the complexity that an analog device has which surpasses digital techniques. However, a work which depends only on the material is not enough. When the stance which an artist tries to exert control over was observed, the audience tended to feel the strength in the work as media art. Award-winning works had this.
Visual Image Critique/KUSAHARA Machiko(Professor, Waseda University)
In general, the quality of this year's applications was improved and diversification of technique stood out. By being offered technical advantages and a plummet in prices of software which supports making visual images, creators who have their own style in the fields of paintings and photographs have actively begun to create moving images. The lively presentation which is not framed in the conventional category of images is appealing and the artists venture to create animation with analog textures like ink brush paintings, etching and clay works, or a work in which time and space are reconstructed with full command in using photos. The increase in the number of works which adopt simple lineal drawing could be a reflection of recent trends in which the spread of super-real computer graphics awakened interest in a contrary stylized presentation. On the other hand, what was a pity was that there were not so many works which pursued programming, simulation and the possibilities of 3-D CG. Drawing digital presentations using the rich and varied expressions which have been cultivated by analog presentation as well as by pursuing the meaning of being with sharp digital technology will make the visual presentation in future further expressive.
Still Image Critique/ASABA Katsumi(Art Director)
Works of still images are the center-core of the Art Division. In my opinion, one piece of still image can change time. I say this because I have made a discovery which I had never before encountered. The foremost aspects of Japan Media Arts Festival are that thoughts which have been generated from the brains of people who use different languages, live in different cultures, and have different customs and bodies and who made application from 44 different countries call for one direction. For example, the proliferating particles submitted by Andy LOMAS of the US. The strange shape formed with an endless number of particles which I wonder how he produced was attractive. In the map created by NISHIMURA Yoshiki of Japan the viewer can recognize it is somewhere on the globe. What does the red belt-like figure mean?It looks like a circle when one looks down from the air, whereas it looks like a belt which appears and disappears when one looks at it from the side. The yellow light by Aleksandra Smiljkovic VASOVIC of Serbia and Montenegro is also appealing. HAYASHI Shunsaku, the boy wonder, submitted a fine piece of art again this year. But it is a shame that his work doesn't have the strength to exceed when it faces other works with which it competes in the Art Division.
Web Work Critique/NAKAYA Hide(NHK Commentator)
This year, we had web works of high quality in general. However, it is regretful that not one of the works stood out among them. That is why the web works could not win a prize even though some were nominated. This year, the festival also attracted many applications from abroad and they are all at a high level. The style of the works has variety and many works challenged a new direction which gives me great expectations for next year. I had an impression there was a variety in levels among domestic applications. The nominees were high in quality compared with the work from abroad. However, this can be said especially with regard to the domestic works, that artists need to think strategically how they create their works within the category of web works in the Art Division. I also felt that we need to think seriously about the difference between entertainment and arts.
Obviously, it is clear that the genre of web works will gain an important place in artistic representation in the future. I sincerely hope that a work full of originality which reaches for a new expression will emerge next year.
ASABA Katsumi (Art Director)
Born in 1940. Via Light Publicity Ltd., established ASABA Katsumi Design Inc. Worked on many advertisements for Suntory Ltd. and Seibu Department Store, Ltd. He claimed many awards including the special prize in the Japan Advertising Artists Club, the Japan Advertising Award, a Medal with a Purple Ribbon, the Grand-Prix of Tokyo Art Director's Club Award, etc. Is currently a committee chairman of Tokyo ADC and a director of JAGDA. He has extensive knowledge of the living hieroglyph "Tompa characters" of China. Has reached the sixth level in table tennis. Created a stone table-tennis table with Inada Stone. Planning Street Ping-Pong Project.
TOSA Nobumichi (Maywa Denki)
President of the Maywa Denki Art Unit. Clad in a blue work uniform, he performs in the style of workers of small companies who have underpinned the economic growth of Japan. He produces theNAKI series nonsense machines using a motif of a fish, as well as original musical instruments:TSUKUBA series, and a group of works EDELWEISS inspired by fairy tales written by TOSA and advertises their products.
NAKAYA Hide (NHK Commentator)
Born in Kanagawa. Completed the GraduateSchool of Fine Arts at TokyoNationalUniversity of Fine Arts and Music. Designed NHK's logo mark and directed the TV program, NHK Special JINTAI, NOU TO KOKORO, and the high vision drama Dream TV 200X, etc. Also in charge of casting Digital Stadium from 2001 and a media literacy program TAIKEN! Media- No-ABC for children in the higher grades of elementary school, and an instructor of SHUMI-YUYU Digital Video O TSUKAIKONASO. Selector of G Mark (Good Design Award).
YANOBE Kenji (Artist)
Born in Osaka, 1965. Grew up near the grounds of Expo'70 in Osaka and keeps creating art works in the motif of the image of "Ruins of Future". His art works such as Atom Suits Project in which he puts on a radiation detector suit called "Atom Suits" and visits Chernobyl are highly appreciated not only in Japan but abroad with his strong social message within a humorous presentation. Exhibitions: MAGALOMANIA at the National Museum of Art, Osaka in 2003; City of Children Project at 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa in 2004; Kindergarten at Toyota Municipal Museum of Art in 2005; and others.
