JOURNALS

Cultex is now in full swing. Each of the partnerships have spent time together in Norway and I have visited and interviewed everyone involved. Each partnership is evolving in a very different manner, which is absolutely as it should be, particularly given the disparate starting points for each. These starting points briefly are:

Anniken Amundsen and Machiko Agano

As I described in my June Journal – this is a partnership that is very familiar with each other, has worked together extremely successfully in the past – but in a different relationship. Their task is to move forward and beyond what they have achieved before.

Gabriella Göransson and Kiyonori Shimada

This partnership really is being formed through Cultex. Before this project neither had ever visited the country of the other, Gabriella speaks very little Japanese, and Kiyonori speaks very little English and until I suggested their pairing neither was aware of the work of the other. Theirs is a blank canvas, no previous experience or expectation.

Eva Schjølberg and Yuka Kawai

Both have an intimate knowledge of East and West – Eva having lived for 8 years in Japan and speaks Japanese, Yuka having attended universities in the USA and the UK and speaking excellent English. As Yuka mentioned in her June Journal – she and Eva had already met, very briefly and many years ago, and although each admired the work of the other, they had not been in contact again until I suggested their pairing for Cultex, unaware that they had any previous connection.

My first visit was in early August, timed to coincide with the final day of the exchange between Eva Schjølberg and Yuka Kawai. I arrived in the mid afternoon at Eva’s house and studio and walked into what could be described as a powerhouse of ideas – the sense of excitement was palpable, almost electric.

Yuka Kawai and Eva Schjølberg at work, Eva's house, August 2008

The two had been together for an extremely intense period and had spent their time in the exchange of ideas, structuring the day (and night on occasion) around formal and informal conversation, but at all times concentrating on the project, on identifying connections and possible ways of working together. As they each described their time together it was apparent that they had found much in common. I had paired them as a result of looking at their work, but of course the work is a reflection of the artist and so it should have been no surprise to me that they should have felt such personal connection. Their decision had been not to even begin to ‘make’ anything, that could come later and when they meet in Japan, but to use the opportunity to fully explore all avenues of common interest.

Site visit to F15, August 2008

My second visit was at the end of August as Machiko Agano and Kiyonori Shimada arrived to begin their exchanges. I met all four of the artists at a site visit to Gallery F15, which in the event turned into a magical day. The Gallery was between exhibitions and unoccupied, giving full opportunity for the artists to engage with the spaces and experience the natural light in the Gallery to perfection.Outside the weather was sunny and warm as we strolled through the surrounding landscape, identifying possible sites for work.

I visited Anniken and Machiko during their first full day together in Anniken’s studio, and arrived to find a first experimental collaborative piece already under construction. What struck immediately was the reverse connection with their final collaborative work for Through the Surface. In that piece Anniken had ‘invaded’ the work of Machiko, inserting her work in Machiko’s knitted lines, however in this new piece it was Machiko who was ‘invading’ the work of Anniken. Of course, this temporary experiment represented the very first thoughts about their new working relationship, but nevertheless it was interesting to encounter. For me it was a total treat to be with the two again, watching and listening to their exchanges and marking how each had changed over the years since Through the Surface and how close the relationship had become.

My visit to Gabriella and Kiyonori at Gabriella’s studio was on my final day in Norway. By then the two had spent some time together and had the invaluable assistance of interpreter Hiroko Kimura, who was also on hand for my interviews with them. Both acknowledged that their biggest problem was the lack of a common language, however both felt that this also provided the opportunity to communicate at a different, more intuitive level and that their response to materials and creative process would be at the heart of their working exchange. I was extremely impressed at the open and deep level of communication they had achieved in such a short time, possibly encouraged by the desire on both sides to achieve as much as possible during the time that the interpreter was present. Gabriella will visit Kiyonori in Japan almost immediately providing a strong continuity in their exchange.

As can be understood from the above, each partnership will have its unique narrative, its connections and differences all of which will form the foundation for the work which will be the outcome of the partnership. For me as the observer and documenter of the partnerships it will be, and already is, a fascinating journey and one that I am extremely privileged to have the opportunity to make.

Lesley Millar
Professor of Textile Culture
University for the Creative Arts