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Naramachi,A Super Curious Town

In the summer of 2017, there was a festival where Naramachi, a town which still retains its old historic town atmosphere, was adorned and lit with paper lanterns. The town decided to hold an art exhibition with paper lanterns as a motif at the street corner in an area where the festival was being held. The planning was carried out by “team Chochin” led by project producer Atsushi Yamamoto, and I was in charge of the concept design for each area.

The location was not the typical street corner, but an area of major tourist attraction where world heritage sites such as Gangoji Temple and Sarusawa Pond are found, and places that make up the Nanto Hakkei (The Eight Views of Nara) can also be found here. As a result of negotiation dealing with regulations, the art exhibition was realized at four locations including a surprise display.

The concept of “Chochin (超cho: super 珍chin: curious)” is having participants discover sceneries that are extremely unique, and brightening the place like paper lanterns (chochin), a witty word play using homonyms. I wanted to promote to the world that Nara is not only about Buddhist statues and deer, but the fact that this town is full of lovable stories.

『超珍な奈良町』

2017年夏、古く歴史的な街並みが残る奈良町を提灯で灯す行事が行われた。そこで開催エリアの街角に提灯をモチーフにしたアート展示をすることとなった。その企画を事業プロデューサーの山本あつし氏をはじめとする「team超珍」が手がけ、私は各所のコンセプト立案をさせて頂いた。

「街角」といってもそこには、元興寺や猿沢池など世界遺産もあれば南都八景と伝えられる場所など、それこそ「超」のつく観光名所だ。交渉や規制との調整の結果、ゲリラ的な発表も含め4箇所でアート展示が実現した。

「超珍」のコンセプトは、参加者が「超珍しい!」と感じた風景を見つけることで、それぞれがあたかも「提灯」のように町をあかるくする存在になるということである。字のごとく「提灯」と「超珍」をかけているわけだ。私はこのアートを通じて、奈良は大仏や鹿だけではなく、慈しむ物語にも溢れていることを世界へ発信したいと考えた。

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1.“Super Curious Pond” in Sarusawa Pond (realized)

On the south side overlooking the five-storied pagoda of Kohfukuji Temple is Sarusawa Pond constructed in 749 A.D. Here, I came up with an artwork where paper lanterns emitting faint light to float and sway in the water together with the insects, birds, turtles and carps living in the pond. The hint for this work came from a religious ritual called Houjoue at Kohfukuji Temple where captive animals are released into the wild to admonish against the taking of life. Paper lanterns are gently released into the pond. Instead of flashy electric lights, old flickering candle lights in traditional lanterns were recreated. Flashy festivals could be found elsewhere, but here in Nara, I felt that an event where we can engage ourselves in savoring the passing of time and the land in serenity. I aimed to create a new scenery while looking back at the history and stories of Naramachi.

『超珍な池』in 猿沢池 (実現)

興福寺五重塔を望む南側に西暦749年に造られた猿沢池がある。ここでは虫や鳥・亀や鯉と共に提灯を水に浮かばせ、風に揺らいでほのかに灯る作品を考えた。これは興福寺における生物を慈しみ池に放つ宗教儀式「放生会」からヒントを得た。提灯を池へそっと放つ。だからギラギラした電球の灯りは無い。ほのかに揺らめく昔の蝋燭の灯し火を再現している。派手なお祭りなら他にもある。ここ奈良では静寂の中で過ぎゆく時間や土地と向き合える行事があってもいいのではないだろうか。奈良町の歴史や物語を振りかえり慈しみつつ、これからの風景を作りたいと考えた。

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2.“Super Curious Forest” at the remains of Shotoin at Gangoji Temple (realized)

This garden full of cherry blossoms and other trees, was a part of the vast land of Gangoji Temple during the 8th century (the Nara period). Today, only the Kokuzodo remains, but the priest who showed understanding for this project gave us permission to exhibit the works in the forest surrounded by darkness at night.

Here, I devised a space where the fairy Chochin-kun appears every night. Chochin-kun is a fairy produced by team Chochin that flies around illuminating the town’s super-rare things with paper lanterns, and this time Chochin-kun will fly through the forest. The visitors who encounter the installation will no doubt experience something very rare in this backyard area of Naramachi. Although it was highly regarded as a happening art which became a secrete photo-op spot, on the second day of the exhibition, there was a complaint lodged against this work, calling it “A nightmarish scene,” for the installation to be discontinued.

『超珍な森』 in 元興寺小塔院跡 (実現)

ここは桜などの木々が生い茂るお庭だが、八世紀(奈良時代)には元興寺の広大な伽藍の一部であった。今は虚空蔵堂が残るのみだが、理解あるご住職により、暗闇に包まれる夜の森での展示が許された。

ここに妖精「超珍くん」が夜な夜な現れるという空間を考案した。「超珍くん」とはteam超珍により生み出された、町の超珍しい物事=「超珍」を、提灯の灯りで照らす妖精である。「超珍くん」が森の中を飛び回る。来客者は奈良町の裏庭的なこの場所で、まさに超珍な体験をすることになる。ゲリラ的アートとしての評価は高く、隠れ撮影スポットにもなったが、展示二日目に「悪夢のような風景だ」という通報により、あえなく中止となった。

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3. “Super Curious Dance” in Gangoji Temple (realized)

Within the grounds of Gangoji Temple, a world heritage site, paper lanterns that dance in the wind were installed. In the premises there are 32 stone Buddha statues and monuments called the old Kainozuka Fudodo . These are items collected here at Gangoji Temple from different places in Naramachi due to unavoidable circumstances such as land developments. Around these statues and stones, the same number of 32 paper lanterns dance. The lanterns quietly dance in the wind, in honor of each stone Buddha that had once stood throughout Naramachi. It was created in hopes that this project will contribute to preserving the culture and sceneries of this land and encourage people who visit to contemplate about the history of this area.

『超珍な舞』in 元興寺 (実現)

世界遺産である元興寺。その境内に風に舞う提灯を設置した。ここには旧肘塚不動堂石造物という32点の石仏・石碑群がある。元々、奈良町各地の土地開発などのやむをえぬ事情により元興寺へ集められたものだ。その周りを同じ32個の提灯が舞う。奈良町各地に佇んでいたそれぞれの石仏に敬意を表し、静かに風で舞い踊る提灯である。人々が歴史に思いを馳せ、この土地の文化や景観を残していく事に繋がれば嬉しい。

4. “Super Curious Street Stall” in an anonymous alley (realized)

Wood wheels spin in an alley at night, making a clattering noise, and the red paper lanterns sway. This work was inspired by lights and large two-wheeled wagons in Naramachi used in the old times. The sound and light from the past are revived by a running street stall. The performance art was created from the idea of having a drink at a stall lit by a red paper lantern, and then walking around Naramachi again. An ordinary bicycle (commonly known as Mamachari) from Suzuki’s house was used and is entrusted with a super-rare message that unusual conversations and sceneries can be generated from everyday items.

『超珍な屋台』 in どこかの路地 (実現)

夜の路地で木の車輪がカタカタ回る。ユラユラ揺れるのは赤提灯。昔の奈良町の灯火や大八車などをイメージした。遠い昔の「音や光」が走る屋台になって蘇る。街角の赤提灯でちょっと一杯、そしてまた奈良町を走り回る。そんな思いで作ったパフォーマンスアート。鈴木家の普通の自転車(通称ママチャリ)を使用。どこにでもある物でも珍しい会話や風景が生まれるよ、という「超珍」なメッセージを託している。

Artwork / Fumitaka Suzuki(Yagyug Douguten)

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5. “Super Curious Human Being” in a vacant land in Naramachi (unrealized)

The townhouses in Nara have narrow frontages facing the road but are very long in depth. When one walks through the earthen floor area past the entrance to the back side through a long hallway and an inner court, a quiet greenery area appears that is completely different from the front road. Paper lanterns are gathered there, emerging as a giant. Once every year the super-rare giant appears as the deity watching over Naramachi with its height taller than the roofs.

『超珍な人間』 in 奈良町の空地 (実現せず)

奈良の町家は道に面する間口は狭いが、奥行きが非常に長い。玄関から土間を抜け、長い廊下や中庭を経て裏側へ出ると、正面道路とは全く違う静寂な緑が溢れていたりする。そこに提灯が集合体となり、巨人となって現れる。屋根より高い背丈で町家を見守る。「超珍」な奈良町の守護神が年に一度だけ現れる。

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6. “Super Curious Deer” in Nara Park Clock Tower (Unrealized)

Although Nara is famous for deer and the large Buddha, there is also a clock tower that is sober in appearance and not attractive enough to be a tourist attraction. Deer are considered to be a messenger of God in Nara. I wanted to make this clock tower respected and celebrated as the symbol of entrance to Naramachi, therefore decided to make this clock tower become a deer adorned with paper lanterns. The reflection of the deer on Sarusawa Pond was supposed to be disseminated to the world as a new feature of Nara.

『超珍な鹿』 in 奈良公園時計台 (実現せず)

奈良と言えば鹿や大仏が有名だが、時計台もある。それは地味な外観で観光スポットにはなりにくい物だった。その時計台が年一度だけ鹿となり提灯を纏う。奈良町の入口の象徴として、敬われ祝われる存在にしたかった。奈良の鹿は神様の使いである。鹿が猿沢池に映り込む姿は、奈良の新しい風物詩として世の中に伝播するはずであった。

Project / Chochin Art in Naramachi
Date / August, 2017
Location / Nara-shi,Nara,Japan

Direction / Team Chochin
(Atsushi Yamamoto, Masanori Tagawa, Tatsuya Sakamoto, Takuji Sugiyama, Fumitaka Suzuki)

Planning / Fumitaka Suzuki (Yagyug Douguten)

© Photo & CG image / Yagyug Douguten

/ yagyug.jp