Overall Project in Nairobi

Movie show and artist talk at HRI Vision House in Tokyo

2010-06-07T12:51:00.000+09:00

In the evening on 4th June, we held the movie show and artist talk on "Overall Project in Nairobi" at HRI Vision House in Tokyo. People interested in workshop, fashion, art, development and so on gathered together and exchanged their ideas.

RESONANCE@SUNTORY MUSEUM

2010-04-03T11:51:00.001+09:00

http://www.suntory.com/culture-sports/smt/gallery/index.html

Period:Saturday, April 3 through Sunday, June 20, 2010
Hours:10:30 - 19:30 (*Gate closes at 19:00)
Admission: Adults \1,000
Students (college/high school) / Seniors (60 and up) \700 Children (junior high and younger) Free
Closure: Mondays (except May 3)

Artists
Marlene Dumas, Anselm Kiefer, Mark Rothko, Ryan Gander, Wolfgang Laib, Andreas Slominski, Janet Cardiff, Raqib Shaw, Varda Caivano, Paul McCarthy, Nobuya Hoki, Leiko Ikemura, Aya Ito, Nobuaki Itoh, Teppei Kaneuji, Yayoi Kusama, Motohiko Odani, Tetsuya Umeda, Yoshinari Nishio and Meiro Koizumi

Review by Roger McDonald

2010-04-03T11:43:00.002+09:00

http://www.dnp.co.jp/artscape/eng/focus/1004_01.html

Documentary Exhibition of Overall Project in Nairobi (in Tokyo)

2010-02-21T01:36:00.004+09:00

Documentary exhibition of Overall Project in Nairobi (held in January 2010) will be presented at The World Bank, Public Information Center Tokyo (PIC Tokyo) and AIT Room in Daikanyama. We hope to see you then! (For details of the exhibitions, please see below.)

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Nairobi Art Project by Yoshinari Nishio Vol.2
Documentary exhibition of "Overall Project in Nairobi"

Yoshinari Nishio has been engaged in creation of his art works focusing on the relationship between dressing activity and communication. He found a new site for his experiments to find a new way of communication by means of arts in the public space of a city in Africa, a most distant place from Japan, and developed different art projects in Nairobi, Kenya. The documentary exhibition of the "Overall Project in Nairobi" which was held in January 2010 will be presented in Tokyo. We hope you will like it, another side of Africa discovered via personal initiative of an artist.

1. The World Bank, Public Information Center (PIC Tokyo)
Documentary exhibition of "Overall Project in Nairobi" by Yoshinari Nishio
- In cooperation with "Orphan Meets Artist / Artist Meets Orphan" -

Dates and Time: Wednesday, February 17 - Tuesday, February 23 10:00 - 18:00
(closed on Saturdays and Sundays)
Venue: The World Bank, Public Information Center (PIC Tokyo)
Admission: Free
Organized by: The World Bank, Tokyo Development Learning Center / Yoshinari Nishio Workshop

[Talk Session] "Africa x Arts"
Focusing on the relationship between Africa (or developing countries) and arts, consider possibilities of arts to contribute to workshops with orphans and development.
Date and Time: Friday, February 19 18:00 - 20:00
Venue: The World Bank, Public Information Center (PIC Tokyo)
Speakers: Yoshinari Nishio, Shunsuke Ishida (The World Bank, Tokyo Development Learning Center), Michiko Kusunoki (Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA))
Admission: Free (with coffee)
Organized by: The World Bank, Tokyo Development Learning Center and Public Information Center / Yoshinari Nishio Workshop

2. AIT Room Daikanyama
Nairobi Art Project Vol.2
Documentary exhibition of "Overall Project in Nairobi" by Yoshinari Nishio

This exhibition presents the records of Nishio's art projects in Japan and overseas, mainly include the documentary films of "Self Select in Nairobi" (in 2009) and "Overall Project in Nairobi" (in 2010).

Dates and Time: Friday, February 26 - Friday, March 5 11:00 - 18:00
(closed on Sundays)
Venue: AIT Room Daikanyama
Admission: Free
Organized by: Arts Initiative Tokyo [AIT] / Yoshinari Nishio Workshop
http://www.a-i-t.net

[Artist Talk] "New Way of Communication Via Arts"
Date and Time: Friday, February 26 20:00 - 21:00
Venue: AIT Room Daikanyama
Admission: Free
Organized by: Arts Initiative Tokyo [AIT] / Yoshinari Nishio Workshop

Featured on "Artscene" by KTN

2010-01-18T22:35:00.001+09:00

Movie show and artist talk at the Embassy of Japan (18th, Jan)

2010-01-18T21:35:00.001+09:00

Movie show at nairobi arts trust (17th, Jan)

2010-01-17T21:35:00.000+09:00

Exhibition at YNW,N (14th-19th, Jan)

2010-01-14T22:35:00.000+09:00

Thanks for our members

2010-01-14T21:35:00.001+09:00

Artist: Yoshinari Nishio

Main staff: Yoshinari Nishio Workshop, Nairobi
(Sakiko Nishio, Simon Ayienga, Shogo Matsuki, David Omondi, Megumi Unami, Sauti Haji, Kaori Sawamura, Kazuyo Tsuruta)

Filming Staff: Sawako Nakai, Yosuke Sato

Special Thanks: Jimmy Ogonga, Shino Nishimagi, Shunpei Kanbe, Yasuyoshi Chiba, Donators of unwanted clothes, Participants in Ngara and Kibera, Children with Mama Maziwa in Gikomba, Japanese supporters

Support: Asahi Shimbun Foundation, HRInstitute

Cooperation: Kenya Railways, Rift Valley Railways, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Nairobi Research Station), Nairobi Arts Trust, Centre for Contemporary Art of East Africa, The World Bank (Tokyo Development Learning Center/ Public Information Center Tokyo), Embassy of Japan in Nairobi, Japan Foundation

Prepare for the exhibition at YNW,N

2010-01-13T21:35:00.002+09:00

Video conference at the World Bank & public movie show in Ngara (13th, Jan)

2010-01-13T21:35:00.000+09:00

Photos by Yasuyoshi Chiba (photographer)

2010-01-12T22:35:00.001+09:00

Poweful and strong photos of our performance in Kibera. (Photos by Yasuyoshi Chiba, a Japanese photographer living in Nairobi)

Performance on the railway in Kibera (12th, Jan)

2010-01-12T21:35:00.003+09:00

Kenya Railways and Rift Valley Railways offered their staff and arranged security guards for our performance in Kibera. They brought our staff and participants by coach from Nairobi station to Kibera. Together with the residents in Kibera, we walked on the railway wearing the overall in the shape of a steamtrain.

Featured on The East African

2010-01-11T21:35:00.001+09:00

8th day of Open Atelier in The GoDown Arts Centre (9th, Jun)

2010-01-09T21:35:00.001+09:00

Cut the patchworked fabric into the shape of patterns for the parts of a steamtrain drawn on the floor.

7th day of Open Atelier in The GoDown Arts Centre (8th, Jun)

2010-01-08T21:35:00.001+09:00

6th day of Open Atelier in The GoDown Arts Centre (7th, Jun)

2010-01-07T21:35:00.002+09:00

Today, we moved our open atelier from Ngara to a studio in Nairobi Arts Trust & The Centre for Contemporary Art of East Africa located in The GoDown Arts Centre to finish our production. We cleaned up the studio and brought in sewing machines and other equipment that we carried from Ngara. The GoDown Arts Centre is an art complex with offices of different art organizations and studios where people involved in creative activities get together.

5th day of Open Atelier in Gikomba (6th, Jun)

2010-01-06T21:35:00.000+09:00

4th day of Open Atelier in Ngara (5th, Jun)

2010-01-05T21:35:00.000+09:00

3rd day of Open Atelier in Ngara (04/01/2010)

2010-01-04T21:35:00.002+09:00

The 3rd day of our production outside the Kihonge apartment in Ngara. Today, the first business day of the year, many commuters were stranded as matatu (minibus) went on strike calling to protest against harassment by the police. Today's workshop was very successful as many people who could not go to work due to the matatu strike as well as those working in our neighbourhood joined us. Participants were spontaneously organized into different groups to break up the clothes: some drawing lines on the fabric, some cutting the fabric, and others sorting the pieces of fabric into different categories. Great teamwork.

2nd day of Open Atelier in Ngara (02/01/2010)

2010-01-02T21:35:00.005+09:00

The 2nd day of our production outside the apartment in Ngara. Today, new people joined and helped us as well as the workers in our neighbourhood who came and helped us yesterday. Some of the participants are experts of the sewing machines who use them everyday, and hepled us repair our sewing machines and showed us their proficient skills.

1st day of Open Atelier in Ngara (01/01/2010)

2010-01-01T21:35:00.002+09:00

Today, we started our production of the overall outside the apartment in Ngara. On the streets in Ngara, we find many workers producing and reparing car accessories and metal products all day, while many of them using sewing machines. However, many people came to see our work and helped us cut the clothes and put the pieces of fabric together using sewing machines. GBS, a local TV station came to cover our workshop. A cameraman and a director from Japan also joined us and started filming the Overall Project in Nairobi.

Obtained an approval for the performances

2010-01-01T02:48:00.000+09:00

Obtained an approval from the City Council for our performances to be held on the streets in Ngara, Gikomba and Kibera. Also obtained a permission from the owner of the apartment for the use of the space around the building where we work on the production of the Overall. Our production will be held outside the atelier and open to the public from January 1st.

Railway line in Kibera Slum

2009-12-31T06:22:00.005+09:00

Visited Kibera, the biggest slum in Nairobi. The railway line threads through the town of Kibera. The train that carries various merchandise and people runs several times a day. The railway line is located very close to the houses and shops around. During the time when the train does not operate, people and animals living in the neighbourhoood walk on the railway line. Today, we saw many people, goats, chickens, dogs and cats walking on and off the railway line. The performance by local participants holding the overall and walking on this railway line is planned to be held sometime after January 10th.

Visited a rehabilitation center for street children

2009-12-31T06:10:00.003+09:00

Visited a rehabilitation center for street children located in Nairobi West. This rehabilitation center brings the children from the streets, shelters them and provides a two-year rehabilitation program. A workshop with the children sheltered at this center is planned to be held in the first or second week of January.

Our Kenyan staff proactively involved in working with sewing machines

2009-12-31T05:33:00.005+09:00

Our production of the overall (i.e., cutting of clothes and putting the pieces of clothes together with needles and sewing machines) is so far going well with more old clothes donated by our neighbours. Our Kenyan staff who are used to using a sewing machine as well as those who are not do concentrate on their work using sewing machines without a word. One Kenyan staff liked a T-shirt that a Japanese staff brought and exchanged his old one with hers.

Orphanage in Gikomba

2009-12-30T04:34:00.005+09:00

Visited an ophanage in Gikomba. A workshop with orphans is planned to be held on January 6th 13:30 - 15:30.

Nairobi Railway Museum

2009-12-30T04:02:00.005+09:00

Visited Nairobi Railway Museum to conduct a research and to obtain an overview of the history of the steam locomotive, which is the motif of the Overall Project in Nairobi. The exhibits presented at the museum including photos and models show the process of construction of the railways that started in late 19th century as well as the compartment of the steam locomotives. The city of Nairobi was developed along with the construction of the railways as described by Sir Charles Eliot: "It is not an uncommon thing for a railway line to open a country, but this line literally created a country." Outside the museum, the steam locomotive of that time is presented.

Replacement of sewing machine

2009-12-29T21:47:00.004+09:00

The first sewing machine we bought in the town of Nairobi did not function well. So, we took the sewing machine to the shop where we bought it and requested them to replace it with a better one paying some additional money. This time, we tested the machine at the shop before we brought that to our atelier to see if the machine functions properly. We finally bought the sewing machine after having the problems fixed by a repairer at the shop.

The 2nd day of our workshop in Nairobi

2009-12-27T04:43:00.003+09:00

Cut the second-hand clothes purchased at Gikomba market and old clothes donated by neighbours along with the pattern pieces made of cardboards. Put together the pieces of fabric using sewing machine or needle. Another Japanese volunteer and our neighbours joined our workshop from today.

Old clothes donated by our neighbours

2009-12-27T04:19:00.004+09:00

Visited our neighbours and explained our Overall project in Nairobi. At our request, the neighbours brought their old clothes to the atelier for our production.

Our second sewing machine in Nairobi

2009-12-27T04:10:00.004+09:00

Purchased our second sewing machine in the town of Nairobi. This can function with / without electricity. The first one needs to be fixed or replaced with another one on Monday after the Christmas holidays.

"Orphan meets artist/Artist meets orphan" (January 13 @ Tokyo/Nairobi)

2009-12-26T01:02:00.003+09:00

Yoshinari Nishio will report the workshop with orphans to be held in Nairobi at the beginning of January.

In collablration with World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center, a video conference with Yoshinari Nishio in Nairobi and the participants from Tokyo will be held on January 13, 2010.

Please join us!
For details, please visit the following website.
http://www.jointokyo.org/en/programs/catalogue/kenyan_orphans_meet_japanese_artist/

Let's get started!

2009-12-26T00:52:00.004+09:00

Started the production at our atelier in Ngara. Cut the second-hand clothes purchased at Gikomba market yesterday along with the 8 different pattern pieces made of cardboards. The local radio is on. Raggae music with colorful fabric. Merry Christmas!!!

Collecting cardboards

2009-12-26T00:39:00.003+09:00

Collected cardboards at the shops in our neighborhood. These cardboards will be converted into the pattern pieces to be used as rulers to cut the fabric for production.

Gikomba market

2009-12-26T00:19:00.004+09:00

Purchased second-hand clothtes for our production at Gikomba market, the largest informal market in Kenya and the biggest second-hand clothing exchange in the East Africa. Today, we bought 50 colorful clothes at 1,ooo Kenyan Shillings (= about JPY 1,200). Our neighbors and Kenyan friends also give us their old clothes.

sewing machine

2009-12-25T17:54:00.004+09:00

Purchased our first sewing machine for the production here after walking around and checking prices at different shops in the town of Nairobi. The sewing machine can function without electricity, which is ideal for our workshop to be held outside the atelier.

Arrived in Nairobi

2009-12-25T17:41:00.004+09:00

Yoshinari Nishio and the Japanese staff arrived in Nairobi on December 21. Our office and atelier is located in Ngara, a part of the city of Nairobi. The atelier is surrounded by lively noise of people sewing and welding to produce parts for matatu (public bus/taxi), etc.

Call for Participants and Unwanted Clothes

2009-12-12T23:52:00.002+09:00

We are calling for lots of unwanted clothes and participants who cut and sew them together with us in Nairobi city. Let us enjoy communicating among various participants and know more about Nairobi in alternative way through creating art works together!

[Term] Fri.1.January to Wed.13. January, 2010
*We will start to prepare from Tue.22.December. If you're available, please join us for the preparation like collecting unwanted clothes, buying necessities and publicity.

[Sites] Every public space around Nairobi
*Our temporary atelier will move around Nairobi city. Detailed schedule and sites will be announced in a few weeks. If you want us to open our temporary atelier at your suggested place, please contact us.

[Contact Us]
Email: info[at]yoshinarinishio.net *please change [at] to @ when you mail us your message.
Phone: 0717-176791(kenya)

Yoshinari Nishio Profile

2009-12-07T00:38:00.003+09:00

Yoshinari Nishio

Artist/ Director, Yoshinari Nishio Workshop

Born in Nara, Japan, in 1982. Lives and works in Tokyo, Japan.
He is currently enrolled in the PhD program at the Inter Media Art Department, Tokyo University of the Arts. His works have consistently referred to relationships between behavior of dressing themselves and communication, and have included installation art, workshops and performances.
http://yoshinarinishio.net

■Selected solo exhibition
"Yoshinari Nishio" KCI(Kyoto Costume Institute) Gallery,Kyoto, Japan, 2006
"Self Select in Paris" Gallery Cesar Harada, Paris, France, 2007
"Self Select in Nairobi" RaMoMA, Nairobi, Kenya, 2009
■Selected group exhibition
"Media_City Seoul 2006" Seoul City Museum, Seoul, Korea, 2006
"Happiness in everyday life" Art Tower Mito, Ibaraki, Japan, 2008
"ESTUAIRE 2009" Nantes, France, 2009
"Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial 2009" Niigata, Japan, 2009
"From Laboratory to Project" New Museum Weimar, Weimar, Germany, 2009
"Costume in play -Kimsooja/ Sone Yutaka/ Nishio Yoshinari-"Matsumoto City Museum, Nagano, Japan, 2009

Link

2009-12-07T00:34:00.004+09:00

Yoshinari Nishio official website
http://yoshinarinishio.net/

"Self Select in Nairobi" project
http://selfselect.wetpaint.com/

"Overall: U-Boat" Pproject
http://overall-u-boat.wetpaint.com/

Yoshinari Nishio Workshop, Nairobi
http://ynw-nairobi.wetpaint.com/

About "Overall Project in Nairobi"

2009-11-23T23:46:00.003+09:00

Let's Reconstruct and Wear the Giant Steam Train!
In “Overall Project in Nairobi” to be held in the first half of January, 2010, we will create an overall for a steam train that used to travel on the Kenya Railways, the origin of Nairobi city, and give a performance of a group of people wearing the overall walking along streets and the railway in Nairobi.
Now we are calling for lots of unwanted clothes and the participants who cut and sew them with us!

About "Overall Project"

2009-11-23T23:40:00.010+09:00

“Overall Project” is an art initiative that reconstructs giant lost heritage around the world using “overall” made from patchwork using unwanted clothes donated by citizens. In cooperation with the local residents, this project promotes reconsideration of the origin of the town and dialogues among the citizens and foreigners in the town, and provides an opportunity for the participants and local residents to share the experience of creating new scenery in the town, while formalizing memories of the town. After the exhibitions, the “overall” will be broken up and then used as materials to create uniforms for the citizens and staff who participate in the production of “overall” that will keep their lives connected. Up to now, ”Overall Projects” were held in different cities in Japan and abroad: “Overall: U-Boat” (Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, France), “Overall: Ueno-Daibutsu” (Tokyo, Japan), “Overall: Sailboat” (Saitama, Japan), and "Overall: Foot Soldiers "(Nagano, Japan).

About "Yoshinari Nishio Workshop, Nairobi"

2009-11-23T23:34:00.005+09:00

"Yoshinari Nishio Workshop, Nairobi" is a team which comprises Japanese and Kenyan members sharing a vision of “developing and implementing experimental art projects in Nairobi and other African regions in cooperation with local residents”. Our main purposes are to “promote international cultural exchange via contemporary art”, “propose new relationships with neighbors in the local community”, and “establish a network of organizations and individuals involved in contemporary art in Africa” through the process of implementing art projects (i.e., creative actions by artists) in the living environment of the local residents in the space that is open to the public, such as markets, cafeterias and streets.