Art Event Design Festa in Tokyo Big Sight calling for exhibitors now!

Hi everyone!
Just wanted to make an apology about the blog being offline for a couple of days. Hopefully the hiccups have passed.
Next thing is, Volume 31 is now fast approaching, so do you have something awesome to show the world? Where better than Asia’s largest art event!! Apply NOW online.
We’re also looking for volunteers who speak English, other languages a plus, who can volunteer to do the following:

- artist interviewers/photographers,
- artist interviewers/videographers (DV) and
- visitor interviewers/photographers/videographers (DV)
On May 15th and 16th next year.

For more info contact Stephen! stephen@designfesta.com

Well, although its only just over a month since our 15th anniversary event, the days and weeks are flying away and we are organising the next event, happening May 15th and 16th next year! You can already apply online to be an exhibitor.

Today I wanted to mention one of our many foreign exhibitors at the recent Vol 30. Tama is a very nice guy whose home turf is jointly New Zealand and a tiny Polynesian island not too far from Fiji and Tonga, called Niue. This was his statement about his exhibition: “I represent ideas by colours, to convey subjects of thought energy & form, subatomic & macro nature, quantumness , space, emptiness, landscapes big & small, flows for one point to another, vibrations, routines of sort, nature’s natural unity,love, thoughts. Many works are based around Niuean motifs”

I emailed him after the event to see how his work is progressing since Design Festa,

How did you find about the event?
at a Hotel , I found a pamphlet

Did doing the event influence your way of working / exhibiting, did you
get any new ideas?
Not so much influence , but really interesting to see, new ideas always come..

What are your upcoming projects?
Entering art awards, trying to get exhibit of my work, still have work for sale in a gallery in Auckland New Zealand

Do you have any artistic goals / future ambitions?
To be my living, and make a career as an artist.

Any advice for other artists who are thinking about exhibiting at DF
Relax and smile, its a friendly place

Well I’d like to thank Kopo Tama for being such a great sport at the event and giving me this interview. I really enjoyed looking at his work and contemplating the mathematical and natural forms he uses.

Check it out for yourself!
kopotama.com

Michael Kloran C+-1481

Well its been 2 weeks already since DF closed down our 15th Anniversary edition at Big Sight. Through the amazing work of our volunteers we’ve managed to get ALL the (English speaking) foreign exhibitors who were interviewed on the day up on to both flickr and our report page. Check out your favorite exhibitors, or if you were an exhibitor check out your profile, click through to flickr and leave us a comment!!

Today I’d like to pick out the lovely Mr. Michael Kloran, who sportingly agreed to give us a video interview.
His illustration is linked up with his job teaching Japanese people how to be better teachers so they can make a difference in the developing world. He uses his illustration in an educational capacity, for children’s books as well as for his own enjoyment. We hope you enjoy this interview

Kloran.com
Video by ToLokyo
Edited by me (^_^)

Live painting is BIG in Japan. And Design Festa has got to be one of the premium places to see it. We give our live painters huuuuuuge huge walls and this is the lovely ephimeral beauty they come up with. For 2 days only!!

Hello.

Why aren’t you here!!? Its Design Festa Vol. 30…. which means… drum roll…… we’re 15!!! Yayyyy still underage though so no alcohol please (boo!) 

Well, this is what’s happening on the floor, 

and here are our first 2 exhibitors who had been waiting outside since 4am!

Design Festa vol.30 is starting very soon!

Would you like to go though this entrance to dive into artistic chaos!?

Have you ever been to Design Festa before?

WHAT!?!? Well, then this is a great way to experience it from the inside out.

Design Festa is Japan’s, and Asia’s, largest free-style art event.

Lonely Planet describes it as ‘THE place to get a good idea of what Tokyo’s working artists are doing.’

But we humbly call it ‘ARTISTIC CHAOS!!!’

And who doesn’t want to invite bit of choas into their lives?

But wait there’s more… This next event marks our OFFICIAL 15TH ANNIVERSARY and we need some help documenting it for posterity!

So, if you speak English, French, German, Italian… or maybe some Japanese – if you have a digital camera or a video camera (DV) – if you’re an outgoing and friendly person – then please join us for some fun, frivolity, lotsa art and a bit of work!

We need:

- artist interviewers/photographers,
- artist interviewers/videographers (DV) and
- visitor interviewers/photographers/videographers (DV)

But what do you get in return for your wonderful help, besides that warm-fuzzy feeling inside? Well you get into the event for free (duh!), each day you get 1000 Yen cold, hard cash, a pair of complimentary tickets (to impress your friends, family etc), full access to everything, and you get to hang out with the DF crew!!! Plus, your equipment will be completely covered by our insurance, so no worries if you break something (as I did, and there was no problem whatsoever).

Ideally we’d like volunteers that can work both days (from 10 AM – 7 PM), but if you can only do one or the other, that’d be great just the same!

So, if this interests you, please drop us a line so that we can set up an informal interview. We’ll also need you equipment details (brand, model, serial number, year of purchase and amount paid).

If you want some more information, don’t be shy, contact either Stephen (stephen@designfesta.com) or Kazu (kazu@designfesta.com).

We’re looking forward to hearing from you soon!

PS – PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS… AND ENEMIES, WE NEED LOTS OF PEOPLE THIS YEAR, THE MORE THE MERRIER!!!

Peace!!!

check us out at: www.designfesta.com

…….seen here Aiko Minezaki at work in west 1F!…..pop in and say hi to this colourful young lady!