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Yoshinari Nishio

Born in Nara in 1982, and currently lives in Tokyo. Completed his doctoral course in the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts. Ph.D. (in Fire Arts). After having worked as an overseas trainee artist (Nairobi, Kenya) at the Agency of Cultural Affairs and an associate professor at the Faculty of Regional Art-Activities Studies, Nara Prefectural University, he is currently an associate professor at the Department of Intermedia Art. He focuses on the relationship between the act of dressing and communication and works on projects at home and abroad in cooperation with locals and students. He produced a theme project at Roppongi Art Night 2014 and released a large-scale work with recycled clothes at Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown and the National Art Center, Tokyo. Nishio plans and manages art projects which connect Africa and Japan, and produces fashion brand “NISHINARI YOSHIO.” In recent years, he practically pursues roles of art toward the society through various art projects and educational activities with the theme “Art as Mutual Learning.” His main literary works are “Dressing behavior as communicative action imploding a situation” (Sayusha) and “Art is Education” (Gendaikikakushitsu).

Past works

Projects by this artist

Marking Pin of Urban District

Others
A project to make an environment where local tailors play an active role in an urban community of Chiba. These tailors don’t aim for perfect and finished clothes like a conventional tailor, but contribute to the community by making free-style clothes like unfinished crafts with marking pins. In the workshop ”Person of XX,” participants try to make unique clothes based on a different theme in each session. Old clothes collected within the community are used. If participants take part in more than 4 workshops, they can join the special workshop “Person of Tailor Made.” If they complete their clothes, they are accredited as a “Machi-Machi Tailor.” When they become a Machi-Machi Tailor as a citizen artist, they receive orders locally for working clothes or from individuals to tailor based on theif unique ideas and methods. Installation “Machi-Machi Market” which is open during the exhibition period is a place for work of Machi-Machi tailors / product trade fair / business negotiation. It is made based on the image of “huge product shelves” on which products made by Machi-Machi tailors are displayed, and audiences go round the place and see unique products as if they are playing in a jungle gym. Foot-operated sewing machines are placed around the structure as a workplace for Machi-Machi tailors. In this way, Machi-Machi Market becomes a place for audiences to meet products and tailors and for taking tailor-made orders. The unique cloth making and market would create a new place for interaction in the community. Machi-Machi Tailors and Machi-Machi Market will put people together just like marking pins holding sections together. [Types of citizen involvement] Workshop, Workshop management, Artwork production, Providing materials, Exhibition viewing
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Exhibitions & events by This Artist