H-AIR Monthly Report - August / Daniel Wesseik
August marked the final and concluding chapter of the residency... The month was dedicated to the animation festival, more residency activities, sightseeing and wrapping up…
Residency Activities
The last mentor session took place in the beginning of the month in Hiroshima and finally in person. These sessions were very helping and insightful, with good advice and interesting references.
A significant event during this time was attending the atomic bomb memorial ceremony on August 6th. Beyond the importance of the event itself, I found it compelling to witness an official Japanese ceremony. What stood out to me most was the music that accompanied the ceremony, which was so different from what I’ve experienced in ceremonies in Israel or the Netherlands.
Following the ceremony, we took part in a feedback session for animation students from various Hiroshima schools. It was a heartwarming experience.
Next to these activities I continued to explore the typewriter and I created a poster for my current project in development for the exhibition.
Animation festival
In mid-August, the animation festival finally took place. It was a delight to meet and connect with inspiring creatives from both Japan and abroad. The festival's program was incredibly rich,making it difficult to choose one screening over another. It was especially fascinating to watch films from Japan and other Asian countries.
As part of the festival, each residency participant was given a generous space to present their progress. It was an honor to showcase my work in this setting.
Visiting Japan
One of the most memorable visits during this period was thanks to Sujin’s recommendation:
The Tower of the Sun. This monumental art project, located near Osaka, features a towering structure with a museum inside. It brought to mind an art center I volunteered at for a few months just before the COVID-19 crisis, situated in a kibbutz in the southern Israeli desert. While The Tower of the Sun rises majestically above dense green trees, the art center stands proudly amid sand dunes.
I found it very inspiring to witness the dedication of artist Taro Okamoto to his vision and the trust others placed in him to bring such an ambitious project to life.
Last Days of the residency
After the festival ended, we had a few days to wrap up the residency. I used this time to print a zine featuring sketches I had made before my stay in Japan, some of which have also become part of my ongoing project. Printing this zine had been on my mind for months, and I was thrilled to finally complete it at a local print shop.
I also had the chance to join Naka, a teacher from Hijiyama University, and a few students for a charming letterpress workshop in a nearby city. It was a delightful experience.
Britt and I also managed to squeeze in a second visit to the MOCA museum of contemporary art in Hiroshima, where Mr. Matsuoka Takeshi, one of the curators of the museum, introduced us to an exhibition in the making. Very generous of him to give us a personal tour and a sneak peek into the upcoming exhibition.
Wrapping up didn’t happen as I expected. I was counting on a slow farewell from all the places and people that were part of this magnificent experience but nature had other plans. Because of a typhoon I had to leave Hiroshima in a rush. Luckily I send the typewriter to the NL a few days before, but for the rest of the things, I had to be very hasty and thanks to the organization that helped me alot with closing this and that, I managed to go to Tokyo area in time to have a few last days before catching my flight home.
I was delighted to conclude my stay in Japan with a visit to Koji Yamamura’s studio, gallery, and animation store. Of course I couldn’t resist picking up some very cool and inspiring animation toys from the shop, and I even received a signed poster like a true fan.
I also managed to visit a retrospective exhibition of Keiichi Tanaami at the national art center in Tokyo. I was blown away by the amount of work he produced throughout his years. “I never stop to think”, he mentioned in a video about his life.
Taking home with me
Throughout the residency, I often expressed my struggles with storytelling and finding a narrative to work with. Reinforced by the mentors' advice and the inspiration from Japanese artists, I now believe that the greatest lesson I’ll take away is to create without over-thinking.
These three months were filled with a wealth of diverse experiences. As I write this, just a few days after returning to the Netherlands, I still find myself thanking people with "arigato" and greeting others with "konichiwa." I’m not yet sure what will emerge from this time, but I know it was a profoundly meaningful experience. Britt and Sujin were both great and funny companions for adventures in this unfamiliar realm. It was very interesting to learn from them and inspiring to witness their progress with their own projects.
I’m very grateful for this opportunity and for all the Hiroshima Animation Season team, and especially one particular Shizuka, who made this stay so wonderful and rich and made Hiroshima feel like a warm (and hot!) home for these three months. Huge Arigatooo + love…