I'm very excited to announce that I've taken part of the motion graphic company 'Lucky23', a creative group based in London led by the director (and my best friend) Trevor Harvey.
I'm working with them as a collaborator in their projects and as their contact for Japanese clients as well.
So if you are in any Japanese company (or an individual) and interested in working on your project with us, please don't hesitate to contact me or them directly to find out the details about what we can do.
I'm sure we can surprise you with brilliant ideas!
I’m excited (and a bit sad) to announce that I am moving out London after the 7-year stay in the UK, to Japan in this year.
It’s not going to be a total retreat from the London art and design scene, but will be even more exciting to have two homes in work and getting along with friends in both countries.
Very looking forward to seeing the old friends and new people in the new chapter of my life in Japan and UK!
Goro’s to be part of a group show, Fushi-e Exhibition（節絵展）in Shonan area, Japan this November.
‘Fushi-e’ is an art format proposed by a group of the local artists, architects and industrial designers in Shonan area a few years ago. They reintroduced a new style of distribution and production of artwork based on the Japanese culture, the ways how the Japanese used to enjoy art in daily life for hundreds of years. The keys are the traditional scale of Japanese architecture and the sense of seasons that always applied into Zen practice, tea ceremonies and so on.
What they invented particularly for this project is the ‘Fushi-e ratio’ (so called the platinum ratio) in that most artworks match with Japanese traditional and modern interior according to their researches.
They have already held a certain number of exhibitions in the area located in different commercial galleries, inviting a number of the local fine artists, photographers, traditional calligraphers who live in the traditionally artist’s much-loved area – Kamakura, Fujisawa, Chigasaki, Zushi, Hayama, etc..
The unique point of the organisers’ idea is that a Fushi-e artwork is always accompanied by a ‘base’, which is usually created also by the other local artists, like sculptors, product designers, mosaic makers, wood carvers, celamicists who are more in craft-wise field rather than in contemporary art field.
Thus this project has a huge potential in many ways, in terms of developing a new Japanese contemporary art market and establishment of the Japanese contemporary artists and craft makers at the same time.
The Fushi-e Exhibition this season has been going on in seven locations in the area with over fifty artists and craft makers.
For more details about the exhibition, please check out the link of Fushi-e official site and Gallery WATO site (both in Japanese) or contact Goro by email for information in English.
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Group Show, “Fushi-e Exhibitions (at Gallery WATO)”
2-5-35 Ōmachi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, 248-0007, Japan
21st – 29th November 2015
*above: ‘A New Born’ (2015) Paint, Dermatograph and paper, 217 x 90 mm
*below: ‘Cheeks’ (2015) Paint, marker, Dermatograph and paper, 217 x 90 mm
[Improvisational Portrait Session “Esquisse 4” at Usami Photography Office]
There will be the 4th session of ‘Esquisse’ on 23rd September that is constantly held by Goro and the photographer, Masahiro Usami , during Goro’s stay in Japan until the end of October.
Esquisse is a continuous portrait making session by the two artist, inviting random guests to Usami’s office in Minami-aoyama, Tokyo to make their portrait by drawing and photography.
Those works made by the sessions will be edited as a small catalogue by the graphic designer, Yoko Kuroda, as well as to be hanged in Usami’s office before Goro leave to the UK.
There’ll be a few more sessions of Esquisse but please check out the schedule by following the tow artists on FB so you won’t miss it.
The next session, Esquisse 4, is on this Wednesday, 10:30 - 22:00. Please feel free and just join us if you’re around Aoyama area then.
Best,
Goro
[Esquisse 4th session by Masahiro Usami and Goro Shimano]
Venue: Usami Office, Rm. 305, 5-3-8 Minami-aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Date: 23rd Sep. 10:30 - 22:00
Exhibition 'Face to Face’ at COBAKABA (18th Sep. - 6 Oct.)
1-13-15 Komachi, Kamakura, Kanagawa, 248-0006, Japan (+81467-22-6131)
*Need to order as the venue is a restaurant.
*further text in English is below.
「Face to Face」は、アーティスト・嶋野ゴローによるポートレイトの展覧会です。鎌倉駅にほど近い食堂・コバカバの壁をお借りし、2014年から進行中のプロジェクト「スカイプ・ドローイング」の歴史を過去の作品と共に振り返るディスプレイ、そして今回の日本滞在の間に製作した新作ポートレイトの原画もいくつか展示します。
‘Face to Face’ is a small exhibition being held at a local restaurant, Cobakaba, in one of the most papular tourist places in Japan called Kamakura. The exhibition consists of three parts – a visualised history of the artist’s ongoing project ‘Skype Drawing’, some new original drawing works that the artist have made during his stay in Japan, and live drawing sessions.
The live portrait drawing sessions will take place in the restaurant during the exhibition time, inviting voluntary models from the guests. The date and time for each session will be updated on this page. So please reply or leave comments here if you’re interested in being a model to put your name in the list. Or you can simply visit the restaurant to see the artist at the time.
Actually, it’s even possible to participete the portrait sessions in the ’Skype Drawing’ style though any kind of video chat tools like Skype, Hangouts, FaceTime, etc..
Skype Drawing Project is an ongoing project of the artist since 2014 that is an accumulation of the portraits of the family, friends and stranger of him made through Skype conversations with them.
It’s originally started to seek for any one to have a chat with because of the loneliness while the artist has lived in the UK for about six years. And the drawings have been occurred spontaneously after having those video chats with random people for a couple of weeks. They were first chosen from a circle of his close friends, but while the project was exposed, the broader range of people have contacted the artist from more many cities in the UK and Japan and even from the other countries in the world.
the unique aspect of the Skype Drawing is only the use of the video-chat tools. It doesn’t force the model to be in a kind of tension or frustration in the artist studio during modelling. Nor does they pose in a photograph – they’re expressive enough to catch some emotions to draw. It’s fascinating, even they’er strangers to each other, the artist and the model can make a relaxing atmosphere during the session by sharing the time, but not their personal spaces.
For the artist, the first motivation is to have a good conversation with anyone. The drawings are only the results of each conversation that always changes its style influenced by the models, seasons, location and so on.
So if you were interested in the work of the artist, please feel free to contact him at any time. Volunteer models are welcome not only during the show, but always.
Looking forward to seeing many of you in Kamakura.
Best,
Goro
Bio: Goro Shimano, a London based visual artist, was born in Japan in 1974. He had worked in the Japanese graphic design world with computer graphics as an independent illustrator for over twelve years. He now focuses on painting, particularly portraiture, and moved to the UK in 2009 to develop his practice in a more international context, to further explore his main questions about the face, identity, perception and representation. He has lived in Kamakura between 2007 and 2009.
The official video for 'Truce' by Jamie Simmonds For more Jamie Simmonds SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/jamiesimmondsmusic Facebook: www.facebook.com/jamiesimmon...
The music video of my musician friend, Jamie Simmonds, that I joined of the shooting in London the other day just has been released on Youtube now. Jamie's latest EP will also be available from his website soon. Great works got gathered together! Thanks to TofuClam Productions, too! Check this out.
The improvisational portraiture session 'Esquisse' with photographer Masahiro Usami was picked up by a blogger, Maiko, who runs maikocolors.com. Check out the article from here.
写真家・宇佐美雅浩さんとの不定期企画「エスキース」。第3回目は8月30日（日曜日）に南青山の宇佐美事務所を解放して開催することになりました。
遊びに来ていただいたゲストとコーヒーを飲んだりお茶菓子を食べたりおしゃべりしたりしながら、宇佐美さんが写真で、僕がドローイングで皆さんのポートレイトを製作するという企画です。
僕が日本を離れる10月半ばまでにあと数回開催し、出来上がった作品はグラフィックデザイナーの黒田陽子さんが素敵なカタログに仕上げてくれる予定です。
イベントはいつもフレンドリーな雰囲気ですので、ぜひ気軽に遊びに来てくださね。
どうぞよろしく。
宇佐美雅浩 × 嶋野ゴロー
ポートレイトセッション『エスキース』第3回
日時：8月30日（日）10:30〜22:00（＊ゴローは18時まで滞在）
場所：東京都港区南青山5-3-8 パレスミユキ305宇佐美事務所
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Dear friends,
There’s going to be the 3rd session of the live portrait making with the photographer, Masahiro Usami who’s known for his recent exhibition at Mizuma Art Gallery, called ‘Manda-la’.
This event ‘Esquisse’ will be constantly held during my stay in Japan until the mid Oct. and the works made in the sessions are later to be in a small catalogue designed by Yoko Kuroda.
It welcomes everyone who’s interested in visiting the photographer’s office and being a model of the two artist in photography and drawing.
The previous sessions have been always in a friendly atmosphere. So please feel free to visit there and chat with us when you’re around on this Sunday.
Best,
Goro
[Live Portrait Session, Esquisse 3]
30th August (Sun) from 10:30 to 22:00
at Usami Office, Rm. 305, 5-3-8 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
* Goro’s only staying there until 18:00.
Shared from a photographer friend, Masahiro Usami, who's had a great exhibition titled "Manda-la" at one of the finest commercial galleies in Tokyo, Mizuma Art Gallery, this year.
He and I recently have started a series of improvisational portrait sessions, Esquisse –named by Mr Usami, inviting a random guests as models through our connections on FB to try some experimental approaches for portrait making in a friendly atmosphere.
It may end up a small, private exhibition in his studio located in the Tokyo's fashionable district, after the other several sessions being held until I fly back to London in Autumn. (And the works possibly will be recorded and issued as a small catalogue to be designed by Yoko Kuroda.)
Well, the next sessions actually are happening quite soon – at this weekend.
Anyone is welcome to be a part of the sessions, if you'd be in Tokyo. Please send me a direct message if you're up for it so I could secure your space there.
See you very soon!
[Esquisse] Portrait sessions with Masahiro Usami and Goro Shimano
Venue: Rm. 305, 5-3-8 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Opening Time: 1st August (Sat) 18:00〜23:00 / 2nd August (Sun) 11:00〜15:30
Volunteer Model for Skype Drawing session on Friday Night
至急【スカイプ・ドローイング】ボランティアモデル募集
＊日本語のお知らせは下記にございます。
There finally left only two days to see the group show ‘Detention(s) Variable’ which my Skype Drawings are in. It’s open from 12 to 6 pm on both days and the gallery organised a closing party on Friday night from 8 pm as well, which is open to everyone. (please see the link below for details)
For the closing party, I am looking for a kind model who can contribute their time for my live demonstration of Skype Drawing. If any of my friends here were kind enough to Skype me in the gallery from your place during the time (starting at any time between 8 - 9 pm), please contact me in advance so I’d be very, very grateful.
Although it’s gonna be a little different session from usual one as your face on my laptop screen could be seen not only by me but also by the visitors in the gallery. But you will never be heard by them as I’m using a headphone to chat.
Looking forward to hearing you!
Best wishes,
Goro
p.s. Also, It’s even greater if you can have time to Skype me on the other days after the show.
My first motivation of Skype Drawing project is to look for someone to chat with. And it’s always above everything else, even more important than to draw people.
It always helps me to keep looking at the positive side of life. By the conversations, I somehow can see how to be myself which has been quite hard to remember since coming to the UK for some reasons, being away from my country, the language barrier and possibly the mid-life crisis, etc.. The Skype Drawing project could show me the brief ‘outline’ of my self (so called identity) by representing those relationships in deferent levels of the closeness, between me and my old friends, acquaintances and strangers.
Hopefully if the viewers and models also could feel the positive feelings through the project.
On going group show is only until this Friday and there will be a closing party on the last day. Don’t miss the chance to have a look at my Skype Drawing project on the wall. For the details, please go to the link above.
Could have a chance to participate a one-day music video shooting (actually it's some-hours one) at my place yesterday, by the young creators, Jamie, Oliver and Ryan. The postproduction work will be accomplished and the MV will be shown somewhere in a while. Very excited how my work would be seen in the film. Thanks guys for such a privilege. Really enjoyed the quick painting with the unfamiliar subject for me. It was a very creative moment.
[Interview] Japan Update Weekly (26th Feb 2015 edition)
*日本語記事は後半にあります。
Picked up by one of the major Japanese free papers in London, Japan Update Weekly, for its regular column ‘Living in the UK’ in the latest issue launched 26th Feb.. It’s about a story of my personal life with a bit of Skype Drawing project.
Available as the web version and to download a PDF of the paper version from these links, the web version or the PDF.
Written all in Japanese, but glad if you checked this out from the links or by grabbing one at Japanese markets, shops, etc. so you could find the other adds that might interest you at least…
The latest album of 24PSESOS that artwork & cover design by Goro is finally released on 19th January. Please have a listen on their website. (and buy it!)
New album 'Do The Right Thing' by @24pesos 24PESOS is officially out on Monday (19th) via @Cadiz_Music CADIZ MUSIC ...
Do The Right Thing: "It's the best 10 tracks & 42 mins of bliss & bombast I've heard since I last took it off repeat" say BluesInBritain
24pesos.com
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p.s. You are still very welcome if you'd like to be a volunteer model for Goro's current project, Skype Drawing. Please check the detail in the precious post or its online portfolio: skypedrawing.tumblr.com.
