Charlotte has informed us that she will have to postpone her visit until next summer! While this is unfortunate news we are also very happy to congratulate her on recieving an invitation to participate in the Aomori Artist in Residence program this September. As a result of funding issues, the Illuminated Forest LED project scheduled to be done in Kamiyama is being re-worked in order to fit a smaller budget so that it the project can go on as planned next summer. Everyone at Green Valley and KAIR were looking very much forward to Charlotte’s visit, but we know we’ve got something great to look forward to for next summer now! Good luck, Charlotte!
Charlotte McGowan-Griffin, 2004 KAIR participant (also known as Kirie Charlotte) will be in Kamiyama for two months this summer to work on an art project. She arrives on July 8! I can’t wait to see what emerges (and where it does so!) during her stay.

Some background information, from the vault:

May 22, 2007

I know it’s confusing, but among the Kamiyama Artist in Residence alumni, there are two English Charlottes. Kirie (paper cutting) artist Charlotte McGowan-Griffin (KAIR 2004 – hence the nickname Charlotte #1), and Charlotte Brisland (KAIR 2005, also known as Charlotte #2)… haha. Just the other day I received an e-mail with pictures from Charlotte #1 about a work she has made using LEDs called The Illuminated Forest.

“Why…?”

“Because, she says she is thinking of doing a similar project using LEDs here in Kamiyama!”

Here’s a brief summary taken from Charlotte’s e-mail.

I have been thinking how interesting it would be to hold a small outdoor ‘Art-light’ festival in Kamiyama, where invited artists (Japanese and international) make temporary ‘illuminated interventions’ with the context of the forest.

The idea occurred to me for several reasons: firstly, I can see that Kamiyama has the KAIR program, but not really the exhibition space/financial resources/ arts infrastructure, to capitalise on the new connections that the program generates. But what Kamiyama does have is a lot of interest in the arts, as well as plenty of natural beauty and open spaces.

I think the festival could happen just on a small scale in the beginning, (four or five artists with strong proposals) and if greater funding became available in the future then it could grow over time. There is also the possibility that we could ask artists to work solely with LED technology – thereby perhaps a certain Tokushima company would be interested in getting involved??

Not to mention, it’s very beautiful!! I think we’re going to have to pick this one up and run with it! (haha)