From the moment he arrived in Tokyo from Buenos Aires, Ignacio Chico was eager to share his family history intertwined with the Malvinas War (1982). Going as far as carrying with him his father's entire war uniform in a suitcase, he brought to 3331 Arts Chiyoda a historical narrative not commonly heard in Japan.
Within the first two weeks of his stay, Ignacio ambitiously curated a retrospective of his work inside 3331's 104 gallery. This included 2 small video installations, a floor section covered in laurel leaves appearing to spark into flames, and a large screen projecting a film piece set in the vast Pampas plains of Argentina. Ignacio's desire to connect his family background to the Japanese audience was strongly felt, and his interaction with the community only grew deeper.
During the third month of his residency, Ignacio put together an even bigger second exhibition inside 3331. Witnessing the many visitors from diverse fields in the arts, residency directors, local artists, and the 3331 staff he befriended, it was Ignacio's charisma and sincere desire to communicate with others that brought them there. With a full installation of an actual war refuge covered in sticks and mud, surrounded by his father's war photos, Ignacio recreated his memories in that very space, forming a new point of cultural intersection within 3331's network.
What's more, just a few days before his departure, Ignacio joined the major Trans Arts Tokyo festival (affiliated with 3331) in an exhibition tent featuring AIR 3331 artists. He hung his father's full uniform in the tent, drawing curiosity and questions from passersby.
Ignacio's connection to Tokyo has not ended there. Through an interview held during his stay by local Argentinian art magazine, ramona (*for article in Spanish, see below link), Ignacio shared details of his residency work with AIR 3331. Currently he is planning on calling over Japanese artists he connected with during his stay to hold a group-show in Buenos Aires. No doubt, Ignacio will keep pushing cultural boundaries with his personal history, to be expanded into stronger connections made between Argentinia and Japan through art. AIR 3331 looks forward to supporting Ignacio's future endeavors!
*ramona interview article: http://ramona.org.ar/node/64718
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We hope the creativity of our past participants will inspire some ideas for your project proposal to AIR 3331!
AIR 3331 OPEN CALL
Period: January 2018 - March 2019 (1-3 months per residency)
Deadline: March 30, 2018
Details: https://goo.gl/Gf2hdo
AIR 3331: Emily