Manifesto
“It is our desire to embody the fact that our spirit is free. It is also our hope that no restriction will be placed on the desire to experience fresh sensations through every form of expression.” Gutai Magazine (inaugural issue)
On November 1, 1962, an artist-run space for exhibition, Gutai Pinachoteca opened in Osaka. Of course, we were not direct witnesses to the birth of the Gutai movement. However, their manifesto and very existence still reach us sixty years later, prompting us to question the essence of freedom.
The Azumatei Project is:
Not a commercial platform for the sale of artwork,
Not a stage for supporting emerging artists,
Not a gallery space for rent,
Not another of those government-funded urban revitalization projects.
We simply want to see what we want to see,
Present what we want to present,
Listen to what we want to listen to,
Meet people whom we want to meet.
We are and will continue to be
A place where we all can take initiative
And move our lives forward
Free to become who people want to be
This is our own manifesto.
In November 2018, Hidetada Karasuyama, Takuro Ishii, Tetsuaki Nanjo and I launched the Azumtaei Project in an historic old building in downtown Yokohama, a secret hideout that quietly lingers, tucked away in a district rife with desire and noise. Welcoming Keiichiro Tanaka and Kazuyoshi Sakai into the fold as new members in 2020, we acrobatically remodeled the venue, tearing down walls to connect three divided rooms into one uniquely provocative space for creation and experiment. This booklet is a chronicle of our journey over the past two years, spanning eighteen exhibitions and some of the many other events we have held to date.
February 2021, AZUMATEI PROJECT
1962年9月1日、作家たちが主導する展示施設が大阪に開館した。
彼らは「われわれはわれわれの精神が自由であるという証を具体的に掲示し たいと念願しています。
新鮮な感動をあらゆる造形の中に求めて止まないの です。」と語った。<『具体』誌 創刊号より>
われわれは、彼らを直接知らない。
しかし、60年の時を超え、われわれに自由であることの本質を問い続けるの である。
作品の売買を目的としているわけでもなく、
若手芸術家を支援するつもりでもなく、
スペースを貸し出すわけでもなく、
支援を受けて町興しに協力するわけでもない。
純粋にいま我々が観たいものを観せてもらい、
我々が見せたいものを見せ、
聴きたいものを聴き、
会いたい人に会う。
そして、ここが人生を能動的に前へ進める機会の場であることを主張していく。
それがアズマテイプロジェクトである。
2018年11月に烏山秀直、石井琢郎、南條哲章、そして東亭順を代表とする4名で、アー トの対極にある欲望と騒音が交差する街角に忘れ去られてしまったかのよう に佇むビルの奥にある隠れ家のような場所でこのプロジェクトを始動した。 2020年の終わりに田中啓一郎と酒井一吉を新たなメンバーに加え、これまで3つに区切られていた空間をアクロバチックに変容させ、創造的実験場として 作り手を挑発する他に類を見ない空間に仕上げた。ビルの老朽化に伴い2022年11月に退去を済ませ、同市内藤棚町に移転し、2023年1月再始動。同年７月にそれぞれの道への出航をきめた。
2023年7月アズマテイプロジェクト
Member
不二七 FUJINANA
2022年12月よりアズマテイプロジェクト代表となる。
東亭 順 Jun Azumatei
(2018年11月 - )
Jun Azumatei (contemporary artist)
The advantage of the place itself, it’s unusual location and unique appearance, is one of the defining characteristics of the Azumatei Project. Speaking of galleries with a distinctive character, two come to mind.
One is an underground gallery. As I stepped down the spiral staircase leading to almost the center of the room, I saw how the lights, which reflected gently on the linoleum floor, softened the tense air of the dusky room. After proceeding a few steps into the gallery I turned around, and noticed how the staircase stood along with other exhibits, tensely and solemnly, like a sculpture itself.
The other is an old gallery with a long history. The walls had been painted countless times, and those thick layers of white paint created a grave, imposing sense of “resistance” on the wall. To my eyes, those white walls shined almost brighter than the fluorescent lights that hung from the ceiling. I personally believe that artists are those who can immediately envision how their work will appear immediately after stepping into any intriguing space. And it is no exaggeration to say that I envisioned the AZP the moment I first came across our venue.
The main space is a former printing office that had been abandoned for over thirty years. It seems as cold as some restricted rocky stretch, and is reminiscent of some kind of skinned emotion, akin to stepping into a godforsaken cave and finding the traces of human existence deep within. Its fragile walls practically molder, and the blotchy floor absorbs everything, quickly becoming chalky. The walls metamorphose after every repair. I can sense the unpretentious sincerity of every artist who has been attracted by and grabbled with this space, an attitude which hangs palpable in the air. I believe that each artist improves the strength of this space, even more.
To ascertain the world as glimpsed over the backs of artists, we keep our venue as it is, as an intentionally challenging and provocative space for artists. The firsthand experiences that are shared here are absorbed into the firmament of our space, vestiges of an ongoing search and practice that seeks the modes of expression we need in this world and period of time.
東亭順 (現代美術家)
立地や空間の佇まいという場の持つ強さがアズマテイプロジェクトの特徴のひとつだが、独特な雰囲気をもつギャラリーといえば、ふたつ思い浮かぶ。 ひとつは、螺旋階段を使って会場のほぼ中心に降り立つと、リノリウムの床 にうっすらと反射する照明が、ほの暗い室内の張り詰めた空気を和らげてい た地下ギャラリーだ。数歩進んで振り返ると会場に並ぶ作品とともにその螺 旋階段は彫刻作品の如く凛とした緊張感を放っていた。もうひとつは、何度 も塗り重ねられたペンキの層が、例えようのない重厚な抵抗感を壁に生み出 し、天井に吊るされた蛍光灯の光に負けない白さを室内いっぱいに湛えてい た老舗画廊だ。アーティストとは、魅力的な空間と対峙した瞬間、自身の作 品が展示されている状況を即座に空想できる人種に他ならない。アズマテイ プロジェクトが始動したのはこの空間と出会った瞬間だと言っても過言では ない。 メインとなる空間は、30年以上放置された印刷所跡である。立ち入り禁止の 岩場のように冷たく、同時に、人里離れた洞窟の奥で何者かがこの場に存在 していたという気配を感じとった瞬間に立ちのぼるような、剥き出しの感情 を彷彿させる。朽ちかけた壁は脆く、滲みだらけの床はあらゆるものを吸い 込み粉を吹き、壁色は補修を繰り返しながら変容する。この空間に魅せられ 勝負を挑んだ作家たちの気取らない真摯な姿勢が気配となって漂い、さらに この場の強度を増してゆくはずだ。 私たちは、作家たちの背中越しに見え隠れする世界を見定めるため、作家た ちが挑戦したいと思える場を、ここでしか得ることができないすべての経験 を、それらすべてをこの場に取り込みながら、この時代のこの世界で目指す 表現を探究し、実践してゆく。
Current Show
PROJECT#39
Mitsunori Kurashige | An email that gets to nowhere <Absolute Impossibility>
Jun Azumatei | When the sky merges into the sea, the land dives under the waves
Artists:
Mitsunori Kurashige | Jun Azumatei
14(sat). 15(sun). 16(mon).21(sat) . 22(sun) . 23(mon) . September 2024 14:00- 18:00
Supported by SEIKO
プロジェクト#39
倉重光則 "何処にも届かないメール〈絶対不能〉"
東亭 順 "空が海に溶ける時、大地は波に潜る"
作家：倉重光則 | 東亭 順
会期：2024年9月14.15.16.22.23.24日 14:00-18:00 土日月(祝)のみ
Upcoming Show
Past Shows
 #38 HalationArtists：Leonardo Bürgi Tenorio, Lino Meister, Luwei Shan, Mizuki Yui, Axel Töpfer, Dodor, Jun Azumatei |  #37.2 Our Blue EarthArtists, Axel Töpfer, Naka-G, Soft-Concrete |  #37 Kaltes FeuerArtists, Axel Töpfer, Björn Kämmerer |
|---|---|---|
 #036 usual timeArtist, Mana Ogata |  #35 PerspectivesArtists, Samuli Blatter, Shinpei Kageshima, Shida-Toso, Jun Azumatei |  #34 KOTOBUKEArtists; Axel Toepfer, Dodor, KARASU-TEI, Tetsuaki Nanjo, Keiichiro Tanaka, Kazuyoshi Sakai, Hidetada Karasuyama, Jun Azumatei |
 #33 Last DrawingArtist; KARASU-TEI |  #33 Heading to FujidanaArtists; Yuichi Arihara, Sumito Asano, Jun Azumatei, Jun Enishi, Naoko Harada, Takuro Ishii, Shiho Kagabu, Ryuhei Kaiho, KARASU-TEI, Hidetada Karasuyama, Toyoko Katsumata, Mitsuhiro Kurashige, Tetsuaki Nanjo, Hiroko Ogawa, Ari Ookuo, Rommy 、Yusuke SAITO, Kazuyoshi Sakai, saku, Fumiko Seki, Soft-Concrete, Michi Suwa, Yuki Takeuchi, Hidekazu Tanaka, Keiichiro TANAKA, Kanako Tomioka, Shigeru Toya, Koji Tsujigo, Rieko Yamamoto, yomikake |  #33 Art Exhibition vol.2 Tetsuaki NanjoArtist; Tetsuaki Nanjo |
 #32 ProphecyArtist; KARASU-TEI |  #32 And then, return to beginningArtists; Ari Ookubo, Shida-Toso |  #31 YU-SUIArtist; Ryuhei Kaiho |
 #31 Always MovingArtist; Takuro Ishii |  #31 Lines as surveying and erratically linesArtist; Hidekazu Tanaka |  #30 MATSURIPeople; Takuro Ishii, Ami Iwasato, Shin Okuyama, Kenzo Onoda, Seiko Onda, Ryuhei Kaiho, Hidetada Karasuyama, Ryusuke Kawashima, Kota Saito, saku, Misaki Sato, Akiko Shintsubo, Takeshi Tomoda, Tetsuaki Nanjo, Naoko Harada, moko, Rieko Yamamoto, Gisyo Yuzan |
 #28 Art Exhibition vol.1 NANJO TETSUAKIArtists; Tetsuaki Nanjo, Hidetada Karasuyama, Kazuyoshi Sakai, Jun Azumatei, Keiichiro Tanaka |  #27 Films of fictionArtist; Kazuyoshi Sakai |  #26 in the same periodArtists; Kentaro Shimoyama, Kei Murata, Keiichiro Tanaka |
 #25 Survive RomanticallyArtist; KARASU-TEI (Hidetada Karasuyama＋Jun Azumatei) |  #24 The glaring noon in the dark - Indefinite SquareArtist; Mitsunori Kurashige |  #23 The Space Of AppearanceArtist; Kazuyoshi Sakai |
 #22 Over the AbsenceArtist; Toyoko KATSUMATA |  #21 Before giving a nameArtist; Keiichiro Tanaka |  #20 luna crescenteArtists; Jun Azumatei, ar I um , Ari Ookubo, Kazuhiro Goshima, Takayoshi Tsuchiya, Hajime Mizutani |
 #19 SETIArtist; Yuki Takeuchi |  #18 Soft or Hard - Three weeks with Soft-ConcreteArtists; Soft-Concrete (Kota Saito, Jun Azumatei) |  #17 Shoichi Shibuya Film FestivalDirector; Masakazu Shibuya / Yuji Minato |
 #16 VIVIDOR – The one who enjoys life to the fullArtists; Georges Audet & Bruno Steiner, Jun Azumatei, Takuro Ishii, Eross Istvan, Mari Ito, Ayako Ohno, Hiroko Ogawa, Ryuhei Kaiho, Shiho Kagabu, Shinpei Kageshima, Toyoko Katsumata, Hidetada Karasuyama, Daniel Goettin, Mitsuhiro Kurashige, Toshiya Kobayashi, Yusuke Saito, Kazuyoshi Sakai, Michi Suwa, Soft-Concrete, Yuki Takeuchi, Keiichiro Tanaka, Tin Chaong Wen, Axel Toepfer, CHINGIZ, Koji Tsujigo, Takashi Horisaki, Hajime Mizutani, Gerda Maise, Mizuki Yui |  #15 Ki-ga-suru / Ki-ga-shitaArtist; Shigeru Toya |  #14 Even A Blink - Scattered Time and AccumulationArtist; Hidetada Karasuyama |
 #13 Fragment MonochromeArtists, Hajime Mizutani, Takuro Ishii, Keiichiro Tanaka, Shinpei Kageshima, Jun Azumatei |  #12 Rolling kite, falling waterArtist, Michi Suwa |  #11 before sunrise after darkArtists; Samuli Blatter, Hiroko Ogawa, Takuro Ishii, Jun Azumatei |
 #10 Possible or Not ImpossibleArtists; Jun Enishi, Yusuke Saito, Keiichiro Tanaka, Hidetada Karasuyama, Jun Azumatei |  #09 YU-SUIArtist; Ryuhei Kaiho |  #08 Towards PaintingArtists; Sumito Asano, Yuichi Arihara, Kazuyoshi Sakai, Hidekazu Tanaka, Kanako Tomioka |
 #07 Watershed, Counter, PropagationArtist; Jun Azumatei |  #06 girlish / GilgameshArtists; Seiko ONDA, Saiya KAWABE, Fumiko SEKI, Seika MORI, Asaka WATANABE, marsa, Rommy, yomikake, +moco(Recorder) |  #05.5 Live PerformancesArtists; Soft-Concrete, HellTaku, Space Satoru |
 #05 Secretly, the waste, continues…Artist; Koji Tsujigo |  #04 Piazza del ParadisoArtist; Shiho Kagabu |  #03.5 Echo's music & alcoholArtist; Saiya Kawabe |
 #03 One StoneArtist; Takuro Ishii |  #02 a day offArtist; Jun Enishi |  #01 Memento Mori - yesterday, today, tomorrow,Artists; Jun Azumatei, Hidetada Karasuyama, Takuro Ishii |
CONTACT
アズマテイプロジェクト
所在地
220-0053 横浜市西区藤棚町2-198 藤棚ハイツ 1-103
相鉄線 西横浜駅 徒歩 7 分
京急線 黄金町駅 徒歩 18 分
黄金町駅よりバス 5 分
・市営バス 68系統「横浜駅西口」行き [藤棚二丁目]
・市営バス 102系統「横浜駅前」行き [藤棚二丁目]
横浜駅よりバス 10 分
・市営バス68 / 102系統「滝頭」行き [藤棚二丁目]
AZUMATEI PROJECT
Location
1-103 Fujidana Hights, 2-198 Fujidana-cho, Nishi-ku, Yokohama JP Zip 220-0053
7 minutes by walk from Sotetsu Line Nishi-Yokohama Station
18 minutes by walk from Keikyu Line Kogane-cho Station
By Bus
[Fujidana-Nichome] No.68 and No.102 to Yokohama Station from Kogane-cho Station.
[Fujidana-Nichome] No.68 and No.102 to Takigashira from Yokohama Station.