2007 » Japan » National section

"KAWAII" SCENOGRAPHY as Vernacular Pop

“Kawaii” is a Japanese term which can be translated as cute or adorable, a word one now finds everywhere in Japan connected with comic or anime merchandise. As a social phenomenon, it is also well known and commonly used by English speaking fans of Japanese pop culture. Having been provoked by the universal success of this “Hello Kitty” aspect of our culture, we have used the term “Kawaii” as a symbol to express modern Japan. As scenographers we have been challenged to find new expressions for our contemporary theatre, reflecting our modern culture. In the midst of globalization, not only artists from the Western World, but also those from the East have been practicing their art with new, diverse influences. Scenographers need to cultivate their own theatre culture, which depends neither upon stereotyped images nor conventional design styles.

PQ07 committee

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• HIROKO OSHIMA

Specialization: set designer


Exhibiting works

• Hiroko Chiba: SPA ! - Ano Kane wo narasuno wa Anata (SPA! - The Bell Will Be Rung), Shimokitazawa OFF OFF Theatre / Gekidan Run-Beat (Shimokitazawa OFF OFF Theatre / Run-Beat Company), 2006, Director: Hideto kitazawa, , Mitsue Kojima - Lighting Designer, SU - Costume Designer
  

  

  
  
  
• Tomoyuki Ikeda

Hyogo
Specialization: set designer
Additional information: Born in 1965 in Hyogo. Graduated from Musasino, currently works in Ikeda Design Office.

Exhibiting works

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Haiyu-za/Konnyaku-za (Haiyu-za Theatre/Opera Theater Konnyaku-za), 2006, Director: Tadashi Kato, , Ikuo Murofushi - Lighting Designer, Takihide Goda - Costume Designer
  
  
  
• Ben Uchiyama

Kanagawa
Teaching activities: Toho Gakuen School


Exhibiting works

• Shiroh Kataoka: Buaku to Iu Na no Otoko (Buaku), Isshinji Theatre/Gekidan Kooro (Isshinji Theatre/Kooro theatrical company), 2006, Director: Asaya Fujita, , Kunio Fukui - Lighting Designer, Kazuyo Igarashi - Costume Designer
  

  
  
  
• Naoko Hashimoto

* 29.07.1974, Shiga
Education: Osaka University of Arts
Collaboration with theatres: Univerzta umění Ósaka
Additional information: Arts-Shower 2004 Theatrical Arts Competition Excellence Award

Exhibiting works

• Kouichi Tomosawa: Dobutsuen (The Zoo − From Maupassant's “The Fly”), Shimokitazawa "Geki" Syougekijyou/T1 Project (Simokitazawa "Geki" Theatre/T1 Project), 2006, Director: Kouichi Tomosawa, , Kazuo Miyano - Lighting Designer
  
  
  
• Tomiko Kato

* 09.04.1960, Mic Prefecture
Education: Department of Theatrical Arts, Osaka University of Arts
Teaching activities: Osaka University of Arts
Additional information: Born in 1960 in Mie. Graduated from Osaka University of Arts. Currently he works as lecturer of the Stage Art course there. He cooperates especially with small theatres. Information from catalogue 1999: Born in 1960 in Mic Prefecture.

Exhibiting works

• Hironori Naitoh, Toshiro Suzuki, Shipei Fujiwara: Warau Onna (The Smiling Woman), Piccolo Theatre, Shinnkokuritsugekijyou/Piccolo Gekidan (Piccolo Theatre, New National Theatre/Piccolo Theatre Compan), 2004, Director: Hironori Naitoh, , Toshiro Suzuki, , Shipei Fujiwara, , Yoshitaka Nishikawa - Lighting Designer
  
  
  
• Yuichiro Kanai

* 23.08.1960, Tokyo
Education: Department of Architecture, Tokyo University of Science
Teaching activities: Tokyo University of Science
Additional information: 2001 Japan Theatre Arts Association Award 2003 Award for Excellent Staff Member, The 11th Yomiuri Theatre Awards 2005 Best Staff Member, The 13th Yomiuri Theatre Awards

Exhibiting works

• Williame Shakespeare: NINAGAWA Juniya (Ninagawa's Twelfth Night), Kabuki-za/Syochiku (Kabiki-za Theatre/Syochiku), 2005, Director: Yukio Ninagawa, , Tamotsu Harada - Lighting Desinger
  
  
  
• Narumi Nishikawa

* 16.12.1964, Tokyo
Education: Tama Art College


Exhibiting works

• Pietro Mascagni: (L'Amico Fritz), Shinkokuritsu-Gekijyo the PIT/ Shinkokuritu-Gekijyo (New National Theatre the PIT / New National Theatre), 2004, Director: Misa Takagishi, , Hideaki Yamamoto - Lighting Designer, Etsuko Handa - Costume Designer
  

  
  
  
• Hajime Ota

* 1949, Tokyo
Specialization: set designer
Education: Jiyu Gakuen School
Collaboration with theatres: Škola Jiyu Gakuen
Teaching activities: Osaka University of Arts
Additional information: Set designer of Teatoro Echo Tokyo, teaches at the Osaka Art University.

Exhibiting works

• Ai Nagai: Kaku Onna (A Woman Writing...), Setagaya Public Theatre/Nitosha (Setagaya Public Theatre/Nitosha theatrical company), 2006, Director: Ai Nagai, , Ryuichi Nakagawa - Lighting Designer, Noriko Takehara - Costume Designer
  
  
  
• Tomomi Hongó

* 06.08.1967, Sendai
Education: Kuwasawa Design School, Tokyo
Teaching activities: Tokyo Kougakuin College


Exhibiting works

• Hirohisa Hasegawa: (The Secret Garden − The Library of Babel), Mito Geijyutsu-kan (Art Tower Mito ACM Theatre), 2004, Director: Hirohisa Hasegawa, , Seiichi Sano - Lighting Designer, Toshie Sano - Costume Designer
  
  
  
• Sachiko Osawa

* 04.11.1968, Tokyo
Education: Musashino Art University
Collaboration with theatres: Univerzita umění Musašino
Teaching activities: Musashino Art University
Additional information: 2005 32nd Kisaku Ito Awards The best stage designer of the year

Exhibiting works

• Monzaemon Chikamatsu, Yoshiro Irino: (The Double Suicide), Shinkokuritsu-Gekijyo / Tokyo Shitsunai Kagekijyo (New National Theatre / The Tokyo Chamber Opera Theatre), 2005, Director: Leo Iizuka, , Takashi Kitamura - Lighting Designer, Nayoko Oguri - Costume Designer
  
  
  
• Masako Ito

Specialization: theatre director


Exhibiting works

• Martin McDonagh: (Lonesome West), Atelier EN/Engeki syudan EN (EN studio/Theatrical group EN), 2006, Director: Shintaro Mori, , Mariko Sasaki - Lighting Designer, Koco - Costume Designer
  
  
  
• Shigeaki  Tsuchiya

Specialization: director, set designer
Additional information: Born in 1951 in Hiroshima. Set designer, collaborating with Gekidan Shiki, teaches at the Tama Art University, He participated in PQ 1987 and 1991.

Exhibiting works

• Yukio Mishima, Hikaru Hayashi: (Rokumeikan), Jiyu Gekijyo / Gekidan SHIKI (Jiyu Theatre / SHIKI Theatre Company), 2006, Director: Keita Asari, , Sumio Yoshii - Lighting Designer, Hanae Mori - Costume Designer