Chiaki Mayumura experiencing art: Imagination win over prejudice and limit

The next stop is “terraced rice field in Hoshitoge”, a breathtaking view where approximately 200 rice fields, big and small, are spread over on the slope. Mayumura was also taken by the landscape which has been created by overcoming harsh nature in the mountainous area. While doing live performance at stadium is great, she has been dreaming about live in the ocean or dessert where 20 million audience could get together. This must be a very stimulating place for her.

On the other hand, these terraced rice fields have been facing the challenge of decline in the number of owners in the recent years. Matsudai Tanada Bank was launched in 2003 to invite people to become sato-oya (owners) to help maintain these terraced rice fields through network of people nurtured by ETAT. Many people started to participate in seasonal activities such as rice planting and harvest, bringing crowd to the region. sato-oya is entitled to receive delicious rice every autumn.

Mayumura: Understand… While it is different from sato-oya, I set up my own office in 2017 (Kabushiki Kaisha kaisha-ja-naimon) and asked my fan to buy shares of the company. I thought it would be fun to organise a fan-club through shares-holding but it wasn’t the only reason. I have a faith that there is something I can do because I am not alone and it gives me keep going if my live performances become place for fans to “have fun together and feel free”. That is why I thought “Matsudai Tanada Bank” is a brilliant project. 

We then visited “Shedding House” in the same village Toge where the terraced rice field were. You will find a magnificent old minka as you walk through a narrow lane amongst the trees. It looks like a calm wooden architecture looking from outside but you will be surprised when you walk into the house. The entire surface of the house from floor, wall, ceiling and column are engraved.

Mayumura: I was guessing something could happen at this place and look what I found inside. Take socks off, put my bare feet against on the floor and it is so comfortable to feel the curving on the back of my foot.

This minka house is 150 years old. Until it became unoccupied, the house had changed its appearance over time by putting support on outer wall and renovating inside. Junichi Kurakake, a sculptor and professor at Nihon University and his students began to reveal the house as it was. They restaged life in the house for generations by creating doma, space for cows and horses, and heath. Moreover, they revealed uncovered appearance by curving entire surface of interior space and transformed the unoccupied house into the artwork. It shows us how much unknown potential that any buildings or humans can have.  

As “cotemporary art x farmhouse stay” explains this is an artwork you can also stay overnight. One group can occupy the entire house which would provides special experience with friends or family. Kitchen and bathroom are reformed to the contemporary standard.

Mayumura: If I come to Niigata on a tour (of performances), I would do gasshuku-live (staying overnight performance) followed by harvest live (joining harvest on the terraced rice field).