interview with Ryoichi Kurokawa
IK > What attracts you to a video – now as a common art form?
RK > Using audio and video can provide working with time. And in a way that other art categories such as painting or sculpture , do not.
IK > When did you start working with video?
RK > Ten years ago. At first I was trying to create the own world of moving images through the computer animation. For my generation computer is a common tool, something like a pencil. Audiovisual language can be considered as a contemporary global dialect.
IK > Was it difficult to convince the art world on the validity of this medium?
RK > No, because in today's art world, the video art is already established and recognizable. Although the difference between the contemporary generation of audio-visual artist and traditional video artist is slightly different in the perception and the function of art. Contemporary artist finds himself on multiple platforms not only in galleries or museums, but also in clubs and at festivals. I consider this as the greatest progress, and this evolution is related to the acceptance of digital culture.
IK > In your case, we can talk about the high degree of compactness. Was it difficult to achieve this?
RK > In the fact, everything is in my head, pretty much. First, I tend to work "mentally" and then somehow I start to specify it. Then I come up with something tangible, but thanks to this process it is ultimately the result of an abstract. The nature is always the primary source of my inspiration. Hybrid mixing of analogue and digital post-production material is another key thing. Actually, all my work is based on this hybridity. Between analogue and digital, but also between time and space, between the whole and fragmented, reaction and meditation, phonetic and visual.
IK > Let's go to the synesthetic experience with picture and sound. About what you actually care: synchronization of audio-visual elements or twiddling with their fancy "collision"?
RK > In the fact, I am trying to create a particular space in which they could co-exist as two different materials. This does not mean that the audio and video component have to blend in "divine" synthesis, rather like I force them to synthetically "bump" to each other. Within my audiovisual works I consider them as two parts of the same unit, different illustrations of the same work.
IK > What is your artistic history? What brought you to the point where are you now?
RK > I have no special education in arts. I did not study at university of design, or music. In fact, I am self-taught. Firstly, I formed things just for fun. Well, it is true that I have always enjoyed architecture, design, photography or movie, and they have a huge impact on me. Before I became an artist, I was interested more about other than digital art. For example, I have liked Joseph Beuys.
IK > You also collaborate with Japanese artists of techno music scene, as Aoki Takamasa or Yoshihiro Hanno from Progressive Form of label, but also with musicians of more general focus as Ryuchi Sakamoto and Haruomi Hosono. What exactly bring you these collaborations?
RK > Cooperation brings a sense of "newness". The fact of the mutual discussions allows me to generate new artistic ideas that my solo work may would never have. Collaboration also gives me more flexibility regarding the use of artistic methods. Often it makes me feel free. I do not discriminate between artists from techno or traditional art scene, because since I work with musicians, I see music mostly as a sound.
? Ivana Kohlhammer
: Ryoichi Kurokawa
