from Montreal-2
20th February - 6th March 2017, I have a solo exhibition in Atelier Circulaire in Montreal. Then I move to Press Papier in Guebec as an artist-in-residence
20th February Monday
In the evening, I reached to Haneda International Airport. Air Canada had a trouble of air systen, so it delaied for 1.5 hour. I worried about transit at the Toront, but it can't be helped.
Durling the flight for about 12hours, I had a strong backache. I felt miserable and hard. I might not have so much oppotunity to take a long flight any more. I was going to write "artist talk"by English in the plain, but I couldn't do that. I watched 4 Japanese movies, Godzilla, Your Name and so on. I often stretched my back and legs beside my seat, but that didn't work so much.
Finally I reached to Montreal. It was 3rd trip for me. Before I come, I worried about winter Canada. The weather report said it usually reach to -10 degrees. I have never experienced that situation before. But tonight it was -1 degree. It was not too cold compare to Tokyo or Yamagata prefecture.
21st February Tuesday
Actually I sent 8 packages works one month ago by SAL. 7 packages reached to the gallery within 2 weeks, but only 1 package delaied for long while. I was worried if it will reach before I come, but it reached to here 10 days ago. I was really relieved.
Matthew and Liz helped me to set up my works. Liz was cute women who graduated fron Concordia University last year. They were very nice. My backache still remained, so it was bit hard for me to bent my back to use screwdriver. For the lunch, I went to the Japanese restaurant near the studio. I saw 2 Japanese wemen working there. I took out 3 Onigiri and Miso soup. After the lunch, we continued setting up the works. Many wooden panel were connected, and then shown on the wall. Our combination was parfect.
I met Paule, Wing and Larry again. I gave to Larry Wajimanuri wooden soup boul as a souvenier. I also met Alexandre who came to Japan last summer. He invited me to have a dinner in his house. After 5 pm, we went to his house together. I asked him about his artist in residence in Kawagichiko a lot. I was surprised his Japanese were getting well compare to before. I ate delicious pasta with his parent like before. It was nice time to chat a lot.
22nd February Wednesday
All day long, Liz and I prepared my show. It was hard to hang on the works, because we could not make at least small hole on the a few walls. Thanks Liz for your support a lot.
Last night I almost could not sleep. I didn't sleep about 2 days. I was really sleepy and tired. In the morning I could stand to do. But around the noon my brain was getting rusty, so my english conversation broke down. Claudia asked my a lot about my work, price and technique etc. But my explanation was pretty bad.
We managed hanging on the works, lighting before 5 pm. I was back to hotel, eat hamburger, drink beer, then went to the bed. I was worn out.
23rd February Thursday
I slept well. Last evening I went to bed 8pm. I slept until the breakfast. After breakfast, I continued sleeping until 3pm. I was in bed for total 15 hours.
Finally it is opening day today. I have to prepaere "artist talk". But I couldn't do in the plane. I did it many time before, but I always feel nervous. I said to myself, "I can do it, I can do it!" on the way to the gallery.
I reached to gallery at 4 pm. Claudia and other staff looks busy. I took pictures of my show a lot.
Around 5pm, visiters were coming gradually. Actually I planed funny event which I gave Kanji name for them. I prepared 40 handmade paper masks before I came. Visitor can take it free, and they can offer me writing thier name into Kanji. I was surprized many visitors asked me that. They had a line. I was very busy for writing Kanji name. I met Marcel after a long separation. I met some nice friends who worked in the studio. I had some fantastic memories together.
Around 7 pm, I started Artist Talk. First I explaned about printmaking a bit. I explained the concept of "100faces". Why did I start it? I also talked about the story which I used to start "friends"series. How did I draw friend's portrait, and so on. I thought it was totaly no so bad. I didn't have serious concept in my work. My work were always reflection of myself. So it was enough for me to be able to talk some stories.
I was very happy many visitors asked me about my works. Their reaction was really honestly. In Tokyo, people doesn't ask me. They always ask me about only tecniques. The stuff of gallery treated me well. She said over 170 visitors came today.
24th February Friday
I was still in heavy jet lug. I awaked at the midnight. I wrote blog, check the facebook, but I could not sleep in the midnight. I slept in the morning until check-out time. I left the hotel at 11:00 am. The bus terninal was near the hotel by 10 minuetes walking. I waited Express bus for 1.5 hour in the coffee shop, then I took the bus.
It was a bit rain outside. Today was also not cold. I could see remaining snow a lot, but it was melting by warm temperature. I was born in northern Japan. I used to be very cold outside so often. I didn't worry about Montreal's snow.
After about 2 hours the bus arrived to Trois-Rivieres. Anyway it was very difficalt for me to speak Trois-Rivieres. French pronunciation was too difficult for me. I asked the way to the Presse Papier to the express bus driver, he taught me wrong way. I asked the citizen, but they spoke French. So I lost the way a lot.
I finally reached to Presse Papier. Carole was kindly taught me how to use studio and guest house. Micheal also taught me how to use etching equipment. No one were in the studio except them.
Carole drive me to the super maket together. I bought many foods and beers. I took a very hot shower for a while, grilled sausages, boiled noodles, then ate them. I satisfied a bit.
25th February Saturday
Actually I can see huge St. Laurence River just next to my room. It was amazing drift ice were moving very slowly. Impressive!
I walked around the town. It was a cozy town. People said it "compact town". People were kind. I just felt from the atmosphere. There were museum, church ex-prison building, and so on. It is enough to walk half of the day. People didn’t walk outside so much. Not so cold also today. But we need a cap, thick globe and boots. When I passed the church, suddenly I noticed I have been here before. Of course we have visited Trois- Piviere international graphic exhibition with Atelier Circulaire’s friends last last summer. I felt nostalgic a bit.
I reached to supermarket IGA again. I bought rice, noodle and salami, then back to room.
26th February Sunday
I still have a jet lug. I awaked in the midnight. I slept in the daytime.
It was bit sunny, but cold today. I walked around the town a bit again. Really cold strong wing, the road were icy and too slippery. We had to care for just walking. I still had a backache, so I went to the pharmacy shop to buy the suitable medicine. I asked the stuff. But she said I should talk with pharmacist first. I was keeping waiting a bit. It was not the first experience. But pharmacist didn’t speak English. Anyway I bought Ibuprofen. I hope it work for my backache.
I spent lazy all day long. I couldn’t focus to my work. I wanted to make Liz’s portrait, but I could not catch the good idea. I met Nicole who was showing her works in the gallery now. We will walk around to see gallery next Tuesday.
Oh time flies fast. I have only one week to stay here.
27th February Monday
It was very fine day. We could see beautiful landscape much white drift ice were moving in St, Raulence River today, too.
Already one week past. My jet lug was getting better. I had only one more week for residency.
From early morning, I was in studio. It been a long while, I did etching. I barely start Liz’s portrait. Recently I didn’t make etching, so I had a right arm’s muscular pain.
I met studio artist at least 5 person only today. 2 women remember me that I have dropped by here a few years ago.
28th February Tuesday
Nicole and I went outside together. She brought me to some galleries. Maybe Carole asked her that. It was fine day today. Not cold. We talked a lot during walking. She had solo exhibition in studio’s gallery now. She wanted to apply to enter master course printmaking at the Alberta University. She also applied to get a grant now. It was a different system compare to Japan. We visited small gallery, or high school gallery, and local government gallery and so on. I noticed I have visited some galleries before.
We were back to studio. I tried to be back my work. I wanted to finish Liz’s portraituntil today. But I gave up that. I didn’t want to work hard until the midnight.
1st March Wednesday
I awaked midnight because I felt a big earthquake. It was second time since I came here. I supposed Canada had frequency earthquake like Japan. But it bit strange. Why it always happened in the midnight? I saw the outside from the toilet window. I saw long freight train were running on the rail next to us very slowly.
It was rain all day long. I finished Liz’s portrait. I printed 3 sheets of prints. One is for Liz, the other is for studio donation, and last one is for exchange to the artist who were interested in my work. I started to make Nicole's portrait. I thought it was not so adjust to her, but I didn’t have much time.
I often went to a kind of 100yen shop near the studio. I already bought brush, envelop, washing gloves, timer, knife and so on. We could buy also art materials there.
I asked Michel about liquid ground. He always taught me kindly. I felt people were almost very nice and polite.
2nd March Thursday
It was snow, perfect white landscape outside when I awaked in the morning. When I stepped on snow, I noticed it was powder snow, it didn’t wet. Actually I was a bit afraid of Canadian winter. The temperature reached - 30°c. So I brought many undershirts, sweaters and thick gloves. But I didn’t used them. I remembered when I was a kid. We had a lot of snow in my home village more than here. So I understood how I should walk on the snow.
I worked all day long also today. I almost finished Nicole’s portrait. When I sketched it, I thought it didn’t fit her so much. But I felt now it was not so bad.
3rd March Friday
Carole organized my farewell party today.
I finished my work before the noon. Usually I worked hard until last day of the residency. But I stopped it. Foreign people always said to me, “Don’t work too hard”. Wing gave me the Facebook massage, “Take it easy”.
Guy came to the studio. It was not the first time to meet him. He looked very busy. He often go to the foreign country to have exhibition recently. He became a one of the most popular printmaker in Quebec.
Carole, Nicole and some artists and I took a lunch together at the restaurant close to the studio. It had high ceiling, typical Canadian atmosphere. Some artists working in Presse Papier concerned to organize the International Biennial in Trois-Riveres. They knew foreign artists who had come to here to join the prize ceremony. We talked about Japanese printmaking artist who won before. The local government or company supported that kind of cultural event. Also gallery supported the artist’s exhibition by grant. Actually I have never been supported as grant by gallery in Japan. Sometimes we had to pay except popular artist.
4th March Saturday
It was almost last day today.
I cleaned guest room, packed the baggage. I was ready to leave the Presse Papier in the morning. I had a too much time before leaving, so I walked around the town again. Outside was really really cold. Snow were not much, but air was freezing. I almost couldn’t open my eyes. I had to return to the room soon.
I took Express Bus at around the noon, then I came back to the Montreal again.
I checked in the hotel. I should to take more underwear to go outside. I came back to Atelier Circulaire again.
Actually today was Nuit Blanche. It meant a kind of Art Event Day a year. All museum would be free tonight. We could see a lot of events especially concerned to art. Atelier Circulaire also joined a part of event, making own design T-shirt screen print. I really wanted to join the event, but it would be from 9 pm to 3 am. I met Claudia, Alexandre and Matthew again. They were busy to prepare the event. I put Liz’s etching into her drawer, then I decided to visit the museum because of free enter.
When I reached there, I found museum’s park changed to like an amusement park. A lot of citizen, especially family and kids gathered there. We heard big rock sound everywhere. Many kinds of tent shops, small stage for music, performance or game. People looked enjoying. I also became happy. Actually I love that kind of event. It was really cold here, but that atmosphere made me refresh.
I noticed Canadian people are totally kind and friendly. I have never felt annoying from them during this trip. Thank you.