THE PEPOMO BLOG

PEPOMOs very own Lucky Yamada & Adam Smith are undertaking a residency at The Unstitute - ‘Interactive Internet Anarchitexture’ – from 31st October 2011 to 31st January 2012. As ‘Tovarishch’ (Colleagues) Lucky & Adam will share their new experiences in Japan. Visit regularly for new episodes of Radioactive Radio, scour the expanding Sketchbooks or follow the Tovarishch Blog.

www.theunstitute.org/Tovarisch

PEPOMO now have a range EcoBags on sale in the Nakanojo Biennale 2011 Shop, Gunma, Japan, as part of project OTC- Nakanojo. Each bag is a complete one-off with designs inspired by the Nakanojo region. First come first served. They’re selling like hot cakes!

Bear Move EcoBag

Cigarettes EcoBag

Flowery Wallpaper EcoBag

Horse Ride EcoBag

IroIro EcoBag

Kirin Hall Wall EcoBag

New Sassa EcoBag

OTC ‘n’ Friends EcoBag

Pachinko Dragonfly EcoBag

Ultra Process Ecobag

Union Rice EcoBag

Today we went to Tokyo Koenji Awadori, a Dance Festival which is held annually on the last Saturday and Sunday of August.

The little boy’s t-shirt offers us encouragement to ‘Love Earth’ and there was certainly a lot of love in the air as around 12000 dancers paraded through Koengi and performed Awa dance to an appreciative crowd.

When we arrived the streets were packed with dancers and musicians in brightly coloured costumes preparing for the parade ahead.

Women wore yukata , a summer kimono made from light cotton, and amigasa, a hat made from woven rush grass which cut through the air like fins.

When dancing the Awa odori – a dance with a proud tradition from Tokushima Prefecture – men bend over a bit and move with strength and dynamism whilst women turn their palms inward and gracefully move the wrists.

Thousands of photos must have been taken at Tokyo Koenji Awadori.

Here a shaven-headed man with hoop earrings takes a closeup picture of a young lady in traditional Japanese dress who is eating a fat sausage with chopsticks.

Today we held two OTC Nakanojo Public Workshops at TSUMUJI – Nakanojo Creative Communication Centre – as part of Nakanojo Biennale 2011. Our mission: to explore the local area and make exciting new Nakanojo posters!

Here’s our very own rogue horsey version of Gunma mascot ‘Gunma-chan’ for now named Gunma-chan the 2nd (second from the left) with Nakanojo Biennale Executive Committee member Maru-chan (second from right) and friends (far left, middle, and far right).

Families turned out in force to take part in the workshops, and Gunma-chan the 2nd was only too happy to pose for the cameras! Oh, and if you have any suggestions of a better name for our equine OTC Nakanojo mascot then please do add in the comments box…

Here a happy mother admires a self portrait, made by Gunma-chan 2nd, which she has just been gifted.

Gunma-chan the 2nd enjoys playing to the crowds. Here he is handing out to Japanese children little Japanese flags which he has made from red circles cut out of larger St George’s flags. Cheeky vandal!

“Let’s go explore Nakanojo!” says Gunma-chan the 2nd silently and acts the ‘pied piper’.

Thank you to everyone who braved the wet weather and made our workshops so much fun!

Thanks to youse

and youse

and youse touse!

Today was the grand opening of Nakanojo Biennale 2011 for which PEPOMO are conducting the project Outsider Tourist Centre Nakanojo. Assembled at TSUMUJI – Nakanojo Creative Communication Centre – were a host of dignitaries, members of the press, organisers, artists, friends and families. Speeches were made to great applause and the pop popping flash-bulbs.

The programme of the evening focussed on talent local to Nakanojo, including performers of traditional Japanese music

and several dance troupes who braved the heavy downpour to dazzle the crowd with their moves. The evening was a great success. Testiment to the hard work that the organisers of Nakanojo Biennale 2011 and artists involved have put in. Thank you all for a wonderful time!

Well wouldn’t you kick up a fuss if you were made to dress up like this disgruntled pooch has been dressed up?

Today, with the assistance of Nakanojo Biennale Organiser Sheba-san and artist Urabe-san, we moved a stuffed bear from a closed down school in the mountains of Shiba, Japan, to TSUMUJI in Nakanojo Japan. We are very grateful for their invaluable help in carrying and driving and for their general kindness.

Our furry friend certainly looks happier to be out of a stuffy Principal’s office and back under to afternoon sun. So far this has been the only bear encounter we have had in Gunma. Perhaps we should sing him the Animusimal bear song! More bear related reports in the coming weeks…

Today we visited the Former 3rd Elementary School in Shima. Closed since 2005, due to a dwindling population, the School we found to have an atmosphere all of its’ own, and was full of interesting items.