The final act of the research travel through Japan culminated in an exhibition of the observations of the appropriation of Japanese common spaces at Studio GROSS in the Arakawa district of Tokyo. The three-day exhibition took place in a traditional two-story building situated at the corner of a small residential street and a traditional shopping street. The location of the exhibition space, on the ground floor and at the corner, allowed for a certain permeability to the surrounding street. Passersby could glance into the exhibition space and view the displayed drawings. The cultural reserve that usually deters uninhibited entry was, at least partially, replaced by curiosity. The days of the exhibition offered an exemplary opportunity to reflect on the work undertaken and engage in discourse with the local community. The visitors comprised a diverse audience, including academics from various Tokyo universities, artists and architects, and curious local residents.
This dialogue elicited a certain degree of astonishment among the local visitors, who identified the scenarios depicted in the drawings as emblematic of Japanese common spaces. They were, however, struck by the realisation that these scenarios had largely escaped their notice in their everyday lives.
2024
Exhibition at Atelier Studio GROSS, Tokyo
Photography by Studio GROSS
Travel research supported by ProHelvetia
