A new encounter in the park at a community participation art event

In March 2023, a community-participatory art workshop will be held in line with the opening of the profit facility "1OOORE SCENES" in Senri Central Park. In addition to spatial design and construction of profit-making facilities, we are in charge of planning and operating park revitalization projects. This time, through an art project, we tried to create a facility together with everyone in the area.
In October 2022, before the renovation of the park warehouse building began, the first art workshop to discover the new charm of the park was held. Then, using the colors we made at that time, we painted the walls and fixtures of the community space together with the participants.
Related article: “Find colors, create colors” - Senri Chuo Park Art Workshop

A community-participation art workshop that is lively even in the rain

WS Day: Paint the walls and equipment of the lab that everyone will use

Unfortunately, it was raining on the day of the workshop, but all five workshops were sold out, and many people participated in the workshop to find the color of last October. I also heard that they were looking forward to seeing the artist Mugi Nakajima and the staff again, and I felt once again the importance of continuing community participation events.

Participatory art collaborative process

Everyone's unique ○ overlaps

In this workshop, under the supervision of artist Mugi Nakajima, we set up a common rule of drawing circles, and had them paint wooden planters in their favorite color from among the 20 or so colors they found in the park. I was. ○Even though they are all different in size and shape. Each time, the circles overlapped, and it was as if we were working together to create a large-scale work. After the facility opened, some children came to see the place I drew, and I felt that even after many years, the memory of this day would remain, and it would be an opportunity to visit the park.

Integrating local communities through local participatory art

Symposium

At a later date, we held a round-table discussion with Mr. Sugimoto and Mr. Harada of H2O Retailing, the organizer, Mr. Mugi Nakashima, an artist, and Sakon, our project leader.・We explored possibilities and hints for regional development.

[For this art workshop, we asked Mr. Mugi Nakajima, an artist based in Osaka, to think together about the content of the workshop, which is unique to Senri Central Park and makes use of the reborn park warehouse. I received it, but how was it when you actually tried it? ]

Mr. Barley
The good thing about this project was that I was able to be involved in various processes from the planning stage to completion. While art is often chosen as the final decoration, it was great to be able to think about what kind of building to make and what kind of goal to aim for with everyone from the preliminary stage of creating the work. In this project, there was a sense of tension because various people's eyes entered. I felt that the reason why I was able to be involved in a large-scale project that remains in a public space is because many companies are involved. Due to the nature of art, especially at the planning stage of creating works through workshops, the final image was not visible.

Mr. Harada
As a company, we thought it would be meaningless unless we involved the community from the very beginning, so when we conveyed our thoughts to Ms. Mugi at the first meeting, she understood what we were thinking. I remember feeling that someone was there. It was also very impressive that Mr. Mugi said, "I will not leave it as my work."

Exploring color and spatial design in art

[I think that this project was a project where the thoughts of the company and the artist were in agreement, but I think that the combination of art and spatial design was unique to this project. When choosing the color to paint the building, I was impressed by the interaction between Mr. Mugi and the architect and designer. ]

Mr. Barley
It's time to decide while looking at the color samples. In the end, I feel like I went all out with what I chose (laughs). When I choose colors, of course I keep in mind the basic rules of color, but the final choice is my intuition, imagining the four seasons of the park. In a way, it's easy to harmonize colors theoretically, but I think it's more interesting to work on how to break it down and aim for the last minute that makes you feel a little uneasy.
I was really nervous about what the finished product would look like, but Mr. Sugimoto from H2O Retailing told me that art is free, and I was deeply moved by seeing it as a work of art. In this project, I am conscious of how I can create a framework/method that allows you, as an artist, to enjoy your freedom.

We chose 24 colors for "painting the building" from the "colors of the park" created by everyone in the first workshop.

Mr. Sugimoto
I was also nervous about what I could do, but this project was interesting because people from different fields such as companies, government, architects, and artists were involved, and they were competing against each other on the last minute. . Of course, it's a major premise to keep the project from falling apart, but I remember saying that "art is freedom" to set everyone free. I was worried that I could not see the finished product, but there was a foundation that made me believe that there was some meaning within the company.

Mr. Harada
Of course, I was worried, but I had a sense of security that both the designer and Mr. Mugi were working with professionals, so I was confident that it would come to fruition.

Mr. Barley
I thought the streets were full of art workshops where the process and concept were good, but the finished product was of low resolution. . For that reason, a team of people who understand what we need, from the design and construction teams, to the respect that they have as art, the preparation of the scaffolding, the arrangement of the color toning, and the support staff on the day. It was very reassuring to be in

Social significance of community participatory art workshops

[In this WS, we worked on discovering the charm of the area in Senri Central Park. ]

Mr. Harada
Up until now, I had been involved in art on a one-off basis in department stores, but it was good that I spent half a year or a year leaving it in the form of art in the building where I was, and through that, I was able to interact with the local people. . I used to have the image that art is something you buy as a commodity, but I realized that art can also be a tool for communication. At first, I was worried about whether people would really come to the fieldwork I did last year to find the colors of the park, but in fact, there were nearly 100 applicants, and I thought, "This is what it means to make the most of the park's fields." I got to know it through art, and now I feel that that process was the best. While many workshops have a purpose and a goal, this time the abstract theme was "Finding colors and creating colors", so I discovered that people in this area are interested in sensuous things and art. It was, in a way, upending the concept of retail with a purpose and a goal.
It was mainly preschool children, but adults of all ages also enjoyed it, and it was impressive that everyone drew with great momentum.

Mr. Barley
When choosing art supplies for the workshop, I think it's important to choose things that are not familiar to the participants, and I'm excited to create a slightly unusual scenery/place that can't be done at home or school. I think it's a point that you can get. Surprisingly, not many people have experienced the simple act of “painting”, and I was able to feel a sense of accomplishment in covering something up. The important thing about an art workshop is that you can experience changing your perspective by making something, and this is also important in common with my own work production.

Sharing memories and experiences through workshops

[Do you have any experiences that you thought were good to go to this workshop? ]

Sakon
The moment when I thought it was good to do this workshop was when a child who followed the randoseru on his back came to see "I painted it" during the cherry blossom season. This workshop does not directly lead to sales or profit, but I felt that the value of the non-quantitative part is important.

Mr. Harada
There will certainly be a return. It was an opportunity for the people involved to still come to see me and participate in other workshops. Also, if this building remained gray, it would be beautiful, but it might not have been recognized so much. Pop things suddenly appear in the greenery of nature, and they take pictures and blend in, but there is a catchy feeling. While staying in this place, I think that there will be communication passing each other, and I feel that the building made as an art will be a catalyst for greetings and conversations.

Before lab painting

After lab painting

Mr. Sugimoto
I don't really know what art is, but one thing I can say is that it's amazing to see that 100 people have changed 100 people. If you walk in from afar, you'll understand, but it's not logical, it's lively. I believe that my role is to create opportunities for people who would never meet to meet, and I will continue to connect people from different fields who want to do interesting things like this art project, I would like to create

Matsuura
Through this workshop, I once again felt the possibility of creating a space together with local people and people involved by incorporating art into the process of creating a space. I believe that this extraordinary experience will remain in your memory and help you feel connected to the park. I would be happy if I could continue to be involved in the creation of the park in the future. Thank you for today.

Organizer | H2O Retailing Co., Ltd.
Co-sponsored | Toyonaka City Environment Department Park Greenery Promotion Section
Planning and operation | NOMURA Co., Ltd. Co., Ltd.
Sponsored by: SK Kaken Co., Ltd., Fukui Construction Co., Ltd.