Naho Kawabe
Born in 1976. Lives and works in Hamburg, Fukuoka, and Tokyo.
2022 (Duo-Show) “STRATA”, Waitingroom, Tokyo
2019 (Solo /Artist in Residency) “Blooming Black” OCT Boxes Art Museum, Guangdong, China
2019 “Fuzzy Dark Spot”, Deichtorhallen Collection Falckenberg, Hamburg, Germany
2014 “IN SEARCH OF CRITICAL IMAGINATION”, Fukuoka Art Museum
［Residence Program］ Jan 10, 2024〜Mar 9, 2024
Naho Kawabe Official website
Profile
Kawabe is an interdisciplinary artist who works on film, installation, three-dimensional objects, drawings, and sometimes in combinations of these genres. In Kawabe’s artistic practice, result of historical and socio-cultural research focused on “coal” overlaps with personal experiences in an attempt to redefine contemporary social structure.
In 2022, the artist conducted research and interviews with the Japanese who used to work in coal mines in Germany between the 1960s and 70s. During the residency in FAAM, Kawabe hopes to expand research to make new artwork – from coal, which is closely related to the daily lives of people in Fukuoka, industry, and urban infrastructure, to carbon materials expected to be utilized in the future.
Exhibition view “Black and Green” 2022, Tom Reichstein Contemporary, Hamburg, Germany. Photo by Claus Sautter
“Social distance (one circle)” 2022, Installation
“On the social contract (Black and Green)” 2021 Photo by Claus Sautter
Exhibition view “STRATA”, Waitingroom, 2022, Tokyo Photo by Yamanaka Shintaro (Qysum!)
“Banana boat” 2022 Photo by Otsuka Keita
WINDS OF ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 2023: Urban Phenomenology ―Just what is it that makes our future so uncertain, so appealing?
Exhibition view Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
"Research on Carbon: Jan.-Feb. 2024, Fukuoka" 2024 Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
"Research on Carbon: Jan.-Feb. 2024, Fukuoka" 2024 Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
"In Search of Utopia (－Et in Arcadia ego)" 2024 Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
"IStudy for a Drawing Room (for the Phantom of FAAM)" 2024 Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
"IStudy for a Drawing Room (for the Phantom of FAAM)" 2024 Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
Interaction Diary
March 2 Closing Talk
(Exchange Gallery, FAAM)
Naho explained about her new work on display, Study for a Drawing Room (for the Phantom of FAAM). She also joined a Q and A conversation with Meitao Qu and Tomohiro Hanada, the other two invited artists for the third period of the residency program.
February 23 Opening Talk
(Gallery, ACF)
During the talk, Naho shared some of her research experience at Kyushu University (Faculty of Engineering), Tagawa city, and the local company Sawarise. The artist said she gathered fragments of things that gave her strong impressions during the research and reflected them onto the work Research on Carbon: Jan.-Feb. 2024, Fukuoka, which was displayed on the wall of the gallery in ACF. Her another installation piece In Search of Utopia (－Et in Arcadia ego) was inspired by the former. Naho added she would like to make a new collage on her photographs based on her research in Germany and Fukuoka.
February 23 – March 3 WINDS OF ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 2023: Urban Phenomenology ―Just what is it that makes our future so uncertain, so appealing?
(Exchange Gallery, FAAM)
Naho presented another installation piece, Study for a Drawing Room (for the Phantom of FAAM).
Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
February 23 – March 3 WINDS OF ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 2023: Urban Phenomenology ―Just what is it that makes our future so uncertain, so appealing?
(Grand Studio, ACF)
Naho showed her installation pieces, titled Research on Carbon: Jan.-Feb. 2024, Fukuoka and In Search of Utopia (－Et in Arcadia ego).
Photo by Kawasaki Ittoku
February 19 Visit to the Local Company SAWARISE
Naho visited Sawarise, a local company which used to run a coal mining business in Meinohama. She met members from the administrative section Noguchi Tetsunori, Hayashi Aya and Inoue Kiri and heard about coal mining industry in Sawara area 110 years ago.
February 4 Art-making
With the help of artist Tsuda Mitsuo and members of the art space tetra, Naho crushed charcoals to incorporate into her work. She also met with Koga Yoshihiro, one of the artists invited for the second period of residency, and exchanged opinions about each of their works.
January 24 Visit to Kyushu University
Naho visited research lab of Prof. Tsuyohiko Fujigaya, Faculty of Engineering in Kyushu University, to inquire about latest research on carbon nanotube, made from carbon. She also went to the library that owns primary sources on coalfield in Kyushu.
January 21 Kick-off Talk: Meitao Qu×Naho Kawabe×Tomohiro Hanada
（Community Space, Artist Cafe Fukuoka）
Naho talked about her background, shared her interest in coal, and some historical references. She also referred to keywords such as coal, border lines, people who crossed the borders, labor, words, and interview, all of which have been the themes in her previous works. The artist told the audience about her trip to Tagawa city, which would help create her new works.
January 19 Trip to Beppu
Since Tomohiro Hanada, another invited residency artist for the third period, is joining the art project, Kiyoshima Apartment in Beppu, Oita, the three residency artists including Naho visited Beppu to see the “Kiyoshima Apartment 2023 residency exhibition.” They also went to the office of BEPPU PROJECT, which runs the Kiyoshima Apartment, and heard about the works on view in the area or Kunisaki Peninsula.
January 13 Visit to the Revo Labo base
The three artists visited an art studio located in front of Hakata station. They saw some available facilities, including laser printers, UV printers, garment printers, and industrial sewing machines.
January 11 First day in Artist Cafe Fukuoka
After the guidance meeting with FAAM curators and AIR program coordinators, the three invited artists for the third period of the residency looked at other spaces and facilities in Artist Cafe Fukuoka
