Eleni Kolliopoulou on Daisuke Takeya

‘Since then/ from now’ presentation at Flow • embody in site 2023

Photo credit Béatrice Didier

First thing that Daisuke shared with us was one of the performances he gave in his hometown in Japan in 2021. The performance was given in public space and featured himself shaving on the street at a crossing point. After a while, police came and stopped Daisuke from doing this ‘private action in the public space’. His impression was that, to his surprise, the police tried to ‘protect him’. Policemen did not mention that he might hurt the public but that he is vulnerable in the public space when doing an action that is not meant to be performed there.
In his work, Daisuke inquires upon the limits of acceptable, normal and by the law in the public space. With his practice he wonders ‘how does police interact with public performances?’

Daisuke Takeya

Flow • embody in site, finale live stream performance on May 7, 2021

‘Since then/ from now’ is the title of Daisuke’s presentation sharing with us his research/ performance art/ farming experience + community event taking place in Ishinomaki, Japan on April 2023.

Daisuke spoke about Responding Performance Art Initiative and DAIS at coastal area of Ishinomaki. He explained that the aim of the performance art iterations was to respond but not with the intention to solve current social and environmental problems via Performance art. They understand symposiums as experimental platforms that facilitate and enable dialogue between local and global communities.

Except for his solo performances, Daisuke is often involved in community art gatherings with people with disabilities, local emigrants, and performance artists.

He mentioned taking part to a storytelling activity with parents of the 74 kids killed by tsunami Ookawa in Kadonowaki Elementary School. This was a very emotional experience that relieved their sorrow and grief but hopefully offered them some space to elaborate on their trauma. The storytelling took place in Ookawa Elementary School Memorial Museum where Takahashi has curated a permanent exhibition under the theme of Life after Tsunami: Weaving Memories. Takahashi is encouraging us to ask ourselves ‘what does it mean to live?’
Having as his goal to orient afflicted citizens toward the future and help them build over our collective memories, Daisuke is also asking how will these public places (destroyed by tsunami) be utilized by citizens?

Daisuke cited Maurice Halbwachs, who sustains that physical spaces can be seen as enduring realities that preserve collective memories shared by social groups. This particular reading of the physical space according Halbwachs, calls for Site specific art at Ruins and Archive Art to flourish and hopefully play a significant role in social trauma recovery.

Video Still of Daisuke Takeya, Shaving on the Street, Flow 2021