The Winds Project 2010
13 Oct. 2010
Teatro da PUC-SP @Sao Paulo,Brazil
TANAKA Toshi (Brazil/Japan)
"A Vida Integral - Zen Sei"
About TANAKA Toshi
He was born in 1960 in Tokyo.
He studied at Tokyo fine art high school.
Those days (late 70s) he many times went to "Gallery merde" (French, meaning is Shit) which was run by KONISHI Ysasu who studied under Joseph Beuys at Free International University in Düsseldorf. The gallery was one of alternative art center in Tokyo. There came many young artists like noise musicians, poets, Butoh dancers and performance artists.
TANAKA joined Japan fluxas which also organized by KONISHI, one of their works was the Declaration of "We operated Kwangju (Gwangju) -Massacre"(1980.) But their work were very funny so that Japan art scene did not accept them.
TANAKA met many artists there. And he joined alternative rock group "TACO" directed by YAMAZAKI Harumi which some one says Japanese Throbbing Gristle. In TACO most guys made many noise, but he made his funny dance/action and raw voices. So people thought he was very special in TACO.
TACO, another noise group and Jazz oriented Free music (improvised music) group did live at "Minor" in Kichijoji run by SATO Takafumi.
Minor is said to black market of underground art of Tokyo. Later SATO made "Pinacoteca" label to introduce Tokyo underground music including TACO first LP, HAINO Keiji first LP and many important LP. But people thought no one wanted to buy. In TACAO LP, SAKAMOTO Ryuichi played piano some parts.
TANAKA also started solo performance those days.
80s he started to Butoh dance under "Seiryu Kai" run by HARADA Nobuo.
And he met KAWANI Hiroshi who was a advisor of "High Red Center" and editor of first photo book of "HIJIKATA Tatsumi."
Those day KAWANI was almost 50 years old and TANAKA was 20 years old.
They started performance unit "Mouth piece." The unit was very special, Old guy he was a very intellectual to say some Dadaic words, Young guy was jumping and shouting also in Dada style.
He also stared to learn at "Noguchi Manual therapeutics /Noguchi Seitai" group.
cf; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seitai
He studied body and "Ki "(vital energy) very much.
Also he re-started Japanese Calligraphy. His father is Japanese Calligraphy teacher so that he studied it in his childhood.
Mid 80s he started open workshop "Inokashuran" at Inogashira park ,Kichijoji, Tokyo on every Sunday afternoon.
There came many people including artists to do anything they wanted.
No teaching and meeting, only improvised voicing, climbing up tree, saxophone playing and dancing.One member, NOGUCHI-kun was a little bit mentally handicapped person who every time came to the workshop after 1 hour half train trip.
Then He traveled from India to Turkey by a bicycle which he bought in India and was a black, heavy for commercial use like liqure shop for almost one year. He came back to Narita with the bicycle and from Narita to Tokyo he get back by it.
He said that the one year "Eurasian"trip was his turning point.
Then at the work shop he met Ciça Ono Japanese-Brazilian dancer who came to Japan to study Butoh dance. Later they married.
Those day he also studied "Nou" Japanese traditional masked dance-drama.
He wanted to know how body works in many dimensions like social, historical,medical and "Ki."
His performance changed from Punk Butoh style to his special dance/action style.
Mid 90s he moved to Brazil with his family.
He met and countered not Japanese culture and life.
He need to know his identity so that he wanted to know more fundamental Japanese way of moving, action and "Ki."
His performance is now very concentrating on body moving. And looks like very classical Japanese dance in his way.
TANAKA Toshi web; http://www.jardimdosventos.com
©ARAIart.jp
