Introduction（English）
PARADISE AIR is an artist-in-residence program located in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, conveniently close to central Tokyo. Matsudo is accessible to Ueno lined with many Art Museum.
But there is no such public art museum in Matsudo. The city raised cultural activities “Art City for Living” instead, which provides opportunities to come in touch with arts in close distance to everyday life.
It was in 2010 when the art festival was begun in a collaboration with the graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts, local residences and company, and the city.
Firstly, they were temporary making chances for artists to present their artwork, and for the locals to encounter artists and art works.
This event was to celebrate a wedding (there is no wedding chapel in Matsudo). Public spaces such as the riverbed of Edogawa River can be applied as an event space under a corporation with Matsudo City.
Various people have cooperated for alternative activities through many events. Under such efforts, PARADISE AIR was organized in order to hold spaces for artists’ sustainable activities and stay at Matsudo.
The building is a former hotel and owned by the Rakuen pachinko parlor. PARADISE AIR can be managed with its generous support. We named ourselves PARADISE AIR after this “Rakuen” - “paradise” in English.
PARADISE AIR is located on the 4-5th floors in a seven-floor building. The rooms, which preserve most of the interior from the building’s days as a hotel, have a kitsch decor with a hint of Japan’s bubble economy period.
There are 15 rooms in 2 floors, which has 2 ways to use. This is for the artist’s stay. Each room has 40 square meters wide with a big bath apart from the toilet. Also, the kitchen and laundry are in a shared space.
Since it’s a former-hotel, each room is well soundproofed. We had some artists/groups carried out their musical recordings.
Some rooms are rented by local creators. Each room has a different decoration and are managed with a local cooperation by omusubi Estate.
This is to provide local creators with opportunities to work in a close distance to resident artists. Rent fee is allocated for operating expenses, and we aim to manage independently from public financial support.
PARADISE AIR doesn’t force artists to make their artwork during their stay. We accept activities such as research and experiment for their next output, because artists always bring about so many things here.
We can realize overlooked attractiveness of the city through their perspectives.
New encounters and alternative communication are happening every day.
Management members are active in various fields, such as music, art, architecture, movie, and performing arts. Such a collective organization can coordinate flexibly, which is our characteristic.
Since PARADISE AIR’s establishment in 2013, about more than 300 artists/groups have stayed(as of January 2020). Why do we have a view of the transit point? We’d like to share a history of Matsudo briefly.
Situated along the old Mito Road, Matsudo thrived during the Edo Period (1603-1868) as stop-off points where travelers would stay on their journey between Edo (present-day Tokyo) and Mito.
The street lined with many inns and welcomed travelers. It is said that artworks can still be found in local residents’ homes today that poets, calligraphers and painters gave instead of paying for lodging.
In the spirit of this Matsudo tradition, PARADISE AIR operates under the concept of “One Stay, One Art.” Artists can stay for free instead, they leave something new.
This is why the transit point can do that artists can stop off along their artistic journeys. At present, we have three main programs: the SHORTSTAY Program, open not just to artists but to curators and researchers too
the LONGSTAY Program, which hosts artists chosen from among applicants for three months, offering all-round support that covers travel, accommodation, language, and of course artistic production
and finally the LEARN Program, which connects artists with the city, encouraging different kinds of learning and interaction.
5 things what PARADISE AIR cherishes ----- To “enjoy” at first. We create spaces at where everyone, including resident and local artists, participants, volunteer staff and management members, can enjoy themselves.
To be “collective,” that necessary people gather when needed. We are making a team that management members are active in each field, which contributes back to our residency program.
Through a collaboration with Matsudo City and locals, artists can “stretch” their wings across the whole city. We challenge an alternative way of use of public space to update Matsudo's culture. It’s a literally “stretch” for the city too.
We give it a “try” anyway if artists’ ideas are not easy. We believe that we can get a feedback through it, which develops to next challenges. For PARADISE AIR, outcome is not artworks.
More than anything, we “trust” artists. Supporting them involves many people to think together and creates dialogues. We prepare places for it and believe such our activities create future layers of society as our outcome.アーティスト・イン・レジデンス「PARADISE AIR」の持続的な運営のために、応援を宜しくおねがいします！頂いたサポートは事業運営費として活用させて頂きます。