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Prix2003
Prix 1987 - 2007

 
 
Organiser:
ORF Oberösterreich
 


DISTINCTION
Tsukuba Series
Maywa Denki


Maywa Denki is an art unit produced by Nobumichi Tosa. It was named after the company that his father used to run in bygone days. The costume is designed as a typical working uniform of Japanese electric stores, symbolizing small / medium-sized enterprises that once supported Japan's economy during its high-growth period. Its unique style is indicated by a term he uses: For example, each piece of Maywa Denki's work is called "a product" and a live performance or exhibition is held as "a product demonstration." The products produced so far include "NAKI Series," fish-motif nonsense machines, “Tsukuba Series," original musical instruments, and "Edelweiss Series," flower-motif objets d’art.

Although Maywa Denki is known and appreciated as an artist, its promotion strategies are full of variety: exhibition, live stages, performances, producing music, videos, writing, merchandising toys, stationery, and electric devices. As Nobumichi is still looking for a new scheme for a different approach to the public, Maywa Denki is now beginning in earnest to extend its activities to overseas, holding exhibitions in Europe (Paris and London). In 2002, it was the 10th anniversary of Maywa Denki and memorial events; a concert tour "Jamboree" and exhibitions "Romance Engineering," were held in large cities in Japan.

Tsukuba Music

According to the spread of IT apparatus, such as a sampler, a synthesizer, and a personal computer (Internet) these days, music has been separated from "a substance" (= a musical instrument) and is now considered as "information." The style of enjoying music has changed, and as a result, people talk about music in the fashion of: "I know such a maniac song", "I can remix the original song like this" or "I have a lot of music data". People are pleased by gathering "information on the music" that can be heard only through the speakers.

Tsukuba Music is designed to stir people's attention to notice the fact that "the live musical sound is created from a substance" - which the music once used to be in years past and they have totally forgotten.

Tsukuba Series is played by the movement of motors and / or electromagnets at 100V and makes a sound by physically beating/knocking a substance. It is a challenge to revive a live music sound with the power of machines. Tsukuba was named after Tsukuba City, a technological city in the Ibaragi prefecture in Japan.

Unique and original genres of music have often been born in specialized cities like Liverpool and Motown, the famous industrial cities. Maywa Denki dreams that the next, new type of music will be created and spread worldwide from Tsukuba, the city of the most advanced technology in Japan.