paulkomada

[paulkomada]

Bounty of Duwamish (2020) from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

It is a single channel video included in my solo exhibition, "Monument in Memory: Abstract Alaskan Way" at Gallery 4Culture in Seattle Washington. The exhibition intends to preemptively memorializes the soon to be demolished Alaskan Way Viaduct with image and sound. The narrative of the show is as follows:

The viaduct, an elevated section of State Route 99, established instant character for urban Seattle and its waterfront when it opened to traffic in 1953. From the highway, drivers have a world-class view of Elliott Bay and, from the ground, pedestrians experience the structure's physicality as well as the deafening drone of vehicles coursing through the multiple car lanes above. The sensation of traveling the span has been deeply embedded in the consciousness of Seattleites.

Komada spent the last 18 months walking under and driving over the imposing concrete structure, developing a collection of photographs and field recordings. Employed as source material for his multimedia installation, viewers will be enveloped by a sculptural interpretation of the viaduct and experience the audio and imagery, layered and amplified. With chroma-key technology, Komada also inserts himself into the work, blurring the line between process and performance.

He states, “The exhibition is about Seattle's optimism and relentless appetite for amassing future capital, while simultaneously hinting at the melancholic tug of unfulfilled promises. As I walk and drive the ‘monument,’ my mind races through the history of the city as far back as the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855. I find the viaduct fascinating – it is enormous and striking, yet, most of the time people tend to forget its presence. Our perception of its existence shifts depending on our manifold states of mind. It's there, but not really...”

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A late afternoon storm rolling in... #nikko #japan🇯🇵 #somewheremagazine #strideby #ourmomentum #ourmag #oftheafternoon #ifyouleave #ifyouleavestagram #broadmag #lensculture #lucecurated #photozine #picoftheday #subjectivelyobjective #archivecollectivemag #lekkerzine #imaginarymagnitude #expomag #roamtheplanet #paperjournalmag (at Nikkō Tōshō-gū) https://www.instagram.com/p/Byi5BDngxdj/?igshid=xwjuzk4szkb8

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Sawing Cedar Nightly Rev_1 from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

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Passing moments like this... #somewheremagazine #aintbad #lekkerzine #nightshot #sunset_hub #sunsetlovers #imaginarymagnitude #independentmag #expomag #ifyouleave #oftheafternoon #ourmomentum #photozine #paperjournalmag #subjectivelyobjective #urbanromantic #urbanshot #archivecollectivemag #tokyo #tokyolife #streetshot (at Shinjuku, Tokyo Japan) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx3IqGQFkJN/?igshid=3anm070l0vuk

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Going Cascade at Tacoma Art Museum (Timelapse Short) from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

It is an installation time-lapse of my "Knit Mural" project called, "Going Cascade" at Tacoma Museum in Tacoma Washington. The art work has been included to NW Art Now 2016. The exhibition is curated by Rock Hushka, Tacoma Art Museum’s Chief Curator, and Juan Roselione-Valadez, Director of the Rubell Family Collection, Contemporary Arts Foundation.

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Meeting Table Performance at SOIL Gallery (2 Min Excerpt) from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

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Meeting Table In the Shadow of Olympus 360 from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

Meeting Table In the Shadow of Olympus (2018), Mixed Media Installation

The table is a momentary site that exhibits the evidence and remnants of Art Beasties Collective’s on-going project, “Meeting Table”. The multimedia installation, also encapsulates the energy of group’s Opening Night performance on March 1, 2018 in SOIL gallery.

As members of the Japanese artist collective, based in Seattle, NY, Tokyo, Kobe and London, the group frequently engage each other through Skype intersecting multiple time-zones. In same manner, during the Opening Reception, Art Beasties, connected via Skype (from Tokyo and London) and physically present in SOIL gallery had a “meeting.”

This ”open-process” performance was filmed and recorded simultaneously in multiple points of view. The video footages and recordings (partially played in loops for the exhibition), will be analyzed and edited in order to contemplate on the place for, and function of a Japanese Artists Collective in the world today.

Note: The performance includes many objects/props and costumes reflecting the idea of politics, economy, history, and symbology of the long standing global ceremony of the Olympics. Some objects, such as a “retro-style” kettle and portable stove signifies the Olympic flame and the boiling pressure that all participants feel during the events.

Also the costume (Art Beastie Head-piece and track-suits) directs thoughts on the dichotomy between individual achievement and collective conformity during such high-stake sporting event. Cup O’Noodle (shipped from Tokyo to Seattle and London) consumed by the members during the performance further examines the “collective” state of mind, as well as briefly touches on the nature of “global-branding” and how such economy drives the International ritual.

The music was made with sampled and merged national anthems of Brazil, USA, Japan and Greece. Brazil and Japan was chosen as the hosting country of recent past and future summer games and the US as the host for Art Beastie’s current group exhibition. Each three nations’ anthem was layered with Greek national anthem. The tempo and melodies of the original pieces undergoes alteration during the process indicating the extreme economic impact, both positive and negative, the hosting nation has to experience.

Finally, the circumambulatory movement of the members filming ourselves, also the viewers, during the performance examines the psychological, as well as cultural boundary that exists between Japanese and the Western “art-world”.

[paulkomada]

Camera, Sound... and Cup o'noodle? Check check check!! @artbeasties one night only performance "Meeting Table In the Shadow of Olympus" rehersal scene. The real one will be on the First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square Seattle 3/1/2018 from 6:30pm to 7:00pm ☺ #seattleart #artbeasties #japaneseart #contemporaryart #performanceart (at SOIL Artist-Run Gallery)

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I'm organizing and participating in a group exhibition at SOIL gallery in Seattle ☺Please check it out, if you're in town. In the Shadow of Olympus March 1 – 31, 2018 Opening Reception March 1, 6-8pm / Performance "Meeting In the Shadow of Olympus" March 1, 6:30-7:00pm (Note: Winter Hours in effect Thurs through Sun, 11 am – 4 pm) Curators: Paul Komada, Ko Irkt, Maho Hikino, Junko Yamamoto Artists: Paul Komada, Yuki Nakamura, Ko Irkt, Maho Hikino, Tokio Kuniyoshi, Masaya Nakayama, Kakeru Asai, Saki Kitamura, Junko Yamamoto, Mayu Kuroda "Less than a second after the flame was extinguished in Rio de Janeiro, the machination of The Olympics has commenced its tumbling journey aimed toward Tokyo. If there was a straight flight path connecting the two cities, the airplane would fly over Seattle with a payload of extreme anticipation and anxiety. The exhibition revolves around the idea of politics, economy, history, and the symbology of the long standing global ceremony. The forthcoming Tokyo Olympics preparation and promotion will be examined from the point of view of Japanese artists with various sentiments ranging from positively enthusiastic to pessimistically dystopian. The participating artists are members of Japanese artist collective Art Beasties, based in Seattle, NY, London and Tokyo. The group members frequently engage each other, intersecting multiple time-zones through Skype meetings, in order to shape and advance the projects. During the Opening Reception, Art Beasties, connected via Skype and physically present in SOIL gallery, will conduct a meeting. This "open-process" performance will be filmed and recorded simultaneously in multiple points of view. The recordings will be analyzed and edited in order to contemplate on the place for, and function of a Japanese Artists Collective in the world today. Funded in part with a 4Culture Project Grant (at SOIL Artist-Run Gallery)

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Jolly Mountain Run from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

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Jolly Mountain Run from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

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Untitled Property Installation at Gallery 4Culture from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

An installation shot of my multi media artwork, "Untitled Property" (2017). It was included in my solo exhibition, "Monument in Memory : Abstract Alaskan Way" at Gallery 4Culture in Seattle. The TV on the floor is showing my video piece, "Fuzo Fumetsu" with my original soundtrack. The low frequency of the soundtrack is triggering microprocessor (Arduino) controlled LED lights in the upside down tent suspended from the ceiling.

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Untitled Property Installation Excerpt from Paul Komada on Vimeo.

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Perfect #somewheremagazine (at Shoreline, Washington)

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Dots, family & infinity #kusama #kusamayayoi #seattleartmuseum (at Seattle Art Museum)

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Pivot #somewheremagazine (at Seattle, Washington)

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Filling the hole Filling the sky #Seattle (at Seattle, Washington)