[Monthly Report] April 2024 | 2024.05.13
We would like to report on our activities in April 2024.
1. Activities in April
We conducted a lighting test of LUX Media Collective's work “Utsushimi” in the Ueto district, inspected Masanori Koyama's work “Bottleship” in the Wakayama district, and worked to ensure the safety of the Suzu Theater Museum. We also cleaned up private homes and community centers in the Otani district, where the Suzu Theater Museum is located.
2. Report
■Lux Media Collective's “Utsushimi” Lighting Experiment
On April 7, Art Front Gallery staff conducted a lighting experiment of “Utsushimi” by Lux Media Collective. The lights came on without any problem.
■Inspection of “Bottleship” by Masanori Koyama
On April 8, artist Masanori Koyama and Art Front Gallery staff removed the snow fence from the “Bottleship” and inspected the ship, including the water circulation system. The water circulation system did not work, but the killifish in the ship were alive.
■Suzu Theater Museum
From April 8 to 11, artists Yoshitaka Nanjo, Takuya Kamiike, and Yuki Okawa, Kiyoshi Kawamura and Sakiko Kawabe of the National Museum of Japanese History, and Art Front Gallery staff members performed the following work at the Suzu Theatre Museum.
*Adjustment of the hanging structure above Yuki Okawa's work, “Waiting Forest".
*Confirmation of the lighting of the outdoor neon sign designed by KIGI
*Inspection of hanging objects near the ceiling in various areas of the museum.
*Clearing away soil and sand to secure the flow line to the propane gas station
*3D photography of the museum interior.
*Taking aerial photographs of the Suzu Theatre Museum
*Documentation of damaged living artifacts
From April 23 to 26, artist OBI and Art Front Gallery staff worked on the partial restoration of OBI's work “Drifters”.
Suzu Theatre Museum Inspection
Confirmation of KIGI-designed neon sign lighting
Photographing the situation around the Suzu Theatre Museum
Clearing away soil and sand
■Activities in Otani District
From April 8 to 11, Yoshitaka Nanjo, Takuya Kamiike, and Yuki Okawa, Kiyoshi Kawamura and Sakiko Kawabe of the National Museum of Japanese History, Tatsuhiko Ito (stage director of the Saihate reading play), and Art Front Gallery staff conducted the following activities in the Otani district.
＊Cleaning up the Otani Community Center and disposed of disused items.
＊Cleaning up and disposal of disused items at Kouei-ji Temple
＊Cleaning up and disposing of disused items at the T House
■Meeting for Cultural Property Rescue Activities
On April 10, Kiyoshi Kawamura and Sakiko Kawabe of the National Museum of Japanese History and Culture and Mr. Uchiyama from Shukutoku University had a meeting with curators of Suzu City to exchange information on the current status of cultural properties in Suzu City and to discuss future cultural property rescue activities.
Disaster garbage site
■Public relations
On April 23, art critic Takemi Kuresawa was invited to the Fram Kitagawa Seminar to discuss the current situation and future of Suzu City with Fram Kitagawa.
On April 24, Fram Kitagawa appeared on NHK's “Shiten, Roten” program to report on the situation in Suzu.
3. Artists’ activities
90 temporary housing units designed by Shigeru Ban is under construction in the Horyu district.
Kazuko Murao, who created “Sazae House” for the first festival, volunteered in the Misaki and Otani districts from April 20 to 21.
Yasushi Nakase, Masami Sakamaki, and Yukari Udo volunteered in the Kamikuromaru district from April 28 to May 5.
4. The situation in Suzu
There are currently 30 evacuation centers in Suzu City, sheltering approximately 550 people.
Although the Self-Defense Forces have finished providing food, approximately 2,200 boxed lunches are being distributed daily with the cooperation of the city's food and beverage vendors.
There have been approximately 1,800 applications for emergency temporary housing, and construction is underway for approximately the same number. Approximately 1,000 units have already been completed and occupancy has begun. Along with the secondary internal survey of damaged houses, issuance of certificates of disaster and damage has progressed, and acceptance of applications for demolition at public expense has also begun.
As for the water supply system, the water supply area is gradually being expanded, but many pipes from the distribution reservoirs in each area to each residence and each home have broken down, so water supply support is being sent to the districts to deal with the situation.
Most of the sewage systems have not yet been restored, and many people are still using temporary toilets.
The number of disaster relief volunteers has also been increasing, with a cumulative total of over 10,000 volunteers working in the area as of the end of April.
4. Schedule for May
We will continue to document the reconstruction process in the 10 districts.
Artists and experts are also on site and we will support their activities as much as possible.
Motoi Yamamoto, Masanori Koyama, Hiroyuki Okumura, Kanji Yumisashi, Kiyoshi Kawamura (National Museum of Japanese History), Aya Yamagishi (architect), Genshu Tao (architect), and others will be on site.