In memory of the tragic events of last year in March 2011, the exhibition aims to express its solidarity with the people of Japan.

The works create a spatial link between Japan and the foundation's location. Many of the participating artists have their creative workplace here and are also connected to Japan in their artistic work.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is Wolfgang Schäfer, whose video work "In Search of Butoh" documents a journey through Japan with a camera. On this journey from central Japan towards the capital, he encounters many of the participating artists and thus paraphrases the Foundation's dialogue with Japan.
This connection is continued in a complex way within the exhibition: To enter the GUEST ROOM, each visitor must pass through a symbolic gate made of flowers. This form of devotion is a co-operation with the festival ICHI (The Market) in Okayama. On 11 March 2012, people there will also walk through a gate of flowers to commemorate the victims of the disaster. Both institutions will then share their documentation digitally to express their emotional connection.

Am Eröffnungstag veranstaltet Hiroyuki Murase mit der in Osaka / JP ansässigen Künstlergruppe Shinaikankei ein gemeinsames Konzert, indem sie sich durch eine Skype-Übertragung visuell und auditiv in Verbindung setzen. Thomas Neumann schafft einen Bezug zu Künstlern in Sapporo / JP, indem er diese in seine Ausstellungsbeteiligung integriert und diesen im Rahmen seiner Präsentation innherhalb eines Ateliers im GÄSTEZIMMER Raum gibt.

Focal points of spatial localisation with Japan within "Back from Japan"

Osaka

The performance collective Shinaikankei under Henguchi Misobe, Yoshinori Henguchi, Naoto Mizobe, Dai Fujimura, Nao Nishibata (all Osaka/ JP) and Hiroyuki Murase (DUS/ GER) will organise a joint concert within the exhibition "Back from Japan", using an 8-hour time-shifted transmission via Skype. In the form of a musical dialogue, the artists will commemorate the catastrophe of 11 March 2011 in Japan.
The concert with the name TELEVIAKTIV (working title) will take place on Saturday 10 March 2012, 20.30 h in the foundation.
It will be performed in Japan on Sunday, 11 March 2012 at 04:30 am.
Location: Kuromegarou FUJITASOU 2F 2-9-1 Baika Konohanaku Osaka Japan 554-0013

Okayama

The festival ICHI (the market) is holding a devotional ceremony, the Flower Offering Ceremony, on 11 March in Okayama, accompanied by sound material inspired by Schumann overtures. A gate of flowers and an altar serve as components to commemorate the victims and the catastrophe of 11 March.
These devotional rituals will be performed in the "Psychopomp" event (from the Greek psychopompos "soul guide" - a medium who guides the deceased to the afterlife) on 10 March at the Foundation's premises, accompanied by the author Akira Kuroda. As in Okayama, we will install a gate made of flowers and use the same sound material. This will be documented on film to enable a subsequent digital exchange with the festival.
Through the support of the author Akira Kuroda, who became a personal contact to the people of Japan after 11 March 2011, we would like to use the healing powers of art to commemorate the circumstances of the past year in Japan.
Location: Shimoishii Park, Ishiyama Park & Santa Hall / Osaka, JP,

Nagoya

In co-operation, we are presenting the products of the textile design company Suzusan, based in Nagoya and in the rooms of the HPZ Foundation, during the exhibition period in the GÄSTEZIMMER. High-quality blankets and sophisticated lampshades that combine traditional Japanese craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Location: 1-19, Makiyama, Okehazama / Arimatsu, Midori-ku, Nagoya 458-0911 Japan

This event also marks the beginning of a series of public discussions in which we try to reflect on our attitude to the situation of the people after the disaster in March 2011. It continues what began in May 2011 at the HPZ Foundation with the exhibition of Japanese artists living in Germany and the Butoh Festival.