METHOD  NO. 33  APR 1, 2004

Email-Bulletin "METHOD" is a free monthly on Method Art,
being published by Group METHOD in Japan, Nakazawa Hideki
(artist) + Matsui Shigeru (poet) + Miwa Masahiro (composer).
Manifestos of Methodicism:  aloalo.co.jp/nakazawa/method/


>>>METHODICIST'S TEXT OF THIS MONTH:

Q & A on Method Poem: In the Case of Matsui Shigeru
by Matsui Shigeru, poet

[Q1] Although you are negative on poetry reading, you are
sometimes doing it.  Why?
A: I have been critical to reading.  The reason is that
reading cannot represent the row of letters precisely.
However, poetry has developed in a close relationship with
voices traditionally in most cultures.  The tradition still
lives on in today's poetry reading.  My method poem stands
on logicalism that also respects tradition.  In spite of my
being critical to reading, I also understand I need to read
in order to place myself on the tracks of the history of
poetry.
[Q2] You are sometimes doing performances other than
reading.  Why?
A: I am considering how to realize the precise concept of
poems.  For example, one of the ways to realize my "Pure
Poem" (*1) is "Pure Poem Walking" (*2).  "Pure Poem" is a
work made of only "I," "II" and "III" in Chinese characters
or Roman numerals.  Here you will see a relation that Roman
numeral "III" has three Roman numeral "I."  When you read
it, the pronunciation of "III" sounds "three," which has no
relation with "one," the pronunciation of "I."  In "Pure
Poem Walking," the realization is actualized by one step for
"I," three steps for "III."  This way keeps the relation
that "three steps" means three times of "one step."  "Pure
Poem Walking" is useful, because it can prevent separation
of letters into signifiant and signifie, which reading
derives.
[Q3] If your poems are not intended to be performed, I
think your poems are boring, if speaking frankly.
A: I agree with you in a sense of entertainment.  I have
never made pieces being aware of entertainment, or pleasure.
The reason is that to appeal to feelings is not my purpose.
I am making method poems as logic itself.  Therefore, I
would rather be willing to be called "boring" by those whose
criticism is only based on pleasure for feelings.
[Q4] I suppose there have already been many poets who used
to make poems by logic.  Are you different from your
predecessors?
A: Yes, I am different.  By using logical poetics and
technique, most predecessors have made pleasurable pieces
that also appealed to feelings.  For example, they sometimes
treated the tautologicality of logic like a pun.  I think
such kind of pleasure may have led readers into epokhe,
because it reduced the ranking of logic to a lower level.
Shinohara Motoaki (*3) and Fujii Sadakazu (*4), both of whom
I respect, are today's poets who use logical poetics and
technique.  Although very logical, their pieces have such
huge pleasure that we almost forget their logicalness.
Being surprised at that, I decided myself to write poems
that removed pleasure as much as possible.  For me, just a
logical row of letters is enough to be a poem.
[Q5] Who are the readers of your poems?
Those beings who have no purpose to be pleased.  They might
not be actual humans.  If this saying makes sense, I think
my poems' reader should be "pure reason."
(*1) www008.upp.so-net.ne.jp/methodpoem/PurePoem.html
(*2) www008.upp.so-net.ne.jp/methodpoem/PurePoemwalking.html
(*3) Shinohara Motoaki -- Poet, aesthetics.  The originator
of method poem.  Supplement 1 for our "Methodicist
Manifesto": "Motoaki Shinohara has been calling his own
compositions method poems since about ten years ago.  While
respecting his activities, we use the words with a broad
reinterpretation."  www001.upp.so-net.ne.jp/mabusabi/
(*4) Fujii Sadakazu -- Poet, Japanese cultural scholar
(ancient novels, oral literary, Okinawan culture,
contemporary poetry).  Famous for the study on "Genji
Monogatari" and the poetics both analytic and unique.


>>>METHODICIST'S WEB PIECE OF THIS MONTH:

Application Software "Ogaki Jaiken Drumming"
by Miwa Masahiro, composer
http://www.iamas.ac.jp/~mmiwa/jaikenop.html
Originally, "Jaiken-zan (operation)" was invented by
Takahashi "Jai" Tetsuo for the performance, "JIYAI-Kagura,"
an imaginary folk entertainment in Sendai.  This application
software was developed for a different piece called "Ogaki
Jaiken-Daiko (drumming)" based on the same rule (algorithm).
In my usual way of "reverse simulation music," human
players, seven high school students in this case, simulated
this software in real space using seven Japanese drums at
Ogaki biennale 2004.


>>>METHODICIST'S GRAVURE OF THIS MONTH:

Solo Show Card
by Nakazawa Hideki, artist
- Attached file's name: method33_nakazawa.jpg
A partial close-up photograph of the card for his own solo
show (see the info below).  Taken by himself.


>>>METHODICISTS' WORD & INFO OF THIS MONTH:

Nakazawa Hideki, artist:
nakazawa@aloalo.co.jp
http://aloalo.co.jp/nakazawa/
- Nakazawa Hideki Exhibition "Sentence"  Apr 3 - 24, 2004.
Gallery Cellar, Nagoya.  Opening Reception: 5pm, Sat, Apr 3.
The series "Sentence," made of palindromic coined words, was
made while in the U.S.A. last year.  The whole image of the
card and the further info can be seen at the above url.
- Performance & Talk (related to the above exhibition)
5:30 pm on Apr 15 at the above space. 500 yen (with 1 drink)
Performance: Nakazawa Hideki's "Coined Words Reading"
Lecture: Chiba Shigeo, art critic.
Conversation "Place of Art": Chiba Shigeo & Nakazawa Hideki
- Though my writing is delaying, "Contemporary Art History:
Japan" (in Japanese and English) will soon be published.
The exhibition at the MOT Annual 2004 has been done.

Matsui Shigeru, poet:
shigeru@td5.so-net.ne.jp
http://www008.upp.so-net.ne.jp/methodpoem/
- I am a poet whose standing point is stated in my above
text.  I am going to appear in a reading party on May 1 and
2.  Further info will be announced later.  "Striped Stripe"
was premiered on March 20.  Tsurumi Sachiyo, a composer, and
Tokyo Philharmonic Chorus realized the concept of my poems
precisely!

Miwa Masahiro, composer:
mmiwa@iamas.ac.jp
http://www.iamas.ac.jp/~mmiwa/
- "The New Era" for mixed voices (2001) was published as
scheduled!
- No concerts/performances this month but I will be in Linz,
Austria!


>>>POSTSCRIPT:

- METHOD Website:  http://aloalo.co.jp/nakazawa/method/
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Monthly Email-Bulletin  METHOD  NO. 33  English Version
Published on April 1, 2004
(C) Group METHOD, 2004
(C) Nakazawa Hideki, Matsui Shigeru, Miwa Masahiro, 2004


method33_nakazawa.jpg