When​ ​the​ ​party​ ​night​ ​was​ ​reaching​ ​to​ ​and​ ​end,​ ​my​ ​admired​ ​friend​ ​the​ ​artist​ ​Chiaki​ ​Hirakoshi​ ​said: “Some​ ​day​ ​Japan​ ​will​ ​give​ ​flamenco​ ​a​ ​new​ ​​cante,​ ​ ​an​ ​style​ ​as​ ​an​ ​outcome​ ​of​ ​these​ ​cultures​ ​union:​ ​​un cante​ ​de​ ​ida​ ​y​ ​vuelta​”.​ ​This​ ​words​ ​triggered​ ​something​ ​in​ ​my​ ​mind,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​suddenly​ ​knew​ ​that​ ​I​ ​had​ ​to explore​ ​and​ ​research​ ​on​ ​the​ ​bonds​ ​between​ ​Flamenco​ ​and​ ​Japan.

This​ ​installation​ ​is​ ​a​ ​mise-en-scene​ ​of​ ​the​ ​concept​ ​expressed​ ​by​ ​Chiaki:​ ​its​ ​wrapping​ ​softness​ ​evokes the​ ​japanese​ ​​culture,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​leads​ ​to​ ​a​ ​rough​ ​interior,​ ​suggested​ ​by​ ​the​ ​​Martinete​’s​ ​compass. This​ ​​contrast ​is​ ​what’s​ ​shared​ ​between​ ​both​ ​cultures:​ ​duality​ ​and​ ​communion.

*​cante​:​ ​the​ ​particular​ ​andalusian​ ​singing,​ ​mostly​ ​used​ ​in​ ​flamenco.
*​cante​ ​de​ ​ida​ ​y​ ​vuelta​:​ ​is​ ​the​ ​set​ ​of​ ​flamenco​ ​renderings​ ​that​ ​emanated​ ​from​ ​its​ ​combination​ ​with popular​ ​Hispanic-American​ ​music.​ ​​Ida​ ​y​ ​vuelta​​ ​means​ ​literally​ ​“round-trip”​ ​as​ ​it​ ​is​ ​believed​ ​that andalusian​ ​migrants​ ​brought​ ​flamenco​ ​to​ ​America​ ​where​ ​it​ ​was​ ​transformed​ ​and​ ​enriched.​ ​When​ ​it came​ ​back​ ​to​ ​Andalusia​ ​it​ ​shaped​ ​a​ ​new​ ​flamenco​ ​typology.

Installation

1,000​ ​usumino​ ​paper​ ​strips
3D​ ​origami’s​ ​crane
Audio:​ ​​martinete​’s​ ​compass.​ ​Ancient​ ​flamenco​ ​rythm​ ​born​ ​when​ ​forge​ ​professionals​ ​hit​ ​the​ ​hammer on​ ​the​ ​anvil,​ ​a​ ​process​ ​during​ ​which​ ​they​ ​used​ ​to​ ​sing.