1.Where do you live in 2020? Please describe the place and the surrounding environment.
The first two months in my Japan studio, then flew to Toronto, Canada from the end of February in order to hold a solo exhibition “unfinished studies of anonymous women” in Montreal, Canada. The exhibition was postponed to August, due to the pandemic started being spread in Canada. Since then, I have been stuck in my Toronto apartment.
2.How does the COVID-19 pandemic affect you personally in your country and its countermeasures?
Japan has put strict restrictions at the border and closed all schools at an early stage, provided 100,000 JPY as support to its residents (not sure if it was for all), created a travel package titled “GO TO,” and a few other countermeasures, yet the results have been debatable if they were effective or successful. As of the end of 2020 – the beginning of 2021 the nation is facing the third wave of spread of the virus.
Daisuke Takeya, Once A Month Torture Performed on November 12, 2020 at a rooftop somewhere downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 18 minutes, HD video, mixed media (tampons, acrylic paints, water), courtesy of the artist. Premiered for Feminale. https://feminale.net/ Text for the performance artwork. I SINCERELY FEEL FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER EVERY MONTH. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW PAINFUL IT IS. THIS PERFORMANCE WAS MY VERY FIRST ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE PAIN MINE JUST FOR A VERY SHORT TIME. 武谷大介，一个月一次的酷刑 2020年11月12日，在加拿大安大略省多伦多市中心某处的屋顶上表演。18分钟，高清视频，混合媒体(卫生棉条，丙烯酸涂料，水)，为“Feminale”活动首演。 图片由艺术家提供。 行为表演的文本： 我真心同情那些每个月受苦受难的人。 我不知道这有多痛苦。 这场演出是我第一次尝试。 让痛苦只在很短的一段时间内成为我的。
3.Where is one of the places you enjoy most this year? How do you spend your time there? can you describe what it looks like?
Toilet in my apartment where no one bothers me. I read the news on my cell phone there.
4.Where is the farthest place you have been this year?
When in Japan: Toronto, Canada. Since being in Toronto: a supermarket.
5.Who do you live with in 2020?
Japan: my parents. Canada: my two roommates.
6.How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the way you work?
Three of my exhibitions/residencies being postponed (one held within 2020), One teaching position canceled, one festival I run postponed and downscaled to online and to a local project. I am accustomed to online meetings, lectures, as well as producing works; mostly paintings in my apartment and producing performance videos.
7.Has your work been promoted in some way?
I have participated in two online performance art events, one exhibition with physical works (paintings), and one exhibition in China with still images. They have been somewhat promoted via SNS.
8.Are you more anxious this year than in previous years? If so, how do you relieve your anxiety?
My praxis takes importance in the process. From art context, education grounds, community vitalization, disaster sites, etc. I accommodate my mediums and way of working accordingly. Hence, I had no more anxiety comparing to the last year. However, I have always been anxious about my financial situation (and most-likely it will remain the same for coming years.).
9.Recommend some movies or books you have seen this year (or a poem), you can briefly explain why.
Gattaca, a 1997 American dystopian science fiction film written and directed by Andrew Niccol, acted by Nathan Hawke, Jude Law and Uma Thurman. The film takes place in not so distant future, where the society is based on the eugenics, and causes genetic discrimination. The protagonist, the role of Hawke, tries to overcome his lesser potential to reach his dream. Perhaps, that sort of resilience is needed for the time under the pandemic, and this film gives the viewers a sense of hope.
10.Have you ever imagined what human life would be like after the end of COVID-19 pandemic?
That is a significant question. I counter-question you; Can we give up what we have built spending long time and effort, or, Do you want to go back to how we used to be before the pandemic?
About the artist
Daisuke Takeya is a Toronto-Tokyo based interdisciplinary artist, and ofttimes curator, collector, art educator and community advocator. Takeya’s praxis is comprised of the exploration of nature and plausibility in contemporary society, and hinges on all kinds of double meanings. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally. He is the representative and the curator of Field Trip Project/ Field Trip Project Asia, POWER TO THE PEOPLE, Fukushima NO ALICE, Multi Layered Surfaces, and DAICHI Projects. He is the executive director of Responding: International Performance Art Festival and Meeting.
Daisuke Takeya, A Burning Pan Performed in 2020 at the back alley somewhere downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 5 minutes, HD video, mixed media (a pan, fire, toilet paper, masks), courtesy of the artist. Premiered for for GO ON Performance Festival. https://samaracontemporary.com/Festival-Programme 武谷大介，燃烧的平底锅 2020年在加拿大安大略省多伦多市中心某处的后巷演出。5分钟，高清视频，混合媒体(平底锅、火、卫生纸、口罩)，由艺术家提供。为Go On行为艺术节首演。Https://samaracontemporary.com/Festival-Programme
Daisuke Takeya, Unfinished Studies of Anonymous Women Oil on linen, 2020, 18 x 15 cm. In unfinished studies of anonymous women, my portraits are not the usual beautiful female figures to look at. On the contrary, all portraits stare at the viewer, and can perhaps make the viewer feel intimidated. The figures look rather uncomfortable, serious or upset, enhancing this reversal of the artwork-viewer positions. This series of female figure paintings is my first attempt in re-evaluating the meaning of “women in art by male artists,” carefully not going through the male gaze. The series will be showcased in various contexts in different parts of the world over the coming years. 武谷大介，未完成的匿名女性研究，布面油画，18 x 15 cm，2020 在“未完成的匿名女性研究”中，我的肖像画并不是常见的漂亮女性形象。相反，所有的肖像画都是盯着观众看，也许会让观众感到害怕。这些人物看起来相当不舒服、严肃或不安，强化了艺术品观赏者立场的颠倒。这一系列女性人物画是我第一次尝试重新评估“男性艺术家手中的女性形象”的含义，小心地避免了男性的凝视。未来几年，该系列将在世界不同地区不同语境下展出。
