ARKO(Artist in Residence Kurashiki, Ohara)

1-1-15 Chuo, Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture 710-8575 Japan

Hideyuki YANAGISAWA, Sara DURT

Ohara Museum of Art

Ohara Museum of Art

Sakazu, Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture

The program is based in Muisonso, in the former atelier of Torajiro Kojima. Kojima is an artist who collected artworks that later became the core collection of Ohara Museum of Art. The atelier is not open to public.
The atelier is in a wooden building, built in 1927, with an area of 70 sq. m. and approximately 3m-high walls. The north wall is covered with a large glass window. The space not equipped with air conditioning or electric supply.

The studio is located approximately 3km northwest from Ohara Museum of Art. It is situated inside Muisonso, which is a villa owned by the Ohara family in Sakazu. Despite its close proximity to Kurashiki’s city center, it is in a peaceful environment, surrounded by beautiful nature with the meandering Takahashi River. Muisonso has several buildings on its 6,600 sq. m. ground. The studio is in the building that was built in 1927.

Since its inauguration in 1930, Ohara Museum of Art has supported contemporary artists who are innovative in their outlook. In this context, the museum saw the prospect of artist-in-residence program as an effective and up-to-date method to support artists, in addition to collecting and exhibiting their artworks.
The museum decided to base the program in Muisonso, since the utilization of Kojima's former atelier had been a management issue at the museum.
The first program was held in 2005, by inviting an artist to take residency. From 2006 onwards, the program has been making an open call for applications.

• To support young artists.
• To utilize Muisonso and the former atelier of Torajiro Kojima
• To extend artistic network from Kurashiki

Artist-in-residency program supports artists’ activities and assists artists with exhibiting works completed during the residency at the Ohara Museum of Art.

Contemporary art

1 artist per year (2 artists were invited in 2006.)

The Applicant should:

• be a visual artist
• be in a good health and able to carry out daily activities on their own
• be cooperative with the publicity to promote the program (media interviews are scheduled at least once during the residency)
• complete works by the end of the residency period and present them at exhibitions.

• Traveling expense: Available (Maximum ¥150,000 for a round trip between the artist’s home and Kurashiki)
• Production fee: Available (Maximum ¥250,000; the actual amount will be decided in consultation with the museum)
• Studio: Available (No electricity or air conditioning; the terms of studio use should be discussed with the museum in advance)
• Living expense: Available (Per diem ¥3,000 X the number of days in residence)
• Accommodation: Available (A furnished apartment with basic utilities, located in proximity to the studio and the museum; approximately 15 minutes by bicycle; bicycle and utility costs are provided by the organizer.)
• Professional and staff support: Available (Museum staff is available for assistance in finding materials and supporting artist’s daily life; technical support for production is not available.)
• Opportunities for presentations/exhibitions: Available (Exhibition at the Ohara Museum of Art.)
• Publication and distribution of a program report: Available
  A Program report will be published and distributed to art institutions after the end of the program.

Open call

Selection is made by the Ohara Museum of Art

ARKO2005 1 artist (Miyuki Tsugami)
Residency period: February 26th, 2005 – April 10th, 2005
Exhibition: April 12th, 2005 – May 22nd, 2005

ARKO2006 2 artists (Takako Hojo and Kumi Machida)
Residency periods: July 16th, 2006 – September 18th, 2006(Hojo); November 5th, 2006 – December 31st, 2006 (Machida)
Exhibition (Hojo and Machida): January 1st, 2007 – March 18th, 2007