Hi everyone. I am Mio Matsui, a 1st year masters student. Since I went to University of Art Linz on the exchange program, I would like to introduce the various things that came up throughout the days over there. In this article information about the exchange destination is written in detail, so I think if you read my article afterwards it will be easy to understand.
In this article, I wrote about my motivations to go abroad, about my research theme, and about the various things that came up during the first month of my exchange.

My motivations for doing the exchange program

Until last year I had never left Japan, and I had very little interest towards foreign countries but during the spring break of this year I traveled to Europe for the first time and in May from going to an academic conference called “New Interfaces for Musical Expression” I became more interested. In particular at this academic conference, through the experience of visiting Mexico alone and preparing in English and Spanish, I was thrown into an uneasy environment and came to know the passion of somehow pulling through, the joy of communicating with others who speak a different language, and additionally the frustration of the words not coming out.

Further, another reason of interest was wondering how my research would turn out in a cultural sphere that completely differs from Japan. The deadline for applications to go on exchange was immediately after I came back to Japan from Mexico and since I had strong feelings about wanting to take on a new challenge in an unfamiliar place I hurriedly created my documents and submitted them.

Research theme

Until now I have been focusing on the aspect of sound vibration as a physical phenomenon in the creation of my works.The photo above is one example of such a work, which is based on a mysterious folk tale, and it is an artwork which aims to allow one to re-experience the events of the tale through sound.

Presently, I have an interest in the nostalgic eeriness which can be seen in images of internet memes known as “Liminal Spaces,” and I am conceiving a plan to make it the theme of my next work.

What sort of understanding do we have towards our perception of the past? For me it is surprisingly vague, difficult to understand, and fuzzy. It is a feeling like attempting to remember a dream immediately after waking up, and memories exist that are gradually growing to be incoherent. Now as I have grown older, doubts towards those very perceptions themselves and changes occurring in my understanding of received perceptions have led me to question the possibility that my understandings of the past may be incorrect. These types of distortions come to mind from images of places known as “Liminal Spaces,” which bring about uncomfortable feelings alongside nostalgia.

As I continue to think further about perceptions of the past, memories, etc., I would like to deepen my research theme whilst investigating more about sound.

Time for departure!

The schedule and flight booking, etc., is all your own responsibility. There was back-and-forth via email with an office staff member at the University of Art Linz to decide what date to enter the dorms, and there was an issue that I could not enter the dorms that were typically used near the university in a normal year but somehow it was decided.
Since I was rather upset about not being able to use IAMAS’ complete equipment and environment for the next 3 months, I devoted myself to the production of artworks in August, and in the blink of an eye it was the departure day. A 3 month exchange beginning from September 2nd.

The artwork I created in August “Zanpa”

ARS Electronica

I visited the international media arts art festival known as ARS Electronica held in Linz in September. I would like for you all to use this article as a reference to understand what ARS Electronica is.

Until now since I have not really ever experienced appreciating media art it was truly great to have been able to see this amount of diverse artworks at once. Furthermore, there were also complete performance events, and every night I was able to watch various experimental performances.

I will introduce one artwork in particular that left an impression on me.

《Harmonic Motion》 Alba Triana
https://calls.ars.electronica.art/2023/prix/winners/6247/

This artwork is explained as a “musical composition and immersive installation” but the feeling of the sounds are very charming, and further, the small red circular objects incessantly continued to move in suspension in the space. It was a movement like that of waves that one could watch forever. According to the caption, by appreciating the artwork we refer to things such as listening to and observing the dynamic environment of the physical real world around us that we usually overlook. Based on that I was very sympathetic to the composition of the piece, which consisted of a fixed sequence of electric signals and the constant changing sound of the cymbals’ physical vibrations. In particular, my artwork which I have stated above, “Zanpa,” is being produced with the same conciousness.

In the end I was able to help a little in the cleanup of the student exhibitions, and before being matriculated I was able to speak with the students a bit. Since I would only be around for only 2 months after the beginning of the academic term, I think in retrospect it was a good opportunity for me to remember their faces.

Venezia Biennale

I decided to go to the Venezia Biennale being hosted in Italy immediately after the ARS Electronica festival had finished. From Linz by using the night train the distance was of the likes of a late night departure with an arrival in the next morning. I clearly confirmed the destination of the train, and the train attendant went around and checked my reserved-seat ticket which gave me a moment of ease as I then started to doze off. When I woke up I had ended up coming to Zurich in Switzerland. I hurriedly got off at the next stop and bore witness to the grand mountains and the picturesque Swiss scenery that extended around me.
I eventually arrived in Venice about a half day late by departing from Zurich and transferring via Milan.

Due to time constraints I was only able to go around the main venue at the Venezia Biennale but I was able to see artworks by African artists gathered around, installation artworks, and video artworks.

Additionally, I also visited a gallery known as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. It was complete with famous surrealist paintings, and it was much more enjoyable than I had expected. Even now it has still left a strong impression on me. Since I did not graduate from an art college prior my knowledge concerning art was lacking. Nevertheless I knew there at that moment that surrealism and other genres of art were divided but I can recall distinctly when taking a look in one go at the paintings of famous painters such as Raymond Georges Yves Tanguy, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, and others how moved I was. Furthermore, there was an abstract painting artwork by Clyfford Still called “Jamais” which I also liked a lot. I was unusually attracted to the common points with “an eeriness to the perception of the past that doesn’t seem to add up or be coherent” which I felt whilst appreciating this gallery. After I returned to my dorm, I searched up the history of surrealism, the artworks I encountered which I knew nothing about, and the respective artists.

Until the beginning of lectures

Since lectures began from October, in the period until starting as I fumbled around in the daily life I was not accustomed to, I spent most of my time in the dorm, recording and organizing the inputs that I had obtained all at once in a short period of time. It was a period of time where the weakening of the yen was accelerating and I had to set aside quite a lot of time to do my online part-time job. That being said, to isolate myself and be facing my computer the whole time would be a waste, so I would go on walks whilst taking the recorder I brought from Japan to capture field recordings, and I spent time taking “liminal space” style photos in the area around my dorm.

The dorm was situated about 30 minutes away from the university by tram. I also had a part-time role in a hotel and diligently handled the reception.

The daily changing lunch of the dorm restaurant. This was around 1300 yen so compared to a normal restaurant it was exceptional.

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Materials I recorded / photographed and used to make songs in September

Continuing to the second volume

Thank you for reading this far. I am hoping to outline in the next volume about the days I had for the two months following the beginning of school.

Without Googling, think about this question until we can check the answers. If you know the answer, think about the meaning of the other words on the list. ?

English translation: Eric Lupea