Do you ever have vague feelings and emotions that we cannot find the right words to express at the moment (“moya moya” in Japanese) in daily life? “Moya moya” refers to small matters that somehow bother you but you can’t put them into words even if you try to tell someone about them, and which relate to interests, awareness, and worries that are meaningful to each of us. On the Fan Fan Club project we uncover and think about “moya moya.”
The key word for the project’s fourth term is “playfulness.”
There are apparently various theories about the etymology of “to play” (in Japanese): one of them is “walking around enjoying doing things you like.” We believe that playfulness, in which you have a flexible mindset and find pleasure in the situation in front of you, can teach us something about how we can confidently deal with “moya moya” physically and mentally.
For this year’s Club, all 11 activities will be divided into three seasons, and in each season we will invite guests with a playful spirit to walk around the neighborhood with us etc., facing up to our individual “moya moya” through workshops and discussion. We will be uncovering techniques for dealing with your “moya moya” as well as ideas, mechanisms and environments allowing everyone to talk about their “moya moya” with confidence. What’s more, we hope to put those ideas, mechanisms and environments into practice in our daily lives and activities.
We are sure that by the time Fan Fan Club is over, you should be able to convey to someone close to you your own “techniques for dealing confidently with moya moya.”
In the Fan Fan Club project, we would like to join members in thinking about “moya moya,” feelings which form the basis of important interests and awareness/insights that we cannot put into words. However, it is difficult to delineate “moya moya” out of the blue, and we think members may find it uncomfortable. That is why we at Fan Fan Club have decided to start by considering the mechanisms for dealing with “moya moya” and how to create an environment where “moya moya” feelings can confidently be expressed.
For example, in previous Fan Fan Club activities, under the idea that changes in one’s physical condition and mood might manifest in the daily routine, everyone consciously kept daily records in order to reflect on the relationship between physical condition, mood and routine. In another example, the frustration of trying to convey something exciting about a meeting at work to another person but not being able to communicate it properly led us to thinking about ways to convey the fun of a meeting by actually making notes, as well as talking. These are just a few examples, but in this way we have repeatedly explored trial ways and discussion methods for trying to think and reflect on things, and explored comfortable and secure environments where we can brace ourselves to accommodate someone’s “moya moya.”
In the process of thinking about “moya moya,” participants to date have also been able to gradually verbalize their own thoughts and feelings, and make enjoyable discoveries this way; and “moya moya” has repeatedly led to wider interests. Finding the answer is not the goal, but it may be a good idea to carry on with “moya moya” feelings by acknowledging to yourself when you are feeling “moya moya.”
So it’s okay if you’re not really ready. If you take it slow, we believe you can learn the art of confidently dealing with “moya moya” in your own way; that is, you can learn the art of Fan Fan.
Activities are divided into three seasons, and guests will be invited to each season.
All 11 sessions take place between 10:00 – 12:00 (except the Sunday, September 4 session which will take place between 13:00 – 16:00).
Season 1 “Warm up exercises for Fan Fan-ing”
Sunday, July 3, Sunday, July 17, Sunday, August 7, Sunday, August 21
Guest: mi-ri meter (artist/architect) (participating on Sunday, July 17 only)
Season 2 “In search of your own “moya moya””
Sunday, September 4 13:00 – 16:00, Sunday, September 18, Sunday, October 2
Guest: Ayako Sato (artist) (participating on Sunday, September 4 only)
Season 3 “Fan Fan-ing together”
Sunday, October 16, Sunday, November 6, Sunday, November 20, Sunday, December 4
Guest: Yoshiaki Nishimura (Planning Director) (participating on Sunday, October 16 only)
Gate Studio (5-23-3 Higashimukojima, Sumida-ku, Tokyo)
Access: 7-minute walk from Tobu Higashimukojima station
Around 8 people
Free
*Participants are responsible for any expenses related to activities
Please apply using the form here.
Application deadline
Tuesday, June 28 2022
– People with topics they want to talk about in depth with someone
– People with ideas for trying out something with someone
– People who have wondered what good “dialogue” means
– People who want to think about ways to enjoy conversation online
– People who basically like talking to different people
…and others who are excited to bring a variety of interests to the table and encounter new things/people!
Q1: Do I have to participate in every session?
A1: As there is a scheduled flow in place, you may not be able to fully enjoy the project if you miss a lot of sessions, but we will try and make up for absences as much as we can. If you are concerned that you may miss sessions, please consult us first.
Q2: Can I take part if I live outside Sumida-ku?
A2: Of course.
Q3: Can we choose any theme or method we want to develop further through Fan Fan Club?
A3: In principle participants can decide for themselves. However ideally, we would like you to get together with members of Fan Fan club to talk over and think about which themes and methods to choose.
In addition, this term we will include time with themes set in advance, so we hope you can get an idea of the context using these themes as a guide. (Information will be posted on Facebook as needed.)
Q4: What sort of activities have been involved in the project so far?
A4: The first term comprised eleven sessions, alternately held in-person and online. Activities included bringing things we were attached to and discussing the meaning of attachment together; another activity saw each member standing somewhere in their neighborhood for about ten minutes, putting their impressions into writing and talked about them with the others …in all these activities we placed value on just going ahead and trying something if someone came up with something they wanted to try.
All six sessions of the second term were held online. We sent each other postcards, discussed the theme of “words that don’t feel right,” thought about habits and mannerisms while imitating each other’s habits, and discussed ambition, jointly developing ideas for things we could do online.
For the third term, we looked at memos we’d written in the past, and based on the realization of what we were thinking of at the time, we stuck memos to our future selves around our homes, memos we called “everyday love letters”; we also constructed mobiles using materials in the house. These activities involved members from the first through third terms interacting with each other. Please also refer to the book “Book for trying “time for trying”” which documents and summarizes Fan Fan Club activities to date. This time around, we will upgrade these activities a little, thinking together with our guests and walking around the streets.
Q5: Will activities be held in-person at the venue only?
A5: Sessions during this round of recruitment will basically be conducted at Gate Studio in Sumida-ku.
However, we may switch to online implementation depending on the general situation regarding coronavirus infection. Additionally, if you feel unwell and are unable participate in-person, you will be able to connect up to the venue online.
Q6: Will you recruit any more members?
A6: This fiscal year we don’t plan to recruit members in the same way for now. Please take this opportunity to consider participating. If you are at all interested, please contact us.
Fantasia! Fantasia! Office
E-mail: info.fantasiafantasia＠gmail.com
*The program details are subject to change.
*Your personal information will be handled as strictly confidential, and used only to send you information from the organizer about this event.
