What we do

TOUCH OF THE OTHER

  • Organization : KAWAGUCHI TAKAO
  • Section : International project
  • Type of Grant Program : Single
  • Art Forms : Dance

Outline

Based on the research materials of sociologist Laud Humphreys owned at ONE Archives in Los Angeles, this project drives creation process in residence in Los Angels and Tokyo, and will premiere in Tokyo in January 2016 at Tokyo’s Spiral Hall.

By the recent legalization of same-sex marriage, the gay liberation movement which began in the late 1960s seems to be achieved to its most significant goal. It may be said that gays and other sexual minorities are now taking part in the majority’s economic, legal and cultural systems. However, when sexual minorities are given “equal status” by the majority, the minority are expected to discard “acts and customs” which had been part of their identities in the era when they were outcasts.

The unique gay sexual culture which was begun and developed from the 19th through the 20th century as a result of discrimination and oppression is currently entering a major transition phase, in the diffusion of the Internet and social media.

While LGBT social rights are being established in areas around the world, this project dares to explore the sort of “deviant” sex that people have been expected to abandon, and to consider why it has an important meaning for our society’s future.

Profile

Takao Kawaguchi was a member of Dumb Type from 1996 to 2008. Since 2000 he has also presented various projects (mainly solo) which cross borders between theater, dance, imagery and art, and pursued the wide-ranging possibilities of stage performance. He collaborates frequently with artists in other genres as well. Since 2008 he has been developing “a perfect life,” a solo performance series based on the theme “talking about myself.” His recent works include “Two solo dances inspired by the text of Yameru Maihime (The Ailing Prima Donna)” (performed with Tomomi Tanabe, Kazuo Ohno Festival 2012) and “About Kazuo Ohno” (Kazuo Ohno Festival 2013). “About Kazuo Ohno” was performed in Yokohama (Japan), Gwangju (Korea), Münster (Germany) and Zagreb (Croatia) after its premiere, and is scheduled to tour Europe and North America in 2016. In March 2015, Kawaguchi started the creation of the new U.S.-Japan joint project “Touch of the Other,” which was presented in Los Angeles as a work in progress in April and August. The performance will premiere at Aoyama Spiral Hall in January 2016.

Contact

Koichiro Takagi
Producer
KAWAGUCHI TAKAO
213,04-34-18 NISHI-SHINJUKU SHINJUKU TOKYO JAPAN
Tel:+81-(03)-3320-7217
Fax:+81-(03)-3320-7219
E-mail: takagi_hiwood@me.com

Venues

SPIRAL HALL (Minato City, Tokyo)