[SIGNING Co., Ltd.] Photographer Masashi Okada x Circular Economy Project ZACO Project(R)️ “Drifting Value” exhibition with the theme of fluctuations in “value” will be held.
*SIGNING Co., Ltd.*
Press release: August 1, 2024
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Photographer Masaru Okada x Circular Economy Project ZACO Project(R)️ Holds an exhibition titled “Drifting Value” with the theme of fluctuations in “value”
*Starting at “SIGNAL” in Toranomon, Tokyo from Tuesday, August 20, 2024* * SIGNING Co., Ltd. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Maki) At the social issue gallery “SIGNAL” planned and produced by Takahiro (hereinafter referred to as SIGNING), Signature Exhibition
As vol.5, “Drifting Value” is a collaboration between photographer Masashi Okada and circular economy project ZACO Project(R)️. that drifts between the valuable and the
valueless.” exhibition will be held from August 20th (Tuesday) to September 22nd (Sunday), 2024. *
* ■『Drifting Value Something that drifts between the valuable and the About the “valueless.” exhibition*
Photographer Mr. Okada and Circular Economy Project ZACO
As the title suggests, this exhibition “Drifting Value”, a collaboration between Project(R)️, is a special exhibition with the theme of fluctuations in “value.” With the themes of “ocean plastic” and “unused fish,” the exhibits offer viewers an experience in which their own “value of the object” sways and sways. This is an ambitious exhibition that approaches the phenomenon of people finding value in something through visual, information, and experiential approaches.
* ■Exhibition concept*
* “Drifting Value” *
Value circulates, floating around like flotsam. No matter how valuable something is, if it is deemed unnecessary by the times, culture, society, or individuals, it will be flooded into the world as “worthless”.
The chinook, which is treated as a harmful fish that destroys fishing grounds and is unused in some areas, and microplastics, which have become an environmental problem as a result of plastic products. Both are treated as “worthless things,” but if you change your perspective, you can add new value to them.
From a fishing perspective, the Chinook is considered a harmful fish, but if it is seen as a food source, new value can be added to it. Microplastics are plastic waste that has been miniaturized, but if you look at the whole thing using a special photography method, you can see the beauty of its unique colors, shapes, and textures. Its appearance reminds us that it is a man-made object, and at the same time gives us a sense of the time and process by which ancient living things turned into crude oil over many years, and from which plastic was manufactured.
Unused fish and microplastics are both adrift in a sea of value. Each of them may seem independent, but they are connected to our daily lives and continue to drift and circulate from worthlessness to value, and from value to worthlessness.
The act of taking time and effort to add new value to something that others have judged to be worthless is not only a step toward a sustainable society, but also an activity that enriches our lives. I wonder if there is.
Masaru Okada
* ■Message from ZACO Project(R)️*
ZACO
Project(R)️ is a project that has been ongoing since 2021 with the aim of realizing a circular economy business with various unused fish from all over the country together with everyone involved in the fishing industry. This time, in order to provide everyone with a new food experience, we will introduce “Kuro ZACOYAKI”, an unused fish that has been exterminated in Tokyo Bay and left without any use because it causes feeding damage. We have a new menu called. Please enjoy it at the venue.
Black ZACOYAKI named after black porgy
From the first time I had a meeting with Mr. Okada, I was surprised by how close we were to the direction of what we were aiming for, even though his position as an artist and a business project was quite distant, and I felt a great sympathy for him. We are very honored to be able to collaborate in this way.
Unused fish and ocean plastic. Both are ocean issues caused by humans. The reason these problems are not being resolved is because they are not worth it even if they are harmful to many people. If you can find value there, you should be able to take a step toward solving the problem. We hope that through this exhibition, your values will be greatly influenced in a positive direction.
* ■Artist profile*
Susumu Okada
Born in 1984 After completing the graduate school of Japan
Photographic College in 2005, worked as a freelance photographer. In 2018, he received the Excellence Award at the Canon New Cosmos of Photography, selected by Sandra Phillips, curator emeritus of the photography department at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Interested in environmental issues, he began creating the
“Microplastics” series, which photographs microplastics about 1 mm in diameter. Major solo exhibitions include 2012 “White Traces” (Nikon Salon), 2016 “Sand Face” (Nikon Salon), 2019 “Neo
Atlas” (Gallery Yukihira), 2023 “Microplastics” (Gallery Yukihira), etc. 2019 showcase for major group exhibitions
#8 “Resonators” curated by minoru shimizu (eN arts), 2022 3rd Prix Pictet Japan Award “Fire & Water” (Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography) and many others.
■ZACO Project(R)️
A circular economy project that aims to improve fishing productivity, revitalize the local economy, raise demand for fish by communicating the appeal of minor fish, and promote local production for local consumption by developing new businesses that utilize unused fish. We have developed “ZACOYAKI,” which uses fish that would otherwise be discarded as unused in Enoshima and the Miura Peninsula, into grilled molds, and “ZACONOMIYAKI,” which uses fish from the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima. We are expanding our activities based on the concept of solving social issues that everyone can enjoy and want to participate in, rather than solving social issues that are required because it is necessary.
https://www.instagram.com/zaco_project/
* ■Event information*
The following events will be held during the event period.
* ・Opening reception *
Date and time: Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 18:00-20:00
Free participation, no pre-registration required, drinks available at reception price
* ・Talk event by exhibiting artists *
* ■ Masaru Okada x Yusuke Shimizu *
Date and time: Thursday, August 29, 2024, 18:00-20:00 (doors open at 17:30, start at 18:00)
Artist Masaru Okada and ZACO
Yusuke Shimizu of Project(R)️ will discuss the theme of this exhibition, “Drifting Value,” about the fluctuations in value he feels in his various activities, the thoughts and messages he puts into the exhibition, and more.
Participation fee is free, one drink system on site (advance registration required)
*There is no online distribution.
* ■ Masaru Okada x Hiroaki Isobe*
Date and time: Wednesday, September 4, 2024, 18:00-20:00 (doors open at 17:30, start at 18:00)
We will welcome Hiroaki Isobe, an associate professor at Kyoto City University of Arts who studies astroanthropology, to approach Masaru Okada’s works from a planetary perspective and think about the circulation of value together.
Participation fee is free, one drink system on site (advance registration required)
*There is no online distribution.
*Please click here to apply for participation in the above event. * https://forms.gle/SjY7BH9QpB7ENuQ89
* 『Drifting Value Something that drifts between the valuable and the valueless.* * Exhibition Overview*
・Period: August 20, 2024 (Tuesday) to September 22, 2024 (Sunday) ・Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 11:00-23:00 Cafe & Gallery (bar time after 18:00)
Saturday 11:00-18:00 Cafe & Gallery
*Closed on Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays
・Admission fee: Free
・Location: The ParkRex TORANOMON 1F, 1-2-11 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo ・Telephone number: 03-6205-8220
・WEB site: https://signing.co.jp/signal/
・Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signal_socialissuegallery/ ・Train: 5 minutes walk from Exit A2 of Toranomon Hills Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
3 minutes walk from Exit 2a of Toranomon Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Google map https://goo.gl/maps/qvQkChSzmWnkVmwY6
* ■Credit *
ZACO Project(R) = Yusuke Shimizu (Representative/Negoto), Taiki Yamagata (SIGNING)
Design = Akari Saito (SIGNING)
Production = Hakuhodo Products
Progress = Kaoru Yoshida (CINRA), Mito Kusume, Issaku Vincent (SIGNING) Curated by Keiichiro Tao (Tao Planning and Editorial Office) Supervision: Junshiro Kameyama, Tomoka Sugai (SIGNING)
* ■ Social Issue Gallery & Cafe “SIGNAL” *
The social issue gallery “SIGNAL” is characterized by the fact that visitors are responsible for both inputting and outputting
information. It’s not just about providing an opportunity to view art exhibits and face social issues that haven’t surfaced yet. The feelings of visitors that arise when viewing art that expresses social issues are output through a questionnaire, and we treat the aggregate of these outputs as “signs” from various angles, and sublimate them into ideas for solving social issues. The system is to let it happen. Based on the quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire, we also plan to conduct reports on social issues, interactive events, and joint projects with companies, organizations, and universities. Through our efforts through realistic field research, we aim to discover undiscovered social issues and signs, and strive to solve social issues regardless of their size.
* Upcoming exhibitions *
October: Kai Ishihara Exhibition
November: Yoji Sakuma Exhibition
*The exhibition period is subject to change without notice.
■Company overview
SIGNING is a social business studio that provides solutions that simultaneously solve business issues and social issues. The modern business environment is exposed to rapid changes due to advances in technology and dramatic changes in the global situation. In such an environment, many companies are forced to develop new growth areas without being bound by existing business models or competitive rules, in an unpredictable environment.
Additionally, interest in SDGs and social business is rapidly increasing as a methodology for coexisting with society and achieving sustainable growth in these times of rapid change. Based on the social background that many companies face, SIGNING (1) aims to solve social issues and promote social good.
(2) “New Market,” which discovers new business growth opportunities and creates new markets.
We specialize in two areas: Design. “Social
Based on the concept of “Business Studio”, we will provide integrated solutions.
・Location: 16th floor, Mita Kokusai Building, 1-4-28 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073
・Representative: Takahiro Maki
・URL: https://signing.co.jp/