Like Hurricane Katrina or the Haiti Earthquake, one of the aftermaths of the March 11th, 2011, East Japan Earthquake is a rise in charity events dedicated to relief efforts in the disaster regions. Even those living far away in North America partook in various fundraising events for the rebuilding of East Japan. From NBA players pledging donations per point scored, [1] to the average person putting cash into donation boxes on the street, all parts of society became involved. Artists and curators are no exception. From the personal writings of artists in Japan, to artists outside of Japan, and to organizations using art and culture as an incentive to generate donations, I will examine the reasoning, ethics and difficulties of curating exhibitions for non-art purposes.

            As someone who was in Japan during the East Japan Earthquake, I understood and felt first-hand the sense of loss that penetrated the psyche of the Japanese people. The radiation scare reminded us that geographically, we were not far away from the danger zone at all. Japan felt claustrophobically small. The government’s news reports on the matter gave the public little insight as it focused on the blueprints of the damaged reactors, but did not give any specific solutions to the problem. The public lost belief in the government.

            The distrust of the government can be seen in many personal weblogs, such as those written by artist Ryotaro Endo (http://www.basegallery.com/artists/Ryotaro_Endo.html). He said, “We cannot love a country which harbours people who benefit from performing evil deeds” [2] in response to the resignation of the CEO of Tokyo Electronic Power Company, which was seen as evading responsibility. The company was blamed for the delayed treatment of the damaged power plants, as well as delayed reimbursement of those relocated from the danger zone. Similarly, in artist group Gravity Free’s (http://gravityfree.net) report of their volunteer trip to East Japan, they wrote, “It’s hard to imagine the government matching this sort of speed and efficiency. The hard work and love of volunteers, individuals and non-profit organizations is absolutely necessary.”[3] There has been a shift in people’s minds to take action into their own hands, and act separate from an “official response.” 

            Traditionally, Japan has always functioned as a collective society. It is difficult to voice a personal opinion without the recognition and resonance of the group. For those living in Japan, the resonance is already achieved by a mutual understanding of the events relating to the Earthquake. Anna Kato, a young curator, writes precisely about the sentiment, “It is easier to transmit an idea if both the speaker and the listener share the same experience.”[4] She says Japanese society had gone through an “initiation” into a more unified existence. Japan soon found itself in need of foreign aid, but the people in foreign countries had not shared the experience of the Earthquake. In order to speed up the conversation, art can be used to achieve an alternative forum.

            Where does art come into the equation of disaster relief? As artist Ryotaro Endo pointed out, post-disaster works can speak great lengths about society. He mentions specifically Luc Tuymans’ Still Life, featured in Documenta XI in 2002, on its ability to use a mundane, non-political image to send a politically charged message.[5] Tuymans, who was commissioned to create a piece which would comment on the September 11th, 2001 attack on the WTC, instead created a large-sized still life. The Saatchi Gallery describes Still Life as “[responding to unimaginable horror by offering] the sublime. A gaping magnitude of impotency, which neither words nor paintings could ever express.”[6] Artists, in this fashion, have demonstrated their efforts to cope with societal and cultural recovery from devastation.

            Since the Earthquake, artists and curators have banded together to hold private charity events for the rebuilding and recovery of the East Japan regions. In the United States, as early as April 2nd, Gallery Heist and Kokoro Studio in San Francisco have organized the first RISE JAPAN fundraising event, where over a hundred artists donated their works for sale. The event gave 100% of its proceeds to Give2Asia – Artists Help Japan.[7] On the other side of the country, in New York City, there was a similar fundraising event called We Are One, held on April 11th, which attracted donated works from over a hundred artists and gave 100% of the proceeds to the New York-based NPO, Japan Society.[8] It is interesting to note that both charities were not affiliated with any governments or international organizations like the Red Cross. Since the gathering of artists is “private”, the route they choose to send the money also echoed that privacy.

            Gradually, like their perceptions of the Japanese government, people lost faith in the private NPO's ability to manage funds. In Soren Andreasen and Lars Bang Larsen’s article, “The Middleman – Beginning to Talk about Mediation,” they mentioned the “instinctive mistrust of the middleman.”[9] It is true. Artists prefer a more direct relationship with the relief efforts of East Japan. By the third RISE JAPAN fundraiser, the organizers had changed the slogan: “100% of the proceeds from the event will be entrusted to Gravity Free to take back to Japan to directly serve the needs of the victims of the Earthquake and Tsunami.”[10] Artists were literally taking the matter into their own hands.

            Regarding the matter of “direct” interaction with onsite activities, social network media also cannot be ignored. One organization that utilizes networking is called “Relief 2.0.” Echoing the concept of Web 2.0, Relief 2.0 claims to be an “organic movement of interdisciplinary volunteers and partner organizations from around the world working together to promote efficient disaster response and sustainable disaster recovery through the active engagement of local stakeholders.”[11] What caught my eye in the newly established project is an “Art Exhibit” at the Ishinomaki Manga Museum in Miyagi Prefecture. The mission statement says that through revitalization of the Manga Museum, the local economy of Ishinomaki can be “reactivated.”[12] The project outline reminded me of Mary Jane Jacob’s comments regarding the 1991 Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Jacob envisioned an “investigation of public art through a strong cultural base.”[13] I wish the artists who are scheduled to gather at Ishinomaki would utilize the heritage of the Manga Museum to create an open dialogue within the community that incorporates elements of emotional recovery from the Tsunami. It is also optimistic to imagine the possibilities that can arise from the use of social network media to attract a greater audience. From the published draft of the project in development, however, the project seems to focus on the tourism of the area first and foremost. The practical use of art for money seems to overshadow any prospects of artistic achievement in such an exhibition.

            There are a few things artists and curators must consider when dealing with the problem of resolving a practical issue through using art to raise money. The first is the theoretical goal of attributing any exhibition to the cause of disaster relief. Instead of purely fundraising or attracting tourism, the call for a gathering of people itself should try to give room for an interactive platform to exchange ideas. While the financial goals of each event is important, it should not downplay the artistic values of the works exhibited.

            Building on this idea, I should add that it is best for a show dedicated to relief efforts in the disaster-struck areas to resonate with the narrative of collective suffering and loss. Japanese artist Ryoichi Nakamura (http://ryo-art.cj3.jp) explored the post-disaster narrative in his work, “Island of Dreams” (yume no shima, 2011), where he painted a colorful rendition of the garbage disposal facility in Koto-ku, Tokyo. The piece is effective in connecting the idea of destruction of garbage (expected) and the instantaneous destruction of people’s homes (unexpected). The figures standing on the “island” of garbage speak to both a survival instinct and an existential sentiment. Masamichi Sasaki (http://ayanamirei.blog.so-net.ne.jp) commented that the piece explores the “self” in relation to the changing history and environment.[14] The curator is important to creating coherence: Incorporating recent works that can connect with the audience at a deeper level of intimate feeling can help achieve an “open dialogue,” as well as unify the narrative of the exhibition.

            The biggest ideological shortcoming in creating salon-like exhibitions to sell art for charity is the abuse of art as an independent commodity. Carlos Basualdo in his article, “The Unstable Institution” talks about “international exhibitions [using] the symbolic capital of art tied with a presumed autonomy from market logic.”[15] Although it is convenient to use art as a spectacular object to generate money, unfortunately, what in fact happens at exhibitions such as RISE JAPAN and We Are One is not simply the assignment of regular exchange values for artworks, but the assignment of ethos appeal to create even more specially classified objects, leading to a “charity art” market. Because the artworks were bought “for a good cause,” starting from the moment of exchange, they will never be looked at the same way as before. The intrinsic artistic value of the work is forever damaged.

            A solution to the forced commodification of artworks is to not to sell art. Individual artists like Gravity Free performed live painting on the rubble of houses in Miyagi Prefecture. They are examples of bringing art to the people who have suffered losses. The disaster victims can benefit from the viewership of art in motion in the same way that  they would benefit from the enrichment of storytelling to fill the void in their minds. There are also administrative efforts. Mori Art Museum in Tokyo hosted “Designing Japan for Tomorrow,” a charity talk session on July 23rd, 2011. During this event, government officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Trade, and Ministry of Culture spoke alongside artists and professors. “With input from the spheres of culture and art, the efforts [made by the Japanese government with the purpose of preservation and restoration of cultural property] will gain further momentum.”[16] Envisioning the art sphere as an extension of audience is a correct frame of mind to have when pushing political awareness on to social matters. Ironically, in the case of a talk session where admission fees count as donations, there is also a possibility of commodification of scholarship and officialdom. The most difficult part is always managing the balance between artistic presence and pragmatic application and action.

            Disasters like the March 11th, 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami are some of the biggest challenges of humanity. When the survival of the individual and the survival of the society are both at stake, people must make difficult choices in their courses of action. Great efforts have been made by various organizations like RISE JAPAN to bring quick help to the people in need. Under the time limits, their works, and the work of countless unnamed groups are truly commendable. Art as a rallying force in society has a degree of application, but the exhibition-maker must be aware of changes in meaning when presenting works under the post-disaster context to avoid trivializing artistic value. What cannot be argued is the significance of art in culture as a both a creating agent and a reflecting agent. In times where humankind has had dramatic changes and suffering, we must make efforts to try to use art for non-art.

                                                                                    Notes

1     "Horford, other NBA stars to donate $1000 per point to Japan relief efforts," Eliott McLaughlin, CNN News Blog, accessed August 7, 2011, http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/25/horford-other-nba-stars-to-donate-1000-per-point-to-japan-relief-efforts/.
2    "いつ絵描くの？," Ryotaro Endo, Eigaron Blog, accessed August 8, 2011, http://blog.livedoor.jp/rendo_art/archives/51722469.html.
3    "Gravity Free earthquake and tsunami relief volunteer report -Eng ver.-," RISE JAPAN Blog, accessed August 8, 2011, http://www.risejapan.us/?p=171
4    "たんじょうび," Anna Kato Blog, accessed August 8, 2011, http://annakato1992.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post_30.html
5    "はかりしれない出来事／絵を描く" Ryotaro Endo, Eigaron Blog, accessed August 8, 2011, http://blog.livedoor.jp/rendo_art/archives/51686257.html
6    "Luc Tuymans - Still Life - Contemporary Art," The Saatchi Gallery, London Contemporary Art Society, accessed August 7, 2011, http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/artpages/tuymans_Still_Life.htm
7    "RISE JAPAN Vol. 1 raised $15,542," RISE JAPAN Blog, accessed August 8, 2011, http://www.risejapan.us/?p=118
8    "We Are One - Japan Relief Art Benefit," We Are one, accessed August 8, 2011, http://nycweareone.org/
9    Andreasen, Soren and Larsen. “The Middleman – Beginning to Talk about Mediation”. Curating Now Vol. 6. San Francisco: CCA, 2006. 4.
10    "Let's Rise Again - RISE JAPAN Vol. 3 @SOM, June 17th, 2011," RISE JAPAN Blog, accessed August 8, 2011. http://www.risejapan.us/?p=230
11    "What is Relief 2.0" Relief 2.0, accessed August 8, 2011, http://relief20.com/about
12    Levy, Carlos Miranda, curator. “Information – Art Exhibit and Cultural Fest” http://relief20.com/project/artfest
13    Thea, Carolee. “Interview with Mary Jane Jacob”, On Curating. NY: D.A.P, 2009. 21-22.
14    "アーティクル賞グランプリ," Masamichi Sasaki, Rei no Art tte Nanda Blog, accessed August 8, 2011, http://ayanamirei.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2011-04-21-1
15    Basualdo, Carlos. “The Unstable Institution”. What Makes a Great Exhibition? Philadelphia: Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, 2006. 58.
16    "Mori Art Museum Disaster Relief Charity Talk Session: "Designing Japan for Tomorrow," Mori Art Museum, accessed August 8, 2011, http://moriartmuseum.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2011/07/mori-art-museum.html