Makino Takashi
The history of cinema has been considered a separate entity to that of other art forms, primarily due to its connections with commerce. My approach to film counters this for I consider film to have a place amongst the other arts. Nevertheless, film does have qualities unique to itself, particularly in regard to its treatment of time and its relationship with an audience. The time a gallery visitor spends looking at a painting or sculpture is up to them; a cinema audience, on the other hand, is bound by the film’s own duration. While the audience experiences the film’s visual and sonic display, nonetheless, they are free to dwell into their own imagination. What fascinates me most about film expression is the potential for what is presented on the screen to collide with each individual viewer’s emotional landscape, and the new ‘image’ created inside the viewer’s mind resulting from this collision.
Like news reports of wartime Japan, films with stories or a precise structure throw images at an audience with their meanings already intact. Rather than making films with my own imposed structure, my method is to abandon structure altogether or, in other words, layer images that once embodied meaning on top of one another until they become unintelligible. I aim for the resulting composite ‘image’ to be like a nameless animate being with a limitless capacity for meanings, so that my films become triggers for an audience to venture into their own imagination. This desire is embodied in the title of my 2011 film Generator.
In commercial films, the techniques of superimposition and multiple exposure are tired signifiers to indicate a transition between scenes or a departure into a dream state. However, I see new potentials in these techniques. I have developed an alternative technique for multiple exposure that practices the principles of the collages made by the Surrealists of 1920s Paris. I believe people do not come up with things out of the blue but, instead, combine different things in their own ways to arrive at something new – collages and multiple exposure as techniques, for me, artistically deal with this very notion. In the layering of existing matter, my filmmaking method is to take images into territory even I cannot foresee and allow for them to flourish in their newfound environment.
My approach to sound similarly rejects synchronisation in favour of inserting audio and music seemingly unrelated to the images. My collaborations with musicians from overseas have been, in one sense, a way to stage such unforeseeable encounters.
FILMOGRAPHY
AMARGASM (2001/16mm film/16min/music:Makino Takashi)
EVE (2002/16mm Film/3min/music:Makino Takashi) *
The Intimate Stars (2005/16mm/35min/music:Makino Takashi) *
In the spectacle (2006/Video/17min/music:TAMARU)
The Shadow and Stardust (2006/Video/17min/music:Makino Takashi,Toshihisa Hirano)
No is E (2006/Video/23min/music:Jim O'Rourke) *
The Ark (2006/Video/18min/music:Makino Takashi)
Elements of Nothing (2007/Video/18min/music:Jim O'Rourke) *
Tranquil (2007/Video/18min/music:Makino Takashi)
The Seasons (2008/Video/30min/music:Jim O'Rourke) *
while we are here (2009/Video/16min/music:Colleen)
The Low Storm (2009/Video/17min/music:Lawrence English)
Resolution, Synthesis, Re composition (2009/Video/20min/music:Carl Stone)
still in cosmos (2009/HD,35mm Film/18min/music:Jim O'Rourke)
The world (2009/Video/51min/music:Jim O'Rourke)
Inter View (2010/HD/23min/music:Tara Jane O'Neil<)br>
In your star (2011/HD/25min/music:Machinefabriek)
Emaki/Light (2011/HD,16mm&35mm film/16min/music:Makino Takashio,Takashi Ishida)
Generator (2011/HD/19min/music:Jim O'Rourke)
2012 (2013/HD/30min/music:Makino Takashi)
Space Noise, installation version (2013/HD/8min/music:Makino Takashi)
Humming Fields (2013/HD/3.5min/music:Colleen) [MUSIC VIDEO]
Article left by the departed (2013/HD/8min/music:Makino Takashi) [Installation]
Ghost of OT301 (2014/16mm 35mm to HD/16:9/9min/music:Inconsolable Ghost)
Wordless in Woods (2014/HD/3.5min/music:Tara Jane O’Neil) [MUSIC VIDEO]
Phantom Nebula (2014/16mm 35mm to HD/16:9/52min/music:Makino Takashi, Room5, Hiroshi Hasegawa& Manuel Knapp)
cinéma concret (2015/DCP/16:9/24min/music:Machinefabriek)
Hokusotan 2015 Action Direct (2015/4K/8mm to HD/43min/music:Otomo Yoshihide/original film Hokusotan:Soejima Teruto)
KONTRAST (2015/DCP/16:9/15min/music:Makino Takashi/Poem:Sytse Jansma)
Origin of the Dreams (2016/DCP/20min/music:Takuma Watanabe)
In The Shadow of the Cinema (2016/HD/9min/installation/music:Makino Takashi)
The Picture From Darkness (2016/DCP/30min/music:Simon John Fisher Turner)
On Generation and Corruption (2017/DCP/26min/music:Jim O’ourke)
Undulations (2017 / DCP / 19min music : Cal Lyall)
Memento Stella (2018 / 4KDCP / 60min music : Reinier van Houdt)
Axis of Aion (2019 / DCP / 13.5min music: WOLFSBERG)
DOUBLE PHASE (2020 / DCP / 25min music: Lawrence English)
* = Corporate Collections: Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography (Japan)
SCREENING + EVENT ARCHIVE (2001 - 2022)
SOLO EXHIBITION
“Makino Takashi Film Collage Exhibition The Intimate Stars” at Plan B (JP) 2005
“Makino Takashi Film Collage Exhibition The Intimate Stars” at Art Space mirage (JP) 2005
“Makino Takashi Solo Screening” at UPLINK (JP) 2006
“Elements of Nothing” at Gallery PRINZ (JP) Nov 2007
“Space Noise 3D” at CAPSULE (JP) Dec 2013
“Makino Takashi Collage Exhibition” at Art Center Ongoing (JP) Sep 2015
“COSMOS” at London Galley West (UK) Jan 2016 - Feb 2016
“Cinema Concret” at Empty Gallery (HK) Dec 2016 - Feb 2017
“Memento Stella” at URANO (JP) Jan 2018 - Feb 2018
“Memento Stella” at Empty Gallery (HK) Dec 2018 - Jan 2019
GROUP EXHIBITION
“While we are here” with Ryota Aoyagi Ayumi Gallery (JP) 2007
“Imagination” at Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography (JP) Dec 2008 - Feb 2009
“Makino Takashi Screening Program” at Aichi Arts Center, Aichi Triennale (JP) Aug- Oct 2010
“Makino Takashi Lecture/Screening” at Arts Center Ongoing (JP) 2010-2015
“Emaki/Light” with Takashi Ishida at Galleria Finarte (JP) Jan 2011
“UNATTAINED LANDSCAPE” at Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa(Venice)Jun-Oct 2013
“SOLITUDE, OR THE SUBLIMITY OF THE NATURAL WORLD” at MoMA PS1(US) Jun 2013
“Article Left by the Departed” with Ryota Aoyagi at CAPSULE (JP) Jul 2013
“Media Art Kitchen” at Ayala Museum (PH) Nov 2013
“Super Sense Festival” at Arts Center Melbourne (AU) Aug 2015
“Japan Media Art festival” at The National Art Center (JP) Feb 2016
“The Universe and Art” at Mori Art Museum (JP) Jul 2016 - Jan 2017
“Endless Cinema” at Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (JP) Mar 2017
“Endless Cinema” and collage works at Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (JP) February 2019
AWARDS-HONORS
Nagaoka Indies Movie Festival, Jury Special Award [AMARGASM] (Japan) 2001
Image Forum Festival, Terayama Shuji Award [No is E] (Japan) 2007
25FPS International Experimental Film/Video Festival, Grand Prix [still in cosmsos] (Croatia) 2009
25FPS International Experimental Film/Video Festival, Grand Prix, Jury Special Award, Critics Special Award [Emaki/Light] (Croatia) 2011
International Film Festival Rotterdam, Tiger Award for Short Films [Generator] (The Netherlands) 2012
Ann Arbor Film Festival, Best of International Film [2012] (US) 2013
Hamburg International Short FilmFestival, Hamburg Short Film Award [2012] (Germany) 2013
#4 Lima Independiente Festival International de Cine, Best of Avant-Garde Film Award [Ghost of OT301] (Peru) 2014
Japan Media Art Festival Jury’s special selection [cinéma concret] (Japan) 2016
T Mobile New Horizon International Film Festival, Best European Film [cinéma concret] (Poland) 2016
FILMADRID Ⅲ CAMIRA Award [On Generation and Corruption] (Spain) 2017
2nd Moscow International Experimental Film Festival The Best Experimental Film Award [On Generation and Corruption] (Russia) 2017
VIDEOEX 2019(CH), Grand Prix [Memento Stella]
EXIS Seoul Experimental Film and Video Festival (KR) Grand Prix [Double Phase]
Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival 2021 (CH), Best Experimental Short Film [Axis of Aion]
JURY
25FPS International Experimental Film and Video Festival (2011)
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (2015)
International Short Film Festival Hamburg (2016)
Filmadrid#2 (2016)
International Short Film Festival Regensburg 2019
Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival 2021
LECTURE + WORKSHOP
Nihon University College of Art (JP)
Image Forum (JP)
Tokyo Zokei University (JP)
Doshisha University (JP)
Tama Art University (JP)
Yamagata Documentary Film Festival (JP)
WORM (NL)
Asso Mire (FR)
Hong Kong University (HK)
Hong Kong City University (HK)
Cal Arts (US)
Nippon Connection 2016 (DE)
Onassis Art center (GR)
Nitra University (SK)
Alberta College of Art & Design (CA)
Westminster University (UK)
Bangkok Art and Culture Center (TH)
Artist Film Workshop (AU)
White Chapel Gallery (UK)
Elías Querejeta Zine Eskola (ES)
WOLF KINO (DE)
VACANT (JP)
Strangloscope(BR)
AFFILIATION GALLERY
Empty Gallery (HK) https://emptygallery.com/artists/takashi-makino/
Anomaly (JP) http://anomalytokyo.com/artist/takashi-makino/
COLLABORATION WITH ARTISTS
Jim O’Rourke (US/JP) https://vimeo.com/208941546
Lawrence English (AU)
Otomo Yoshihide (JP) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyvTAgXbCOM
Seiichi Yamamoto (JP)
Takuma Watanabe (JP) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKDm06mMfVk
Katsura Yamauchi (JP)
Ryuichi Sakamoto(JP) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO_7PMMua94
Rei Hayama (JP) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTVlQhfhYPg
Arnont Nongyao (TH) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMTiQjuahjg
Okkyun Lee (KR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Ly0Nax_r8
Colleen (FR) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxw1DtlN0jA
Tara Jane O’Neil (US) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX5u5DLa-_0
Inconsolable Ghost (EU) https://vimeo.com/384946847
Machinefabrieak (NL) https://glisteningexamples.bandcamp.com/album/concrete-scores-soundtracks-for-makino-takashi
Carl Stone (US) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKHDKcYoOD0
Wouter van Veldhoven (NL) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgW4DYARYFM
SIN:NED (HK)
Telcosystems & Sonic Acts (NL&AT) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z_nD9QDRVE
Manuel Knapp (AT) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmNeyZjh-HY
Hiroshi Hasegawa (ASTRO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmNeyZjh-HY
Hilary Jeffery (UK)
Sally Golding (AU)
Nikos Veliotis (GR)
Floris Vanhoof (BG) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv_Od18yhdc
Diek Series (BG)
Teun Verbruggen(BG)
Simon John Fisher Turner(UK) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srEt_YuAwTc
C Spencer Yeah (US) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5IXfQrn_xo
Esperanza Collado(ES)
Reinier Van Houdt(NL) https://vimeo.com/303954299
Nivhek(US) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHlTh5XUpeo
Cal Lyall (Paracollider) https://vimeo.com/333664201