I don’t understand art, fine arts, or whatever this contemporary art thing is at all. Yet, here I am, taking an open course at Tokyo University of the Arts called ‘Introduction to Contemporary Art Curation.’ I’m going there to see if the interview-style podcast I host every day might actually be art.
I run a ‘podcast production label’ and produce podcasts as a business every day. But setting aside the commissioned shows, I don’t really feel like the programs I create and appear in are just ‘work’.
Conversations I have with acquaintances every day are consumed.
‘This conversation is content! Let’s release it.’
My journey of releasing interview content begins with that idea, frantically turning on the mic and putting it out there.
I have a strong feeling that the interview-style ‘podcast episodes’ I host and release daily are not ‘products,’ but ‘works of art’.
I am fascinated by the uncertainty and serendipity of ‘dialogue’ itself.
‘Pre-arranged’ dialogues are failures.
They aren’t interesting. They offer no new discoveries. That’s why I hate them.
If there isn’t something that goes beyond the script, it’s just a chore.
I have absolutely no interest in just doing chores.
For me, an unscripted ‘interview’ is like a serious match.
I dedicated my youth to sports, and I loved the world of serious competition.
When I was a detective, one wrong move could be irreversible. I could have died if I wasn’t careful.
I loved those tense, high-stakes situations.
It made me feel alive.
I feel like this is an extension of that sensation.
And so, I don’t understand music, painting, art, or whatever this contemporary stuff is at all.
I started a program called ‘Otsuki Classic’ because I wanted to understand classical music, which I didn’t understand at all.
The MC of this program, Mr. Ichiro Yanaka, seems to be a big deal in the classical music industry. I don’t really understand it myself, though.
I asked experts who are knowledgeable about art, ‘Isn’t what I’m doing art?’ They suggested I take a course at Tokyo University of the Arts.
So, I applied for an open course at Tokyo University of the Arts and have been attending classes since the other day.
Since I don’t know the first thing about art, I can’t keep up with the lectures at all. I’m currently reading introductory books and trying to catch up through self-study.
Interview art.
Isn’t that what I want to do? I still don’t know.
I can’t deepen my understanding by just talking to myself.
I’m going to study so that I can explain in my own words what it is that I’m doing.
