NOBUHO NAGASAWA PROFESSOR FEATURED IN THE JAPANESE NEWSPAPERS

MAC

(Photo by Teri Henry)

Weekly New York Life (Japanese Weekly Newspaper)
Publisher: https://www.nyseikatsu.com/
PDF: https://nyseikatsu.com/editions/777/777.pdf (page 23)

SoHo Plywood Art 2♥️ Project, Saturday, June 27, 2020

A large-scale art project was held on the 12th and 20th in SoHo, where many of the lootings took place on the night of May 30th during the protests. On the plywood that covered the storefront to prevent looting, the artist expressed their views on the theme of "hope." The project entitled Art 2♥️ was led by the gallery owners in the area and they provided artists with plywood once they obtained permission from the store owners. Nobuho Nagasawa, a Japanese artist and professor at Stony Brook University drew cicadas in three locations in two days. Ms. Nagasawa said, “I consider cicadas as a symbol of the revival of New York City because a large number of cicadas which lived underground for 17 years are emerging from the earth this summer.” The organizer made a call to artists stating, “SoHo was the place where contemporary art was born 50 years ago. Let's rejuvenate a deserted city with art, just like the devastated city was rejuvenated by art at that time.” Many stores in New York City will resume operations from the 22nd. The plywood with artworks will be preserved after removal.

(Report and Photo by Kaoru Komi)

Yomitime nyseikatsu

NEW YORK EVENT JOURNAL YOMITIME, Friday, June 19, 2020 Issue Vol.376
Article and photo of Nagasawa on page 3 by Manami Fujimori, Art Critic
https://www.yomitime.com/event_061920/0301.html

Related Article: Reporter's visit to SoHo on Saturday, June 13, 2020
Out of more than 200 shots Yomitime will introduce 150 images in the link below.
https://www.yomitime.com/BLM/index.html
*The image changes automatically, but it also changes when you click the upper thumbnail. Thumbnails move from "left to right".

NobuhoNagasawa_01 NobuhoNagasawa_02 NobuhoNagasawa_03

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(Photos by Jake Price)

Transformation and Resilience 2020
506 Broadway, next to Bloomingdale's

White cicadas represent the 17-year life cycle of cicadas emerging from the earth this summer. Spiraling outward, they represent the different stages of their transformation from nymphs to adults spreading their wings to fly and sing symbolizing resilience, survival, ephemerality, and the cycle of life.

June 20th was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. This made it possible to work from 8 am to 9 pm. At the end of the day, a total of 109 cicadas were swarming in three SoHo locations, sending a hopeful message of the resurrection of New York City.

Hundred and eight is a number of times a gong is stuck at midnight throughout the Buddhist temples in Japan on New Year’s Eve. Each ring represents one of 108 temptations a person must overcome to attain a better life. There is no "going back to normal." Adding one extra cicada, a total of 109 is an indication for all to move forward. Note the tall white giraffe with a black mask on Bloomingdale’s show window. The tag says “safety is always in style.”

Report from Associated Press, Wednesday, June 24, 2020
New York City reopens, a push is on to save the anti-racism messages painted on plywood that protected stores from damage during the Black Lives Matter protests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3t5Hc99Djg

(Photo by Nobuho Nagasawa)

#ChalkThatTalk: In Honor of "Black Lives Matter" Movement, Friday, June, 19, 2020
On Friday, June 19, Professor Nagasawa joined the SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology Black Student Union (BSU) to support the "Black Lives Matter" movement. This event #ChalkThatTalk took place on SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology on 7th Avenue between West 27th and 28th Street.

Nagasawa spoke with BSU’s treasurer Kiara Williams, advisor Ravan Patrick, BSU president Awa Doumbia, as well as with Jennifer T. LoTurco, Deputy to the FIT President and discussed the future collaboration between the FIT and the SBU students. Together with the FIT students, she added a drawing on the concrete façade. Nagasawa’s drawing of hands represents coexistence and solidarity for all people of color.