Tokyo SEED Exhibition – Meet Roy Hofer

WHEN:

Now thru October 15  -Online Exhibition

September 4 – 6 -Tokyo

(PTP) ASF-a leap forward is a new project focused on sustainability. Why did you create it?

(RH) ASF stands for A Sustainable Future. I see a continuity, or longevity, in the ASF project that in the future might be even more powerful and obvious. It is separate from a-space, a network of artists which from time to time exchange ideas and meet at art fairs or exhibitions, but it is also bringing people together.

I think to be different and search for the good is the right path. So many times, I was disappointed or frustrated in life, knowing I cannot depend on anybody but me. If I leave a positive footprint in this life, then my mission is accomplished.

The beauty of my work is often the unseen and the unplanned. In art schools, you are taught how to make art and how to present it – but you are taught just one possibility. I prefer it when something is not theoretical and streamlined. This whole project started coincidentally and I wanted to let the curation flow. With each project that I do, I like to use what I know about good and bad and adapt it to each show and with each individual person. That what makes life interesting to me.

For SEED, all the participating artists are new to the project, but the more we work together, the more inspired and thankful I feel. Most of the artists already had something in common with one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) created by the UN, but maybe they weren’t deeply focused on it. We all became more sensitive and aware about the SDGs through this work. I can speak only for myself, but I feel thankful that there is movement in a positive direction. Amidst all the devastation, hate and ignorance at least this show can be a positive light.

The SEED exhibition is the first exhibition under the roof of my latest project - ASF-a leap forward, which investigates the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. During the pandemic, an unplanned encounter with a creative company (RSS) from Tokyo led me to think about sustainability and our planet. In art, there were several movements which tackled environmental and social issues, but now we are facing a new situation which made us realize how fragile the world really is. I truly think that through art we can see things differently, which might help to inspire people to think differently as well.

The project started in early March, in Japan. The schedule to roll out this new group exhibition, with artists from east and west, was challenging due to the current, fragile situation. Initially it was planned for July, but we had to postpone it. Therefore, we will launch our first online room experience on July 15, but the physical show will open in September. The online exhibition will show some different works from the participating artists of “SEED,” and we also will do some online talks via Instagram.

Since the exhibition and the project are new, we hope that as many people as possible can see it and get some inspiration from it. What I have experienced during the lockdown (or emergency state in Japan) is that many people started painting, drawing or just being creative. In that sense, we are just another source to feed the audience’s creativity. But because we also want to serve as a forum, it would be nice to have an engaged audience which is interested in asking questions and taking part in some open talks during the SEED exhibition, online and in person.