Welcome to Tokyo Design Festa!
This is a montage of the last Design Festa vol 29.
Design Festa is one wild weird weeked of an eclectic gathering of artistic chaos of artists, musicians, craftsmen, performance artists.
The Surreal World of Eyeball Love Globe Group from Tokyo Design Festa
Take a dip into the surreal and the avant-garde with the Taiwanese performance group – the Eyeball Love Globe group.
The Eyeball Love Globe performed at the Tokyo Design Festa this past May and have done so a few other times before being one of the popular re-occuring performances at the exhibition.
the music for two of the segements is from Seven Cycle Theory:
It’s also up for votes on Current TV:
Eyeball on Current TV – Register and Vote please!
Artistic Chaos – The Tokyo Design Festa Movie!
The Tokyo Design Festa is a semi-annual event where artists, craftsmen, performers, musicians, film-makers, and what-not gather from all over the world to exhibit their creations.
It’s a weekend of artistic chaos!
It’s up for votes on Current TV:
http://current.com/items/89051722_artistic_chaos_the_tokyo_design_festa
Help a Blogger out, why doncha?
Artistic Chaos – The Tokyo Design Festa
Artistic Chaos!!!
The Tokyo Design Festa – a chaotic ensemble of art
The Tokyo Design Festa
Anime fan wearing an all handmade costume
As I entered the futuristic-looking Tokyo Big Site building on Odaiba Island, I was greeted by a person with the head of fish. Beyond him/her/it and all about the place wandered a colorful assortment of strange characters which appeared to have been born in fertile imaginations bred on Japanese Anime, Gothic Horror, and Salvador Dali. It was then that I knew I had reached my destination: the Tokyo Design Festa.
Fishhead man advertising
Getting a leg up or two at Tokyo Design Festa
Usagi – Drumming Rabbits – Female Taiko Group
Design Festa is a chaotic showcase of artists, musicians, craftsmen, designers, dancers, and performers – the sublime mixed with the avant garde. The Design Festa takes place twice a year in Tokyo and has been going on for 14 years.
A Wild Wall
Artists come from all over the world to participate. Booths are set up to showcase their creations and crafts. Visitors can look at, handle, and purchase their favorite pieces. In addition they have the chance to talk with the artist to learn more about them and their artwork.
An artist below one of her works
Painter creating art at the Festa
For artists, the Design Festa gives them the opportunity to get their work noticed and possibly sold. The event is a breeding ground for future art as a lot of networking goes on between artists which can lead to potential collabrations.
Pint-size masters at work
Ninja getting down with their badselves
A twirling ghost
There is so much to see, do, and absorb in a weekend at Design Festa. The place is literally a beehive of activity. There are performances to see, workshops to attend, bands to hear, painters to watch, and oddity to puzzle over.
Geisha Gone Godzilla
Panda Man! He eats, shoots, and leaves.
Some of the booths offer short workshops to teach visitors a bit their craft. I tried my hand at the ancient art of Japanese calligraphy. Calligraphy in old Japan was considered an all important skill. In the far off days of the Heian Period (794-1192), a person’s calligraphy was believed to be a mirror of their character. I would have been laughed out of the Heian Court with my paltry attempt at the turtle kanji character. My turtle looked a bit more like a sickly chicken strung up by clumsy anti-poultry vigilantes. My teacher, a ten year old girl, was patient with me and guided me as best as she could.
Me with my Calligrapher Teacher
Anime School Girl Calligrapher
At a makeup special effects booth, visitors were able to get horrific body scars which didn’t hurt a bit. I got myself a nice deep scar running down my arm which later fooled a few drunks at my local bar.
I got scarred at Tokyo Design Festa
A bloody guitarist
There were several fantasical creations from this booth wandering around surprising the unwary and small children. One was tall elegant alien creature frighteningly realistic but fortunately sweetenly demure.
A very realistic alien courtesy of special effects make up
Another creation was a ghastly sculpture of a half-tree half-woman monster with the severed head of a man in her/its hand. Her/Its roots were nourished with the blood and gore of other men. It was a macarbe cocktail of environmentalism and feminism blended horrifically together.
Environmental Feminism at its goriest
A samurai fiercely guarding his booth
Along with the countless booths, there are a variety of showings throughout the day in different sections of the event area. Bands, short films, musicians, eclectic performers can be seen outside, upstairs, and in the main hall. I was able to see rock bands, taiko drum groups, naughty nurses, a gyrating eyeball man, and a dancing ninja troupe.
A band performing at the outdoor stage
Guitarist licks lips as he rips licks
The Bufferins – naughty pain relievers
One of the popular returning performance groups is Mr. Eyeball Love Globe from Taiwan. The group is headed by man with an enormous eyeball as his head. His outfit is covered with a similar pattern. His story from his flyer is that he is an alien here to spread love. The Eyeball group was one of the most out-there groups and attracted a lot of attention. They have been to Design Festa several times before.
Mr Eyeball Love Globe Group from Taiwan
Avant-Garde at its Warholian best
Design Festa takes place twice a year in May and November. For more information please check:
-
Recent
- Tayu Oiran in Kyoto
- Japanese Craft Beer&History – Yanaka Beer
- Unicorn Gundam in Tokyo
- Japanese Bowing Deer of Nara
- Outdoor Sumo at Yasukuni Shrine
- Samurai Girls Do Battle!!!
- Sumo – Hakuho vs Harumafuji at Outdoor Sumo Event at Yasukuni Shrine
- Samurai Warlord’s Kyoto Cherry Blossom Festival – Taiko Hanami Gyoretsu
- Samurai Battle Festival – Battle of Sekigahara Festival
- Japanese St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Harajuku, Tokyo
- Japanese Devils Beat You For Good Luck on Setsubun
- Wakakusayama Yaki – Japanese Mountain Fire Festival in Nara
-
Links
-
Archives
- September 2018 (3)
- September 2013 (1)
- May 2013 (2)
- April 2013 (3)
- March 2013 (1)
- February 2013 (3)
- January 2013 (1)
- December 2012 (5)
- November 2012 (3)
- October 2012 (3)
- September 2012 (6)
- May 2012 (2)
-
Categories
- 1066
- 1914
- 1950s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000
- 2001
- 2007
- 2008
- 2008 Presidential Race
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 47 Ronin
- 50cent
- 911
- A-Team
- abashiri
- acrobatics
- action figures
- aikido
- air combat
- airplanes
- akihabara
- akihito
- Akita
- ako gishi
- ako roshi
- alcohol
- aliens
- american pop culture
- Amy Fisher
- ancient egypt
- Anglo-Saxons
- animals
- Anime
- Anti-Semitism
- Aoba Matsuri
- aomori
- aomori prefecture
- Apocalypse
- Archery
- armistice day
- art
- Asakusa
- asashoryu
- ashikaga
- Ashikaga Yoshimasa
- Australia
- autumn
- avant-garde
- ayukawa
- Battle of Hastings
- Bavaria
- Bayern
- beautiful girls
- beefeater
- beer
- belly dancing
- Bill Murray
- birthday
- biwa
- blog
- Blogroll
- blowing bubbles
- boating
- boats
- Bobbit
- Bon Odori
- Bonseki
- brawl
- brazil
- buddhism
- bull fighting
- bulls
- Burger King
- busker
- busking
- cairo
- california energy crisis
- Canada
- cannon
- carnaval
- carnival
- castle
- Catholic
- cello
- Celtic
- celtic music
- Charles Schultz
- Charlie Brown
- cheops
- cherry blossoms
- chichibu
- chimes
- chinese food
- Christianity
- christmas
- Christmas in the Trenches
- Christmas Truce
- chuck norris
- chusingura
- CIA
- classical music
- Clinton
- clock tower
- clubbing
- coins
- comedy
- Coming of Age Day
- confessions
- cosplay
- costumes
- craft beer
- crickets
- Croatia
- crossdressing
- Crucifixition
- culture
- culture day
- current tv
- Current TV Promo
- cute
- Dairokuten-no-Hadaka Matsuri
- dance
- Date Masamune
- death
- Democrats
- demons
- design festa
- Deutschland
- devils
- Dezomeshiki
- documentary
- Don't Know Why
- Dracula
- dragons
- drift ice
- drinking
- drums
- Earth Celebration
- earthquake
- easter
- easter bunny
- easter eggs
- Eastern Europe
- egypt
- eine kleine nachtmusik
- elections
- electronica
- England
- english teacher
- english teaching
- enka
- enron
- enron scandal
- entertainment
- environment
- Ernest Hemingway
- europe
- european history
- event
- extreme sports
- Eyeball Love Globe
- fall
- fertility
- fertility festival
- festival
- Festival of Ages
- FIFA
- fight
- fire
- fire dancing
- Fire Department
- fire festival
- fire twirling
- Fire Walking
- firefighter
- firefighting
- fireworks
- flame-twirling
- floats
- flute
- flying saucers
- folklore
- food
- fukushima
- Funekko Nagashi
- furisode
- gadget
- geek
- geibikei
- Geiko
- geisha
- Geisha Dance
- Gempei War
- Genghis Khan
- Germany
- Ghost Stories
- Ghosts
- GI Joe
- Gion
- girls
- girls kissing
- Givemeabreakman
- giza
- Glitterball
- global warming
- Gokaicho
- Golden Dragon
- Golden Dragon Dance
- Golden Fleece
- Golden Week
- goryo
- goshogawara
- Goth Girls
- goth lolita
- government cover-up
- Graham Hancock
- greasers
- Great Pumpkin
- great pyramid
- greenpeace
- Groundhog Day
- Guinness
- gun control
- Gundam
- Hadaka
- hagoita
- hakodate
- halloween
- hamburger
- hanami
- Harajuku
- Harold Godwinson
- Haunted
- Hauntings
- heavy metal
- heike monogatari
- Hello Kitty
- High School Musical
- hikeshi
- Hikone
- hirohito
- hirosaki
- history
- hojo
- hokkaido
- Horror
- horse racing
- horses
- Hosokawa Sansai
- Howitzer
- humor
- ice
- ice sculptures
- Ii Naomasa
- indie
- Ireland
- Irish
- iwate
- Iwate Swan
- IWC
- j-horror
- j-pop
- j-rock
- japan
- Japan Earthquake
- Japan Vlogger
- Japanese Anime
- japanese archery
- japanese beer
- japanese beer vending machine
- japanese culture
- japanese emperor
- Japanese festival
- japanese folklore
- japanese ghost stories
- Japanese Ghosts
- Japanese girls
- japanese goldfish scooping
- japanese history
- Japanese Horror
- japanese imperial palace
- Japanese martial arts
- Japanese subculture
- Japanese Tea Ceremony
- Jean-Michel Jarre
- Jesus
- Jews
- Jidai Matsuri
- jigokudani
- job searching
- John McCutcheon
- Jomon
- jpop
- Ju-on
- juhyo
- Kairaku-en
- Kamakura Matsuri
- kamogawa odori
- karaoke
- karate
- kawaii
- Kendo
- kenneth lay
- khufu
- kimono
- kingyo sukui
- Kinryu-no-Mai
- Kodo
- kokyo
- komuso
- koukyo
- kurama-no-himatsuri
- kwaidan
- Kyoto
- kyudo
- Lafcadio Hearn
- leaves
- Lee Van Cleef
- life
- light saber
- Lilo&Stitch
- Lost in Translation
- macaque
- madonna
- maiko
- marine life
- Mark Twain
- martial arts
- Master Ninja
- matsuri
- McCain
- media
- medieval
- Meiji
- meiji shrine
- metal
- Metropolis Magazine
- Middle Ages
- Middle East
- Millennium
- misogi
- mito
- moira cameron
- momote shiki
- Monica Lewinsky
- monkey
- monster trees
- montage
- morioka
- mounted archery
- movie review
- mozart
- MST3K
- mt. kurama
- Mt. Zao
- Mudslinging
- Munchen
- Munich
- murfreesboro
- museum
- music
- music concert
- music videos
- musicians
- musicians in Japan
- Mystery Science Theater 3000
- mythology
- nagano
- Nagoya
- Naked Festival
- Namahage
- Nara
- nashville
- nature
- nebuta
- neputa
- never gonna give you up
- New Age
- New Age music
- New Year's Eve
- New Years
- news
- Nick Zappetti
- night out
- nightlife
- ninja
- Ninja movies
- Nishimonai
- Nishimonai Bon Odori
- noon
- Norah Jones
- Normans
- November 11th
- Obama
- Obon
- ocean
- octopus
- octopus garden
- odawara
- Oga
- ogasawara ryu
- OJ Simpson
- Oktoberfest
- oni
- Only in Japan
- onryo
- opinion
- Osu Kannon
- otaru
- painters
- painting
- Pamplona
- parade
- paranormal
- parody
- party
- peace
- Peanuts
- penis festival
- Pentagon
- Peru
- photographs
- photography
- pirates
- plum blossom
- poetry
- politics
- pool
- pop culture
- Power Rangers
- Presidential Debate
- Project Blue Book
- Pub
- purification
- pyramids
- racism
- red baron
- reindeer
- remembrance day
- Republicans
- Resurrection
- rick astley
- rick roll
- Ringo Starr
- Ringu
- rio de janeiro
- risque
- rock
- rock band
- rockabilly
- Rodger Swan
- Roller Derby
- Rolly Teranishi
- Romania
- ronin
- Roppongi
- Roswell
- Roving Ronin Report
- Ryuhyo
- S&M
- Sado Island
- sakura
- samba
- samurai
- San Fermin
- San-San-Ku Tebasami Shiki
- sansa odori
- santa claus
- sapporo
- sapporo beer
- Sarah Michelle Gellar
- satire
- scandals
- Scarlett Johansson
- Science Fiction/Double Feature
- Sea of Okhotsk
- sea shepard
- secret commonwealth
- seijin-no-hi
- Sen no Rikyu
- sendai
- sengakuji
- sengoku
- Senso-Ji
- Setsubun
- seven cycle theory
- seven patty Whopper
- sexuality
- sexy
- shakuhachi
- shinsengumi
- Shinto
- sho kosugi
- shopping
- singing
- Snagov
- Snoopy
- snow
- snow festival
- snow gleaming
- snow lantern festival
- snow monkey
- soccer
- sofia coppola
- soma nomaoi
- Spain
- Spanish Culture
- sphinx
- spies
- Spirits
- Sport
- Sports News
- spring
- St. Patrick's Day
- star wars
- Stitch
- Storytelling
- street musicians
- subculture
- sugawara no michizane
- summer
- sumo
- supernatural
- Suzume Odori
- tachi neputa
- taiko
- taiwan
- takenoko-zoku
- tall tales
- techno
- tennessee
- tenno
- terrorism. WTC
- The Beatles
- The Grudge
- The Ring
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show
- The Sushi Cabaret Club
- three kingoms
- tohoku
- tokugawa ieyasu
- tokyo
- tokyo decadance
- Tokyo Design Festa
- tokyo imperial palace
- Tokyo Kuyo-Kai
- Tokyo Swan
- Tokyo Tower
- TokyoCooney
- Tonya Harding
- tower of london
- toy
- toyotomi hideyoshi
- tradition
- traditional art
- tragedy
- travel
- trees
- true ghost stories
- TV
- ufo
- UK
- ultra-man
- ume
- Umm Khulthum
- Umm Kulthum
- Uncategorized
- Urban Tap
- vampire
- veterans day
- video
- vikings
- violins
- virginia tech
- Vlad Tepes
- vlog
- voting
- weird
- whales
- whaling
- whopper
- William the Conqueror
- Windows 7
- winter
- work
- World Cup
- World Trade Center
- world war I
- wrestling
- WTF
- X-Files
- xmas. holidays
- Y2K
- Yabusame
- Yamagata
- yamanote halloween train
- Yamanote Train
- Yanaka
- yasakuni shrine
- yasukuni shrine
- yeoman warder
- Yokote
- yokozuna
- Yomatsuri
- York
- Yoshitsune
- youtube
- Youtube Gathering
- yudanaka
- Yugoslavia
- yuki matsuri
- Yuki Onna
- yukiakari no michi
- yushima tenjin
- Zagreb
- Zao Onsen
- zen
- Zenkoji
- zojo-ji
- zombies
-
RSS
Entries RSS
Comments RSS