Études
Ann Cotten & Michikazu Matsune
2020
Artist Statement
Austrian writer Ann Cotten and Japanese performance-artist Michikazu Matsune are currently developing a collaborative project, "Sprechakte / 言語行為 / Speech Acts", which explores their encounter with different backgrounds and artistic methods. The project is constructed with a series of short works entitled "Études" that blends text- materials with acts of voicing and other performative interpretations. For #JapanRevisited202x, they created three pieces combining texts they wrote collaboratively, voice-recordings and photographic images made in different locations in Vienna such as Nietzscheplatz and Prater Park.
Cotten and Matsune relate to Japan in very different ways and therefore relate to #JapanRevisited202x in different ways too. In one sense, Matsune's Japan lies in the past where he spent his childhood and youth. Cotten's Japan resembles an abstract future, with her ongoing study in Japanese literature and writing. In their collaboration they encounter each other with these differences, gaps and frictions. Under current situations, with travel restrictions and other difficulties, they both desire to visit Japan for real at some point in the future.
Artist Bio
Ann Cotten, born in Iowa (USA), grew up in Vienna, Austria and finished her studies with "Nach der Welt" (2008) on concrete poetry. She writes poetry, essays and short fiction, most recently the sci-fi-oriented short story collection "Lyophilia" (2019). Michikazu Matsune, born in Kobe (Japan) and based in Vienna since 1997, is an international performance-artist. Recent works include „Dance, if you want to enter my country“ (2015) exploring the true story of a dancer forced to dance as part of passport-control in an airport. "Goodbye“ (2016) is based on farewell-letters written by various people from a global archive.