Published:
October 27, 2017
Sugai Ken shares a curious, playful video for “Doujiri,” directed by Kiyotaka “Kiyo” Sumiyoshi. The video is a visual accompaniment through Ken’s nocturnal sound world, inviting viewers down paths of a shadowy forest inhabited by ancient spirits.
The eleven pieces which form UkabazUmorezU are made up of recordings sourced and simulated from scenic locations in Japan, folk performances from various local regions and synthesized through Ken’s electronic tool kit. The video for “Doujiri” “contextualizes these folk arts as part of the continuum," explains Kiyotaka in his director’s statement.
"My conversation with Ken about his experience creating ‘Doujiri’ links back to his travels to Kyoto. First-person shots allow us to relive Ken’s journey through Kyoto’s mystical bamboo forest. Ken wanted to visualize specific Japanese folk arts with this video, all of which have been used for centuries. Each object presented in the video has a special meaning as a ceremonial object or ritual offering.”