Screening
Ryōhei Yanagihara and Hiroshi Manabe: Out of Three-Person Animation Circle
Part of Japanese Experimental Animation: Recent Restorations Project
Saturday, February 19th, 7pm
Lightbox Film Center
CCJ is pleased to co-present with Lightbox Film Center three screening programs under the Japanese Experimental Animation project, curated by Go Hirasawa (2/19), Julian Ross (2/25), and Fusako Matsu (2/11). In this second screening, Go Hirasawa highlights two artists of the Three-Person Animation Circle (Animation 3-nin no Kai), a group formed at Sōgetsu Art Center by Yōji Kuri, Ryōhei Yanagihara, and Hiroshi Manabe. In Hirasawa’s program, we are delighted to present the premiere of the digitally restored version of Ryōhei Yanagihara’s Sea Battle (Kaisen, 1960).
Ryōhei Yanagihara and Hiroshi Manabe: Out of Three-Person Animation Circle
Ryōhei Yanagihara, Sea Battle (Kaisen), 1960, 20 min, b/w, sound, 16mm transferred to digital
Ryōhei Yanagihara, Commotion at Ikedaya (Ikedaya Sōdō), 1961, 8 min, color, sound, 35mm transferred to digital
Ryōhei Yanagihara, Two Samurai (Futari Zamurai Homare no Kawakiri), 1963, 7 min, color, sound, 35mm transferred to digital
Ryōhei Yanagihara, M.S. CHANDA, 1965, 8 min, color, sound, 35mm transferred to digital
Hiroshi Manabe, Jikan (Time), 1963, 8 min, b/w, sound, 35mm transferred to digital
Hiroshi Manabe, March, 1963, 3 min, color, sound, 35mm transferred to digital
Hiroshi Manabe, Submarine Cassiopeia (Sensuikan Cassiopeia), 1964, 6 min, color, sound, 35mm transferred to digital
Total: 60 min
Curated by Go Hirsaawa
In 1960, Yōji Kuri, Ryōhei Yanagihara, and Hiroshi Manabe formed Three-Person Animation Circle (Animation 3-nin no Kai), with Sōgetsu Art Center as a base of activity and the goal of pursuing innovative expression in the animation medium. Consisting of designers, illustrators and artists, the group held annual screenings of new, experimental works in collaboration with avant-garde artists of other genres, significantly influencing the subsequent history of independent, artistic animated films. In 1964 the screening series was rebranded as an “Animation Festival,” which served as a valuable venue for animators’ presentation of new works. In this program, we are delighted to present the premiere of a digitally restored version of Ryōhei Yanagihara’s Sea Battle (Kaisen) (1960), which was first screened by the Three-Person Animation Circle and then thought to be lost, as well as Hiroshi Manabe’s Time (Jikan) (1963) and other important works by these two artists.
Japanese Experimental Animation: Recent Restorations
2/11, Yōji Kuri: Art, Life and Opinions
2/19, Ryōhei Yanagihara and Hiroshi Manabe: Out of Three-Person Animation Circle
2/25, Experiments in Flicker & Love
Grants from the Toshiba International Foundation and Pola Art Foundation received in spring 2021 allowed CCJ to conduct research and preservation projects related to Japanese experimental animation works. Two teams were formed: one on the works by the graphic designer Keiichi Tanaami, led by Ann Adachi-Tasch, scholar Julian Ross and archivist John Klacsmann; and another on the film materials at Sōgetsu Art Center archive, led by scholar Go Hirasawa and archivist Nobukazu Suzuki.
The outcomes of these projects were the new digitizations of She (1971) and Look at the Wood (1975) by Keiichi Tanaami and Sea Battle (Kaisen, 1960) by Ryōhei Yanagihara. Screening programs organized by Julian Ross and Go Hirasawa feature these newly digitized works as well as CCJ’s previous preservation project, Tanaami’s Human Events (Ningen Moyō, 1975). Ross’ program places Tanaami’s works in conversation with contemporary works, while Hirasawa’s program highlights two artists of the Three-Person Animation Circle (Animation 3-nin no Kai), a group formed at Sōgetsu Art Center by Yōji Kuri, Ryōhei Yanagihara, and Hiroshi Manabe. In Hirasawa’s program, we are delighted to present the premiere of the digitally restored version of Ryōhei Yanagihara’s Sea Battle (Kaisen, 1960).
In addition, we are pleased to welcome curator Fusako Matsu and the Yōji Kuri studio for a special presentation of Kuri’s animation and recently digitized works. Completing the Three-Person Animation Circle group members, this program features Yōji Kuri’s works around the “Art, Life and Opinions” screening event and the interview series under the same title. In this screening event on February 11th, we are very pleased to welcome special guests, artist Ushio Shinohara who was interviewed by Kuri as part of the series. He will speak in conversation with art historian Reiko Tomii.
Japanese Experimental Animation project is supported by the Toshiba International Foundation and the Pola Art Foundation.
Image: Still from Ryōhei Yanagihara, Sea Battle (Kaisen), 1960, 20 min, b/w, sound, 16mm transferred to digital. ©Art Copyright Center.Ltd