Things on the Shoreline Illustrated Storybook Launch

Reading: Things on the Shoreline Illustrated Storybook Launch with Reading by the Author, Cindy Mochizuki

at Collage Collage

Reading at 3:00 PM.

*

Things on the Shoreline, the illustrated storybook, is the culmination of a collaborative project initiated by Access Gallery, visual artist Cindy Mochizuki, and the students of Lord Strathcona Elementary School and the Vancouver Japanese Language School. Working with a drawing process that began with the visualization of a barren seashore—the empty page—and using the simple materials of ink, salt, and imagination, the classroom workshops brought forth a raucous population of whimsical inky creaturely things. The results of these workshops were exhibited at Access Gallery between February 12 and April 16, 2016. We are now delighted to launch a limited-edition, hard-bound children’s storybook, written and illustrated by Mochizuki, which draws its inspiration from these student-led workshops. The story's plot line follows the metaphor of the drawing process, showing how—with a little patience—an empty shoreline holds the potential for all kinds of unexpected Things to spring forth. Each storybook also contains the limited edition poster, An Index of Things, designed by Mochizuki to uniquely catalogue the creatures created by the students who took part in the exhibition at Access.

We are delighted that this book launch will be held at Collage Collage, a place that strives to uphold the tremendous creative abilities that children have, in surroundings that adults find equally stimulating. Cindy Mochizuki will read the book for small and bigger listeners, some goodies will be served, and children will have an opportunity to make their own inky Things! Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

*

CINDY MOCHIZUKI creates installations, performance, animation, drawings, and community-engaged projects which consider spaces that embody both the fictional and documentary. Often working with archival sources, memory work and interviews; her practice revisits historical and personal memory. A large body of her work investigates narratives and memories within the archive of familial architecture, including childhood spaces, home videos, photography, and oral histories. Her community-engaged projects include Shako Club (Grunt Gallery, 2015), Fortune House (Koganecho Bazaar, 2014), and Bow Wow and Slow Trades & The Collections Turtle (City of Vancouver Parks Board Strathcona Field House, 2013). Recent exhibitions include: AIR 475, (2014) Yonago, Japan, Fictive Communities Asia, Koganecho Bazaar (2014), On the Subject of Ghosts, Hamilton Artists Inc (2013), Yokai & Other Spirits, Toronto Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (2013), and To|From BC Electric Railway 100 Years, Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (2012).

*

Things on the Shoreline was as made possible through the generous support of a British Columbia Arts Council Youth Engagement Grant. Our thanks is also extended to Opus Art Supplies, VIVO Media Centre, and Collage Collage for their collaboration and assistance. We are indebted to instructors Karen Nesmith (at Lord Strathcona Elementary) and Keiko Kubota (at the Vancouver Japanese Language School), to children’s educators Caroline Liffmann and Sarvenaz Amanat, project intern and photographer Sara Sampson, videographer Asa Mori, sound composer Ellis Sam, Japanese translator Kazuho Yamamoto, gallery preparator Marc Hansen, and Access Gallery’s curatorial assistant Jennifer Dickieson. Access gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the BC Arts Council, as well as that of the Canada Council for the Arts, BC Gaming, the City of Vancouver, and our committed Board of Directors, donors, members, and volunteers.