26 Jan 2010

Sculpture International Rotterdam: Taneda's Coolsingel Cube

Japanese production designer/filmset-designer Yohei Taneda has been commissioned by Sculpture International Rotterdam (SIR) to design a temporary facade for the Monisma Cube at Kruiskade 2 in Rotterdam. This building forms the gateway to the once bustling, but now rather desolate intersection of the Kruiskade and the Coolsingel – a prominent location on Rotterdam's major artery opposite the Hilton Hotel. In advance of pending plans for a major renovation of the Coolsingel, Taneda will be creating a surprising, surreal ambiance and decor with references to comic strips, films and country houses built in the style of the Amsterdam School. Even the building's basement will be undergoing a metamorphosis with the creation of a Taneda interior design in which trailers and clips will be screened from films for which Taneda designed the sets.

TANEDA
Yohei Taneda mainly works with Asian film-makers such as Shunji Iwai and Lee Chi-Ngai, but has also worked with Quentin Tarantino. He created the film set for Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 1. His dramaturgy features a magical and exotic reality that he incorporates into street scenes and impressive interiors such as hotel lobbies. His sketches, paintings and drawings serve as the basis for his film sets. All the amazing scenes and objects that appear in his film sets can be found in these drawings. Taneda's works embody contemporary urban and architectural concepts from predominantly Japanese and Asian cinema. Yohei Taneda uses symbols from various Asian countries in his elementary and extremely accurate portrayal of urban and suburban life, creating virtual cities with a distinct Asian identity. In so doing, Taneda usually transforms these settings into a surrealistic world.

SIR & IFFR: 30 JANUARY 2010
SIR has set the opening date for this project to coincide with dates for the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2010. On Saturday 30 January, 5.15 hrs pm, Kore-eda's film Air Doll will be premièring – a film for which Taneda created the film set. After this showing the 'Big Talk' will be held in which Rutger Wolfson (IFFR Director) will be interviewing Kore-eda and Yohei Taneda. In conclusion, around 8 hrs pm the opening of Taneda's Coolsingel Cube will be held in both the old Luxor Theatre and several doors away at the Coolsingel Cube itself.

LONG-TERM PLANNING FOR THE COOLSINGEL AXIS
Taneda's Coolsingel Cube is part of SIR's long-term plans for the Coolsingel spanning from 2009 to 2011. As a prelude to the restructuring of the Coolsingel by Rotterdam's Urban Construction and Housing Department, Sculpture International Rotterdam (SIR) has created a programme of events for the Coolsingel featuring a number of temporary and semi-permanent art projects. Programming focuses on the Coolsingel's past, present and above all its unpredictable future for which a new generation of artwork is being investigated for the area.

Taneda's Coolsingel Cube, Kruiskade 2. Facade: 26 January – June 2010. Basement: 27 January – 07 February 2010 (during IFFR, 12 am – 10 hrs pm )