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A Way to Stop Dreaming (Spanish)

(Spanish) This is a work where there is a journey. I point out in punctual fashion the [many] stages: one, two, three, “ichi,” nor san, go, roku, in short…[it is] less disconcerting that they are not in linear order, [that] they are disordered in [their] space [in] the best possible way, taking up space, the territory of another way [of doing things], and I believe this allows someone to gets close to the eighth story before the first one. Therefore, I feel [that regarding] the book one also should be able to read it backwards to the beginning, in the Japanese way, and [then you find yourself] with the photographs of my work like a story from the beginning, and suddenly the parable passes and the reading of the stories commences, [and] I believe that there is a kind of game [involved]. The freedom to interpret is vital, but it is not always possible because when one brings…and which I believe is also the big problem in art, you have your conscience, but you also can manipulate, even manipulate yourself as well as others, unconsciously, it is not so easy, and at times one is unable to escape from this…it is a job that is implicit in the task at hand, but I believe that in an art exhibit there is possibility, the exhibit that is this…like an orchestra of sounds and shapes in space, of texts, of ideas, concepts in order to put an idea into action, [and] I believe that there is the possibility of certain freedom. The aroma of flowers, to see flowers that change from day to day, to suddenly see the spheres that are a little more static, but suddenly sharpen the view a little [as well as] the feelings in order to animate oneself to touch them or see them in another way, in short, to move in space and to find distinct elements as symbols of something. I have been visiting the work [in the exhibit] and it is very interesting to see the tension between the elements, and the conversation that takes place between these [elements]. A wave, a hand that traps a crab, the origami crabs that hang, suddenly the hands photocopied on the wall like a mural, so many elements that are interesting. Each person has his or her own story. A man this afternoon came and said [that he wanted to see] my hands. He saw my hands but not the work. He came just for that and then left. And he was satisfied to see his own hands. He said that I also have very pronounced wrinkles and lines in my hands. Quite interesting. And each person has, can have a story such as that one. Obviously I would love it for everyone to know the complete story, but it isn’t like that, it’s worth the same. I believe that the most important thing is that which happens in space can provoke in the spectator a specific memory, a personal memory, something that permits me to say, play, remember, recreate, and why not, to fly and to dream.


Date: December 7, 2007

Location: Lima, Peru

Interviewer: Harumi Nako

Contributed by: Asociación Peruano Japonesa (APJ)

Interviewee Bio

Carlos Runcie Tanaka was born in 1958 in Lima, Peru. After studying philosophy he began to practice the art of ceramics. He also studied in Brazil, Italy, and Japan. He participates in group exhibitions both in Peru and abroad, particularly contemporary art exhibits. Tanaka’s work also has been exhibited in museums and private collections in various countries. He has shown his work since 1981 in Latin America, United States, Japan, and Italy. In the last few years he has been a visiting professor in several prestigious universities in the United States and Japan. In addition to his research and exhibits, Tanaka has maintained a ceramics workshop since 1979, employing local products and gas ovens for the firing (1300 C) of his objects, which are utilitarian and functional in nature. In November 2007 he exhibited the work “A Zen Parable and Ten Short Stories” in the Ryoichi Jinnai Gallery at the Japanese-Peruvian Cultural Center during the 35th Annual Japanese Cultural Week. At the same time, in December of 2007, he published his first book, also entitled A Zen Parable and Ten Short Stories, under the auspices of the Japanese Peruvian Association. (December 7, 2007)