A Mysterious "Factory" in Odaiba? -Maywa Denki Nonsense Factory @ ARTBAY TOKYO

Located right in front of VenusFort in Odaiba (Tokyo), the stylish space "ARTBAY TOKYO" opened this summer, and the blue signboard for "Maywa Denki" was recently put up in the stylish white building. It's going to be transformed into the "Nonsense Factory". What kind of event is this?
(*The Japanese version is here.)

※ The exhibition is streamed live on Youtube everyday, and can be viewed from anywhere in the world! (See links below)

MAYWADENKI

What's The Nonsense Factory?

"Maywa Denki Nonsense Factory is a factory that processes your brain into 'nonsense' (super common sense)."

"Maywa Denki" is an art unit created by artist Nobumichi Tosa, who disguises himself as a Japanese small sized electronics manufacturer. The Maywa Denki Nonsense Factory is said to be a recreation of "Maywa Denki Factory", which is the core of Maywa Denki's creative activities.

Nobumichi Tosa (Maywa Denki)

He says that the process of creating a work of art ; "conception, creation, exhibition and selling"; is shown in the following format.
　・conception: Real-time publication of conceptual sketches
　・creation: Public production of the work
　・exhibition: Touchable exhibits
　・Selling: Selling mass-produced products through merchandising

"By showing these things in real time, we're able to get the visitors to think, 'What the hell is this all about?' The process of making a nonsense machine and seeing the sketches of ideas and the process of making a nonsense machine made me feel "inexplicable", and by touching a nonsense machine, I was able to say "I see! The visitors' brains are processed into 'nonsense' (super-common sense) as they understand that they are not alone."

In other words, it looks like we can "watch him thinking about his work and make it" and "experience his work". But it still doesn't ring a bell, so let's get going!

A work of art can be created like this! ; factory tour

So on the first day, September 19, I went to the exhibition like "factory tour". (There was a maximum of 20 people in each session, with a rotation every 30 minutes.)

11:00-12:00 (in Japan time)  ; Conceptual sketching session

Upon entering the exhibition hall, there is a booth separated by glass. Mr. Tosa ;  "Shacho" of Maywa Denki, was sketching in the booth. He doesn't have any kind of objective model; rather, he draws in silence with a pen as if he is trying to extract an image from his mind. This is how he conceives his work.

Instead of writing one thing in detail, I went back and forth between several sheets of paper and various parts of one sheet of paper and added to it. Some are like blueprints, others are like concept idea sketches.

I heard that, this is how him usually works on his ideas at the coffee shop. It's interesting to me because although I have had the opportunity to see his work at museums and see his public works, I have never had the opportunity to see him in real time to formulate his ideas in advance.

12:00-15:00  ; Open studio

Next, it's time for the "production" of the works. Maywa Denki's products (works) are one of a kind, but this time we are mass producing and selling two of them, "Sava-0 GMNK-S0" and "Yumi-Na No. 4 GMNK-Y4" (fishbone bow) as multiples. (These works can be purchased from website "stores.jp")

(Left) Yumi-Na No. 4 GMNK-Y4 (Right) Sava-0 GMNK-S0

This time is for the public production of these works. Although it was a "mass production", each piece was carefully made by hand by cutting the resin and shaving the metal.

Maywa Denki colored machine tools were also on display. As I usually only see them in their finished state, I was intrigued by the detailed work that goes into making them.

15:00-15:30  ; Coffee break :)

It's exhausting to work continuously without lunch, isn't it? So we took a 30-minute break. We take a break with coffee and snacks.

...but all breaks are open to the public, too.

15:30-18:30  ; Open studio & Repair of the work

After the coffee break, he restart the open studio.

Many of Maywa Denki's works are moving or emit sound, and since some of the exhibits in the hall have gone bad, we will be repairing them as well. ...It's quite hard work.

Illustration of "under repairing"

He also repaired huge pieces.

18:30-19:00  ; Product Demonstration (live performance)

The day ended with a product demonstration. Automatic performances of instrumental pieces, performance of Otamatone, and singing original songs and dance performance to accompany the automatic music.

It was really a very exciting day... and to my surprise, this is being streamed live on Youtube for the entire duration of the event! It's a great project, especially given the restrictions of travel.

MAYWADENKI

Maywa Denki's work has become huge! There is also an exhibit that you can touch and experience.

《Na-Tate-Goto NAKI-TX》 / Maywa Denki

Maywa Denki products include many musical instruments like the Otamatone, which you can purchase and play by yourself. This exhibition features a giant version of one of these instruments, which you can touch and play. (You can get a finger sack at the door to prevent infection.)

For example, the "Knockman Family Jumbo MR-04 to MR-09", an electric character musical instrument that produces sounds with unique movements. When you press a button on the display stand, a band with different roles will play for you, like bells, percussion and stringed instruments.

《Electric Knock Man Family (Jumbo) MR-04 to MR-09》 / Maywa Denki

"Baw-gun Jumbo VM-09", a device that can woof and woof like a dog by feeding air into its vocal cords, has two buttons - the button that sends air and the button that moves the mouth - to control the sound, and the structure that produces the sound is clearly visible. It's a fun exhibit, just like a science museum.

《Baw-gun Jumbo VM-09》 / Maywa Denki

In addition to the unique musical instruments, there are also Nonsense works such as the "Na-Tate-Koto NAKI-TX", a fish-shaped electric harp that you can't touch, and the "SAVAO Wall", a wall shaped like the face of a 13-week-old fetus. From the cute to the inexplicable, visitors can enjoy the nonsensical world of Maywa Denki.

SAVAO Wall / Maywa Denki

There have been a wide variety of food and drink and merchandise for sale.
There is an ARTBAY CAFE in the venue, which is produced by a cafe in Daikanyama, "Private Coffee Elementary School", and in conjunction with this event, there is a "SAVAO Soda" with a lychee flavored sorbet in the shape of his work of art, as well as "Maywa Blend" coffee, which Mr. Tosa requested as a coffee ; that is not too acidic and has a refreshing image that helps you think better.

"SAVAO Soda", it looks a little creepy, but it's delicious.

There's also a museum shop with cute signs. Smaller versions of the huge instruments on display can be purchased here at a reasonable price. If you purchase over a certain amount, you can get Maywa Denki's autograph as well.

"Maywa Denki Nonsense Factory" is an event that is full of excitement and wonder even when you see it in person. The event will last nine days, but we recommend that you go there to experience the process of "thinking, making, showing and selling", which you can't easily do in a museum, and to "process your brain into nonsense (super common sense)".

Admission is free, until Sunday September 27, 2020.

【Event Information】 ARTBAY TOKYO presents Maywa Denki Nance Factory

Dates: September 19 (Sat) to 27 (Sun), 2020
Venue: ARTBAY TOKYO
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Admission: Free