Works by Yoshitomo Nara Also Featured

──You launched kizunaworld.org in May, about two months after the earthquake. Could you tell us about the circumstances and your feelings leading up to it?

SakamotoI was constantly thinking about what I could do immediately after the earthquake. In April, I participated in a charity concert in New York… But I felt that something more than a one-off event was needed; something that could be sustained over the long term. This is why I started kizunaworld, along with the "School Music Revival" project announced in July, which aims to repair musical instruments for children in the affected areas."School Music Revival" projectThese two initiatives were launched with the idea of contributing as a musician through music-related activities. While kizunaworld encompasses the broader field of art, I intend to focus on these two main pillars.

──Your forest conservation organization, more trees, also launched a support project for the disaster-stricken areas, didn't it?



SakamotoYes, the "Life 311" project, which involves constructing wooden temporary housing using timber from Tohoku's forests."Life 311"Nearly 100 units have already been completed and occupied by residents. The target amount is quite high at 300 million yen for 100 units, with each costing 3 million yen, but I believe this effort must also be continued.



──kizunaworld has five designated donation recipients, correct?



SakamotoWhile donating to large organizations like the Japanese Red Cross is not inherently wrong, I felt a sense of frustration. I wanted to donate to NPOs that are actively working on the ground in the affected areas. However, it's unrealistic for a single NPO to provide comprehensive support for all aspects of life, so I decided to donate to organizations specializing in specific fields, even if they are smaller in scale.



──Could you tell us about the selection of artists?



SakamotoIt was rather spontaneous, reaching out to those I felt comfortable asking. (Christian) Fennesz, (David) Sylvian, Carsten Nicolai—some are friends I've collaborated with before. Others, like the Icelandic artist Ólafur Arnalds, are people I'm working with for the first time. Atom Heart, whom I've known for a long time, is also someone I'm collaborating with for the first time on this project.



It was similar to the "CHAIN-MUSIC" project I initiated during the Iraq War in 2003. Friends invite friends, the circle expands, and you get to meet artists you wouldn't otherwise know. The experience from "CHAIN-MUSIC" has been very helpful this time as well.

──So, the circle of friends naturally expands?



SakamotoActually, Yoshitomo Nara has now agreed to provide a piece of work. It happened quite by chance. He came to see my concert at Nikko Club on August 2nd, and afterwards invited me to visit him in Nasu. While I was there, we started talking about kizunaworld. So, it's not a meticulously planned process; I just reach out to people as ideas come to me.



──Was this your first meeting with Nara?



SakamotoI've known him for several years. However, some artists can be quite particular, and I'm not always sure if it's appropriate to ask them to participate in charity events. So, I do put some thought into who I approach. Western artists are generally more accustomed to charity work and often feel a desire to contribute to society, so there are fewer issues there. But when approaching Japanese artists, I tend to be a bit more cautious.

We must not leave the disaster victims behind

──Could you comment on the works that have been released so far?



SakamotoOriginally, before the earthquake, the Italian artist Valerio Berruti and I collaborated on an animated work called "kizuna," for which I provided music. It was somewhat symbolic… The theme is a young girl, and to depict Japanese children, he stayed in Japan for two months, attending elementary school. That itself was symbolic, and the fact that we happened to title it "kizuna" was also symbolic. The project itself began when he granted permission for the use of his work, which I was very happy about.



──You've known David Sylvian, who contributed the fourth piece, for a long time, haven't you?



SakamotoSylvian can be quite particular, but he readily agreed very early on, which also made me happy. For the sixth piece, by myself and Otomo Yoshihide, I initially offered my work to Otomo's "Project Fukushima." Then, Otomo added guitar overdubs and sent me a track for kizunaworld. So, in a sense, it's a piece born from a call-and-response between two projects.



──That's unique to this project, isn't it?



SakamotoFor the seventh piece, Taylor Deupree, an artist who runs the electronica label 12k in New York, invited Stephen Vitiello, and the three of us collaborated. Then, Taylor made a counter-request, suggesting that since the three of us had collaborated and the result was so good, we should get together again to deepen our collaboration…

──So, a new development began here as well?



SakamotoYes. And then, for the tenth piece, Ólafur and Arnar Dan Arnarsson. I had listened to their music before but had never met them. We happened to connect on Twitter, and when I reached out, they were very supportive. This is also a very rare kind of relationship, unique to our modern era.



──Both are quite young artists. Had you been following their work?



SakamotoYes. I've particularly admired Ólafur's work over the past few years. Since he also creates music centered around the piano, I feel a sense of kinship. In general, I like Icelandic artists. Regardless, I am truly grateful for the goodwill of all those who have cooperated so far.

──Could you tell us about the future development of the project?



SakamotoCharity initiatives often fade after about three months. However, given that the reconstruction from this earthquake will take a very long time, we are determined to approach this with a long-term perspective. We plan to add new works gradually, perhaps around the 11th of each month, as a form of monthly remembrance, to ensure continuity.



──To ensure the memories are properly kept alive?

SakamotoYes. While none of us will forget this earthquake, people have their own lives and jobs, and it's natural for their concern to gradually lessen. However, we must not leave the disaster victims behind. As for kizunaworld, we may encounter new artists as the project continues, and we want to proceed slowly but surely.



──Thank you very much.