INTERVIEW -2018.1.17

How was the stage art of the "Red and White Song Battle" born? Ask NHK Design Center Daisuke Moriuchi

A feature of the New Year's Eve in Japan, "NHK Kodo Suka". With thousands of staff participating, it is a program that NHK will produce with all its might. Web version "Bijutsutecho In "The 68th NHK Red and White Song Battle" infiltrated the NHK Hall the day before the production. While covering the stage behind the scenes, I asked Daisuke Moriuchi, the chief producer of the NHK Design Center, who designed the stage art and video for this time, and asked about the purpose of the stage art.

Text＝ Taisuke Shimanuki

Rehearsal scenery of the 68th NHK Red and White Song Battle

| Researched on “Osaka Expo”

The NHK Red and White Singing Festival in 2017, which started with a grand opening with lots of participating singers on the stage in the city of Shibuya. The red-and-white of the 68th is a reminiscent of Japan in the high economic growth period of the 1960s and 70s, such as classic back dancer costumes and a nightly image of Ginza colored with bright neon signs. Was seen everywhere. It is clear that the former Tokyo Olympics held in 1964 and the trends of the times before and after it are reflected in the red and white ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2020, about two years later, but they were more directly referenced It was said that there was another. That's right, Daisuke Moriuchi, chief producer at the NHK Design Center, who designed the stage art and film this time.
Rehearsal scenery of the 68th NHK Red and White Song Battle
"When we worked on this red and white, it was the Osaka Expo that we studied in particular. Red and white, with leading actors and expressions representative of the age, unleashing different performances one after another. Traditional enkas and the latest What came to my mind when trying to put together a stage where pops are chaotic was the exposition of the pavilions where various wisdom of various countries were introduced.
Daisuke Moriuchi, Chief Producer, NHK Design Center
1970. The Osaka World Expo (formally called the “Japan World Expo”), in which 77 countries participated, was a historical event that most Japanese people almost get in touch with the world on the theme of “progress and harmony in humanity”. It is well known that it was an innovative place for Japanese art, architecture and design. Taro Okamoto The "Tower of the Sun" designed by A "festival open space" designed by Kenzo Tange et al. A pictogram (pictogram) devised by Shigeo Fukuda and introduced for the first time in the world. Besides that, Shin Shinozaki, Tadanori Yokoo, Koshino Junko et al., Creators who will lead the era after that, there was also a world of expression where the arms are played. In this red and white, the ideas of those predecessors are taken in everywhere.
In the scene of Sayuri Ishikawa Hokusai Katsushika"Kanagawa Okina" was projected on the LED screen as an image
"The most obvious may be the 21 movable LED screens installed on the entire stage. It is important not only as a video display function, but also as a device that changes the way the stage looks, but its design hints It is a curved wall that has been adopted by the Soviet Union.
21 movable LED screens installed on the stage
"In addition, the decoration of red, white, and gold placed behind the judges' seats is a retro-modern image of the street furniture created by GK Industrial Design Research Institute (President: Kenji Ashidate). The idea of changing the names and music telops to be superimposed on one another from the previous three-dimensional one to a flat design is to make it more universal while improving readability, as is the case with the World Expo infographics. It was also learned that despite the events about 50 years ago, three-dimensional sound and projection mapping were used, and there were many technologies that are now standard. .
Judge's seat
The production of the red and white that ties in with the image of the Osaka World Expo is also conceivable. The dancer's costumes mentioned at the beginning are near futuristic and space age uniforms that hostess of each pavilion put on. The concentration of festival dancers from all over Japan gathered on the stage of Tomi Sakamoto reminds us of the 1969 official poster "Japanese Festival" directed by Yusaku Kamekura.
Sakamoto Fuumi rehearsal scenery
"I think that the functions required for the red and white are very similar. Red and white is a program like" Bunuchi-no-bento "in a sense, and it puts together totally different types of music such as rock, enka, electronica in one bowl The core of the production is the delicious delivery, and the Osaka Expo also has an interface to organize the individuality and promotion of each country. Taro Okamoto It was designed mainly by Mr. Kenzo Tange and Mr. Tange, and the festivities and harmony were very important. All the creators who are active in various fields and staff with extremely high level of expertise work together to create one stage. I think that kind of point also applies to red and white. "

The stage of red and white also changes along the flow of the times

In this red and white, there are many highlights such as YOSHIKI (X JAPAN) 's drum performance resurrection that has undergone cervical spine surgery, special appearance by Shibata Akira, annual Perfume and lysomatics collaboration, AKB 48 Mayu Watanabe's last stage, etc. Although it has been said, it should be noted that it is a special stage of Namie Amuro who announces his retirement in September this year. A large white runway and rectangular gate groups set up in a huge studio black box. The word "loneliness" looks good in the room with a white dress. Moriuchi is the one who designed this stage art.
Amuro Namie's Special Stage
"The long runway expresses a long road 25 years after her debut. Amuro is a beautiful person who stands up and is dedicated to creating a space that will simply highlight her presence. So the white light and space Let's play only black! The white textures of the columns and floors that blend into the space are said to be mostly LED lighting. The innumerable lights lit up to tear through the opening space are symbolic, meaning that the comfort room in the performance was covered with only light. "What was at the time of the James Turrell Or Barnett Newman It is an image of "sublime" felt from the work of In order to make Amuro's uniqueness even more vivid, I tried to see if it would be possible to bring the fulfillment of the concept found in contemporary art, the artistic beauty, and the one-time as a work on the stage. That's why Amuro's set isn't something I usually bring in at a factory outside of the factory, but it's something I set up from scratch in the studio. " Of course, from the audience who visited the NHK Hall to see the red and white, you might have felt that "I wanted to see Amuro-chan live because it was a great deal!" However, it is not a symbol of today's redness and whiteness that bringing in a full-fledged artistic rendition that can be achieved through relaying while emphasizing the synchronicity and festival nature that are created by the actors and the audience gathering in the same space I wonder.
Set of Perfume installed on the building roof of Shibuya
"I have been told that YouTube and digital distribution have appeared, and the style of music consumption has changed, but I think that the stage of the red and white is changing along the flow of the times. Perfume and OK As symbolized by GO, when the music video is released, the artist and the world of the music are presented, and the audience visits live for comparable surprises and emotions, just looking at the artist with the naked eye I think that the strength of the experience is more important year after year, not the purpose of the live.
Production team to challenge rehearsal
"In addition, NHK has a plan to make the city of Tokyo and Japan a play space for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, and NHK has such a trend as well. Projection mapping to Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which was Shiina Ringo's stage, and this time an advanced performance by Perfume was exhibited from a high-rise building in Shibuya. I think that the red and white will continue to change while new technology is being used, and while staying close to everyone's preferences. " Today, with diverse consumption and tastes becoming commonplace, the red-and-white “bakunouchi boxed” frame may also serve as a function that reflects the times in a sense.

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