Japanese days - Tokyo Exhibitions and meeting with Akira suzuki


12/11/2007 Monday
Settling in a bit more although its still difficult to aclimitise. Its not like we are here on holiday. There is a lot to organise: finding places to buy food, places to eat and organising our schedule. Went to the second part of the Sogetsu exhibition at Takashimaya Department store. Natasha took more photographs. Earlier we were at the Sogetsu headquarters on Asakusa where Natasha had some business to complete for herself and for her students. We went into the cafe there and had lunch. Brilliantly designed building. Very contemporary even though it was built at the end of the fifties. The 12 or 15 stories high the design  is as modern now as it was then. I like the exhibition hall in the lobby with its exhibition space and "waterfall".The building serves as the international headquarters for the Sogetsu organisation. The adminstration of the branches from all over the world is dealt with here.
This evening met up with Akira san and he took us to a restaurant and we had a meal together. Very inexpensive and and tasty. We will go there again. Nice to know that there are some reasonable places to eat even in the centre. We talked a lot about David Burliuk and the film I am going to make during this trip to Japan and about art in general.(Themes as yet not dtermined) He explained to us how he was invited to the David Burliuk 125 year anniversary in the Ukraine this year by the Governor of Sumy no less where David Burliuk was born, with all expenses paid. Unfortunately he didn't go. It was good to meet with him again he is such good company and easy to talk to and is always ready to answer our questions about Japan. I hope we can spend some more time together.
Its getting late and the Tokyo night feels fresh and warm despite it being early autumn. Natasha is sleeping as I write. I'll finish off a few things and then also get some sleep and try and regulate my time patterns to Tokyo time. 

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