COBIRD

Dates of residency: January till February 2019
Born: 1977
Nationality: Japanese
Lives and works: Kanagawa, Japan
Education: 2000 Bachelor of Design, Tamagawa University
Selected shows/screenings 
2020 Metamorphosis,Perceptions of the Passage of Time, Fujisawa city art space, Kanagawa
2019 Beef, s+arts, Tokyo
2018  Tokitobaai, Gallery Tukigime, Tokyo
2017 Sensed  someone, AIRonomichi Komyoji-Kaikan studio, Hiroshima

THE ARTIST
After his graduation, Cobird worked as a designer at an apparel company in Japan for about 10 years. This gave him the dexterity to pursue an artistic practice and morph into a contemporary artist under the name of Cobird. His unique techniques in developing photography and cross stitch techniques quickly launched his career. He has participated in numerous exhibitions locally and internationally. 

THE RESIDENCY
The core of Cobird’s project at BAR was in being site-specific, using a primitive photographic technique known as Cyanotype which uses sunlight (UV light) and water to copy an image onto photographic paper. Cobird made use of his context in Beirut to create unique work relating to Lebanon such as the Lebanese flag, the map of Beirut and old film posters of films shot in Lebanon during the pre-war era.  While the images themselves could be easily replicated, even downloaded off the internet, there is something poetic in using the same sun in the real geographic space that a historical photo is taken. The next step is done by cutting the printed image into vertical and horizontal strips and stitching them into one another.