Rice Ritu­al, 2006

Per­form­ance, digit­al video, HD 1920 × 1080 16:9

12:04 min

Filmed in Toge, Niigata, Japan

Cam­era and sound by Nina Pope, Barn­aby Hosking

Trans­lat­or / inter­pret­er: Aiko Goodenough

Pho­to­graphy by Jam­ie Goodenough

Com­mis­sioned and pro­duced by Grizedale Arts as part of the Grizedale Arts res­id­ency pro­ject ​‘Sev­en Samurai’

Sup­por­ted by Ech­igo Tsumari Tri­en­nale, Japan

Cli­ent:
Res­id­ents of Toge village 

Loc­a­tion:
Vil­lage Hall, Toge, Niigata, Japan 

Ques­tion:
How can we suc­cess­fully sell rice in the future? 

The rur­al vil­lage of Toge invited Grizedale Arts to work with them. Sev­en artists from the UK lived in the vil­lage for a month, work­ing with the vil­la­gers. The pro­ject cul­min­ated in attempt­ing to gen­er­ate a sense of self-determ­in­a­tion in the age­ing com­munity. The people of Toge pre­pared a feast in the vil­lage hall and the lead­er of the vil­lage asked Coates a ques­tion on behalf of the community.