METHOD
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Chronological Table of Methodicism
c. 1990 - December 31, 2004

made by Nakazawa Hideki



c. 1990
SHINOHARA Motoaki, a poet called his own pieces "Method Poems."

June 1997
NAKAZAWA Hideki, who had been an illustrator, held his first solo exhibition as a fine artist at Gallery NW House, Tokyo. The pieces in which letters were used presented the first appearance of Methodicistic ideas, but he had not yet named his style Methodicism. His music pieces in which letters were used were also presented. As a side note, by the time of this exhibition Nakazawa had been interested in the poetry works by Shinohara, had watched sound poetry performance by ADACHI Tomomi, a musician, had read a book by MIWA Masahiro, a composer and had listened to his CD. After this exhibition, Adachi commissioned Nakazawa to compose a music piece for "Adachi Tomomi Royal Chorus."

February 1999
Miwa held a series of lectures and performance on music, "ICC Newschool" at InterCommunication Center, Tokyo. He invited Nakazawa as a guest lecturer. The beginning was that Miwa had read Nakazawa's essay "Territory of composition - Stockhausen, Nancarrow" appeared in the "Eureka" magazine.

March 1999
Adachi started a series of experimental music events "Music Factory" at Mitaka Art Center, Tokyo (through November 1999). He invited Nakazawa for the second event in May as a guest artist.

April 1999
Poets group "Mite (Please Look)" where MATSUI Shigeru, a poet were one of the members started a series of poetic meetings "Katatte (Please Speak)" at Kanda Pensees, Tokyo (through June 2000). They invited Nakazawa for the first meeting as a guest speaker. The beginning was that one of the members TAKAHASHI Yuji, a composer had listened to Nakazawa's music pieces.

May 1999
Nakazawa held his second solo exhibition at Gallery NW House, Tokyo. His email art works were also distributed. After this exhibition, he came to hold many solo and group exhibitions.

January 1, 2000
"First Methodicist Manifesto" (drafter: Nakazawa, draft observer: Matsui, draft observer: Adachi). It was published via over 1000 emails and over 500 New Year cards. As a side note, New Year cards were sent to Japanese people in Japanese language with the title "Method Painting, Method Poem, Method Music." Emails were sent to Japanese people in Japanese language accompanied by English translation and to some foreigners in English translation only with the title "Method Painting, Method Poem, Method Music (Methodicist Manifesto)." The word "First" was added later in order to be distinguished from "Second," etc.

February 29, 2000
Nakazawa, Matsui and Adachi started to publish email-bulletin "Method." It was a bimonthly in Japanese, carrying one text and one web piece by one guest artist, and three texts and three web pieces by the three members. Shinohara Motoaki was the guest for "Method No. 1."

August 2000
"Method Three-man Talk" by Nakazawa, Matsui and Adachi appeared in Japanese Newspaper "Tosho Shinbun."

October 2000
Nakazawa participated in the Artists-In-Residence in Banff, Canada and started to introduce Methodicism also out of Japan.

December 2000
"Second Method Three-man Talk" by Nakazawa, Matsui and Adachi appeared in Japanese art magazine "Bijutsu Techo."

January 1, 2001
"Second Methodicist Manifesto" (drafter: Adachi, draft observer: Nakazawa, draft observer: Matsui). It was sent via emails and New Year cards.

March 10 and 11, 2001
"First Method Arts Festival" by Nakazawa, Matsui and Adachi at the inside and outside of Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, Fukuoka. Collaboration works by the three were also presented.

August 19, 2001
Live Performance "BG(M or P?)" by Qo (sound) + Masui Shigeru (method poem) + TAKIMOTO Akito (dance) at Pepper's Gallery, Tokyo. Qo was another name for TSURUMI Sachiyo, a composer.

December 31, 2001
Adachi seceded from the group. "Method No. 12" carried his last text and web piece.

January 1, 2002
"Third Methodicist Manifesto" (drafter: Matsui, Nakazawa, draft observer: Miwa). It was sent via emails and New Year cards. Miwa joined the group.

March 3, 2002
Email-bulletin "Method," which had been being published in Japanese language only, changed to be published in English language and to be distributed internationally from No. 13. Japanese translation was not distributed even to Japanese people and was appeared only on the website.

March 24, 2002
"Method Music Concert and Talk" by Miwa and Nakazawa at Kyoto Art Center, Kyoto.

April 14 and 28, 2002
"Second Method Arts Festival" by Nakazawa, Matsui and Miwa at Asagaya Gallery Warehouse, Tokyo. A collaboration work by the three was also presented.

May - July 2002
Nakazawa held a weekly course "Methodicist Manifesto" at Bigakko, Tokyo.

September 14, 2002
KAWAMURA Tatsutoshi invited Nakazawa as a guest artist for his monthly event "Winds Cafe 69." Later, Kawamura also invited Matsui for "Winds Cafe 75," and Miwa for "Winds Cafe 81." Adachi has been invited for "Winds Cafe 03" and "Winds Cafe 70."

September 2002
Nakazawa held open discussions on Methodicism through half a month as a guest artist for "empyre," an international on-line arena for media arts.

December 2002
Matsui directed a series of lectures and performance, "About Method Poem," at Urawa Art Museum, Saitama (through January, 2003).

January 1, 2003
Email-bulletin "METHOD" changed to be published in a new format from No. 18; stopped inviting guest artists, changed the publishing cycle from bimonthly to monthly (on the 1st of the month), decreased volume to one text and one web piece. And further, it was distributed as "Version With Japanese" (English text + Japanese translation) to Japanese language readers, while with no change to English language readers (English text only). English language readers increased as Nakazawa's A. I. R. in New York City had begun from November 2002 (through October 2003).

January 24, 2003
Nakazawa started a monthly event series "METHOD NIGHT" at his studio at ISCP or at some other places in New York City (through September 2003).

April 1, 2003
"Methodicist Manifesto of Participation in War" (drafted by Group "Method") was published through the "METHOD NO. 21."


December 14, 2003
Event "'Method'- Performance and Talk" by Matsui, Nakazawa and Miwa at Appel, Tokyo.

January 1, 2004
The format of email-bulletin "METHOD" was slightly modified from No. 30; created a new corner "GRAVURE," and was distributed as "Japanese Version + English Version" to Japanese language readers, while as "English Version" to English language readers (stopped discriminating translation from the original text).

June 2004
Foundation of a realization group "The Method Machine." Tsurumi Sachiyo was the representative. The three Methodicists were the godfathers.

October 16 and 17, 2004
The Method Machine participated as performers in "The Computing Bodies" directed by Miwa Masahiro held at Kanagawa Kenmin Hall, Yokohama.

December 5, 2004
"The First Solo Performance of The Method Machine" at Scai The Bathhouse in Tokyo.

December 31, 2004
The cessation of publication of email-bulletin "METHOD." No. 42 was the final. The end of the activities as the Methodicist group. "Fourth Methodicist Manifesto" (drafter: Adachi) was published on the bulletin.



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