MomentumMosaic, February 2009
Filmed at the American School in Japan (ASIJ)

From January 12 through February 6, I spent four weeks with art students at ASIJ, grades 5 through 12, to create two multimedia installations. This film is a documentation of the high-school project, and it was debuted at ASIJ on the evening of Feb 6. In installation form, this video is projected onto the very same ceramic screen that is being built on film.

Music by:

The Summer Hour
myspace.com/PARTYMOSH

Miyuki Yoshimura
myspace.com/poeticxscene

Lila
myspace.com/lilajp

Artistic Directors Notes 2/6/09
Yesterday as I was working on the middle school installation, art-department chair Glenda Baker walked over from the high school just as the cheerleading team was exiting. They had held their practice in the commons room right in front of the mosaic, and I couldnt believe my luck. I immediately ran to get my camera, and wondered if they would allow photos. They gladly obliged. Glenda suggested that a lot of artists would prefer a quiet studio and found it remarkable that I was so happy to work in such a boisterous environment. I think that is one of the things this residency helped me to confirm. Im not that kind of artist. Im not the guy who sits alone in a room and creates something merely from the depths of his own imagination. Instead, I thrive on energy, interaction, and the input of others, and I cannot imagine a more enriching and creative environment than ASIJ. They say the best way to learn is to teach, and although that might seem to be a trite expression to educators, I cant imagine a more appropriate way to sum up this one-month residency. It was both reaffirming and humbling to work with such a gifted group of teachers and student body. Reaffirming because at ASIJ the answer to "can I do that?" seems to be overwhelmingly yes, and humbling because more than once I watched in awe as someone half my age (or younger) thought of a brilliant idea or solution that never would have come to me. The more control I relinquished, the more the students seemed to rise to the challenge, and like every great collaboration, the finished piece evolved far beyond any of the original concepts or expectations. All of the pieces that fit together to complete MomentumMosaic were made by ASIJ students, grades 5 through 12. All of the music, video and physical artwork are products of the ASIJ community. It was my distinct pleasure to be given the reigns to the rich pool of talent and incredible resources the school has to offer. This was one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of my life, and I do not say that lightly. Right now I feel exhausted, but also energized. Right now I feel like anything is possible. It is my hope that perhaps a few ASIJ students walked away from this project feeling the same way. -D.H. Rosen

This project was made possible with the generous support of the ASIJ PTA, FOFA, and the ASIJ Art Department. Special thanks go out to Glenda Baker, Ed Gilmartin, Greg Vikse, Rebecca Sentgeorge, Jessica Swist, Milan Claudio, Carl Knudsen and Daniel Hashima, all of who went well beyond the call of duty to help make MomentumMosaic happen.

dhrosen.com
rinpaeshidan.jp
asij.ac.jp