SAI Satoko

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SAI Satoko

Participating Project	Local Emerging Creator Residency Program
Activity Based	Tokyo
City / Place stayed	Tokyo
Period	2026.5- 2026.7

Purpose of the residency

The purpose of my participation is to develop my ongoing project, "ZAINICHI-Piece." During the residency, I will contact and visit Zainichi Korean residents in Edagawa, Koto-ku. I plan to interview them about their personal histories and collect their old family photos. I will also research the history and changes of the Edagawa area and take photos of its current landscape. I will spend time creating drawings and sketches to transform these materials into ceramic works. Additionally, I plan to conduct research in Tsuruhashi, Osaka, which is the hometown of another model I previously interviewed. If possible, I will create test pieces with clay to explore the best colors and textures for my final artworks

Plan during the residency

• Contact and Visit: I will contact the Koto Branch of Mindan (Korean Residents Union in Japan) and Tokyo Korean 2nd Elementary and Junior High School. I will ask for their help in finding people who could be models for my project.
• Field Research in Osaka: I will visit the Zainichi Korean residential areas in Tsuruhashi, Osaka to take photographs. I will also visit the Osaka Koreatown History Museum to research the background of the community.
• Interviews and Documentation: I will visit the models (interviewees) in Edagawa to interview them and copy their old family photos.
  
• Photography and Transcription: I will take photographs of the landscape in Edagawa and transcribe the recorded interviews.
  
• Design and Composition: I will study the maps of Edagawa and Tsuruhashi to plan the shapes and compositions of my ceramic works.
  
• Visualization: I will create sketches and collages based on my impressions of the people I interviewed, their words, and my photographs.
  
• Preparation for Printing: I will select the best family photos and order silk-screen plates from a professional maker.
  
• Ceramic Testing: I will start making ceramic test pieces to check the results of the firing and the materials.
  
• Testing and Planning: I will continue ceramic testing and finalize the production plans for my future artworks.
  

Activities during the residency

I photographed Tsuruhashi in Osaka, and interviewed longtime Zainichi Korean residents in Edagawa, Tokyo. Focusing on Tokyo Korean 2nd Elementary School, I connected with people involved in its land handover lawsuit and a local art project during its reconstruction. Moving forward, I plan to combine documentary and fictional elements through ceramics, photography, and text, telling the stories of those living in the spaces between Japan, North Korea, and South Korea.
During my residency, I tested how photos render with underglazes and glazes, and mixed soil collected from Edagawa into clay to observe its textural effects. Ultimately, I aim to create visual, tactile objects—akin to a "novel you can touch."

Outcome of the residency

By starting my research and setting up appointments before the residency began—coupled with good timing—I built far more connections and gained much more than anticipated over these nearly three months. Moving forward, while continuing my interviews, I intend to secure dedicated time and space to work with my hands. Through continuous prototyping and creation, I want to develop the research elements into new artwork.
Although my limited proficiency in English and Korean was a clear challenge, the staff's generous support and advice allowed me to gain invaluable experience through my presentations and mentoring sessions.

Creator Information