HITOSHI KOJO

I'm a man, who loves women,
that once I was wrapped in, that once I was a part of.
I'm an adult, who loves babies,
that once I was, that I can never return again.
I'm a flesh, however I love plants,
that I eat everyday, that I can not become yet.
I'm an animal, so I love forest,
that I feel I should look like, that I can only aspire from a distance.

My despair, love and blessings are twisted
together into a dense resonance, while emitting like a fog.
Swimming arms in the air are trying
to spin the fog into something like a cloud.
The sea and the sky, the things which always stay together
but never cross each other.
The clouds, which can transparently weave them together.

I wonder if we can become a forest one day,
which grows by rains from the clouds.

CHRONOLOGY

Here is my brief chronology of cultural influences, encounters, and other experiences which have been influencing my present works.

1969

Born in Ibaragi, Japan

1972/73

Making drawings of monsters, ghosts, and spirits

1974

Sister's birth

1974-78

Affected by villains of anti hero stories of Manga and TV programs

1979/80

Sound improvisations with the younger sister, using child's instruments and objects

Fallen into the total friction of the human relation

Encountered with the books of Indian philosophies, Buddhism and aboriginal cultures

1979-84

Learning piano

1981

Began to listen Techno, New Wave

1982/83

Consciously began to make illustrations and paintings, influenced under Trans Avan Garde

1983/84

Discovered Surrealism and Dadaism

Began to make multi-track recordings with a synthesizer, a radio, etc...

1985

Began to listen Ambient Music and Ethnic Music

Began to study painting for the examination of the art university

1986

Discovered Greek philosophies, French post-modern philosophies and literatures

Began to listen Noise, Experimental Music

1988

Move to Tokyo to enter a preparation school for the art university

Interested in so-called Occultism

Sister's death

1989

Entered to "Tokyo National University of Fine Arts" - Faculty of Fine Arts - Oil Painting Course

1990

Began to play and sing with an own band called "Obscure Organs"

First sound installation

1992-94

Noise rock group "Maboroshi Genjin" (Phantom Primitive Man)

1992

Met with Kanae Kasahara and Wataru Kasahara (Nobu Kasahara), collaborations of freaky improvisations

1993

Graduated from the art university

1994-95

Noise folk rock band "1000000 Suns"

1995

Visited Yaku Island, shocked by the nature

Consciously began to do Field Recordings

1997

Moved to Kagoshima where is the origin of my parents

Material Actions, Field Recordings, Meditations, etc... as a self psychotherapy

1998

A mystic experience, succeeded to escaping from long depression since sister's death

Began to release recordings by a self-publication label, the first name was "Vyakura" (white spiral)

First trip to Europe to look for an opportunity to move

Met with Hermann Nitsch

1999

Traveled to India and Nepal, where I had unavoidably been influenced since 10 years old.

2000

Moved back to Tokyo from Kagosima

Changed the name of the self-publication label to "Octpia"

Began to use a pseudonym "Spiracle" for releasing drone music

2004

Moved to Europe

Participated in "120th Das Orgien Mysterien Theater" of Herman Nitsch

Met with Michael Northam, began to collaborate as "Kodama"

2006

Met with Carole Zweifel, began to collaborate as "jüppala kääpiö"

2007

Stayed in Canada, had inspirational experiences in vast forests.

2008

Stayed in Mongolia, met with Nanjidiin Sengedorj

Got married to Carole Zweifel

2009

Living in Switzerland