About :Cefndir
It begins with a mysterious connection…..
“The idea for this project and network came from my personal connection to the music of Susumu Yokota. I was looking at some interview materials and biographical writings about him, which are not easy to come by as he was not very often in the public eye.
I found this quote from him
“The Young Marble Giants have affected me the most of all musically...I can feel déjà vu from them”.
Who exactly are The Young Marble Giants? It was quite astonishing to find that they were a band from Cardiff where I have been based for such a long time. I slept on this little connection for a long while then discussed it with artist Reiko Aoyagi, who has a lifelong personal connection between Japan and Wales. We decided it was a completely fantastic and definitely ‘mysterious connection’, and that became the working title.
From there Reiko found another Japanese artist with a connection to Wales, choreographer and dancer, Reina Kimura. Then multidisciplinary artist Anushiye Yarnell, sound artist Ya Yonder and musician and performer Eichi Shimasaki joined to begin a group project following this magical thread connecting two nations.
The name of the project changed to Choci Loni meets Tobiume, named for a Young Marble Giants song and a Susumu Yokota track, respectively.
The project was then generously funded by Wales Arts International as part of 2025 Year of Wales and Japan.
We worked as six artists, three Welsh and three Japanese, to realise a live show at Chapter Arts Centre in September 2025.”
- Tess Gray, Project Founder and Curator
Mae’n dechau â chysylltiad rhyfedd....
“Daeth y syniad am y prosiect a’r rhwydwaith hwn o fy nghysylltiad personol â cherddoriaeth Susumu Yokota. Roeddwn i’n darllen deunydd o gyfweliadau a bywgraffiadau amdano, sydd ddim yn rhwydd i’w canfod, gan nad oedd yn llygad y cyhoedd yn aml.
Des o hyd i’r dyfyniad hwn ganddo:
“Mae Young Marble Giants wedi cael dylanwad cerddorol mawr arna’ i... Fe alla’ i deimlo ryw déjà vu yn eu cwmni”. Pwy yn union yw Young Marble Giants? Roedd hi’n go rhyfeddol canfod mai band o Gaerdydd oedden nhw, lle rydw i wedi byw ers tro byd. Bûm yn cnoi cil am y cysylltiad hwn am sbel, cyn ei drafod â’r artist Reiko Aoyagi, sydd wedi bod â chysylltiad personol drwy’i oes â Japan a Chymru. Penderfynon ni fod hwn yn sicr yn gysylltiad hynod a gwefreiddiol, a rhoddwyd ‘mysterious connection’ yn deitl dros dro ar y gwaith.
Daeth Reiko wedyn o hyd i artist arall yn Japan a oedd â chysylltiad â Chymru, sef y coreograffydd a’r ddawnswraig, Reina Kimura. Wedyn, ymunodd yr artist amlddisgyblaethol, Anushiye Yarnell, yr artist sain, Ya Yonder, a’r cerddor a’r perfformiwr Eichi Shimasaki. Dyna oedd dechrau prosiect ar y cyd a fyddai’n dilyn y trywydd hudolus hwn a oedd yn cysylltu’r ddwy genedl.
Newidiwyd enw’r prosiect i ‘Choci Loni meets Tobiume’, a hynny ar ôl un o ganeuon Young Marble Giants a thrac gan Susumu Yokota.
Fe weithion ni fel chwech artist, tri o Gymru a thri o Japan, i gyflwyno sioe fyw yng Nghanolfan Celfyddydau Chapter ym mis Medi 2025.”
- Tess Gray, Sylfaenydd a Churadur y Prosiect
If you are interested in working with us and joining our artist network then do send us a hello through our contact page, email or instagram : )
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