My name is Hans and I am currently a
first year student in Tama art University’s （多摩美術大学） ceramic,
glass and metal department. I studied in KICL for a year from spring 2018 to
spring 2019 and started in the Intermediate 1 （中級１） class
before advancing to Intermediate 3 （中級３） in the
autumn semester. Looking back at my one year spent in Kyoto, it is filled with
fond memories of quiet shrines nestled in greenery, the beautiful changing of
seasons along the Kamo River （鴨川) and the people in and out of school who have
helped me all throughout the way.
School:
I came to Japan with the goal of entering
a Japanese art university and to be able to do so, one has to first pass the
language exam. Hence I decided to dedicate one year to solely focus on studying
the language without considering finding a part time job. (although it will
really help improve your conversational skills) The very fact that KICL was
located within Kyoto University of Art and Design’s campus was the biggest draw
factor because language school students are able to use library resources
freely, enter university circles and share common spaces with university
students such as the café and the canteen.
Classes take place every morning from
Monday to Friday and afternoons are free. I signed up for the art university
preparatory art class offered by the language school which took place 3 times a
week for half a year. This class is specifically targeted at students who
intend to further their education in Japanese Art universities. It is highly
technical as the entrance exams for Japanese art universities mostly consist of
still-life drawings and hence the rigor and intensity of practice is necessary.
In my opinion, this class was beneficial in my application to Tama art
university for two main reasons. Firstly, it provided me a basic foundation to
observational drawing and a studio to practice on my own after class. Secondly,
the small amount of students allows for the advice to be tailored to every
individual’s desired university and with ample one-to-one interview practice
sessions, I became more proficient in conveying my artistic thoughts.
I have always wanted to pursue ceramics
in Japan and this amazing opportunity of joining the university’s Kyo-yaki (京焼Kyoto Pottery)
research group was made available to the language school students. However, the
catch is only those with a decent command of the Japanese language can
participate because it involved interviewing local potters, writing and
designing pamphlets that explain the history of Kyoto ceramics . I applied
during my first semester when I was in intermediate 1 but wasn’t successful
however after a semester, I was became able to converse more fluently during
the interview and eventually participated in the research for 6 months. Under
the guidance of 2 university lecturers, we held weekly discussion meetings
about current and upcoming projects.
One of my biggest highlights was
organizing a tour around an old climbing kiln in the Go-jo （五条）
district of Kyoto which was held in conjuction with one pottery festival. Apart from giving free tours that explained the history of Kyoto Ceramics, we set up a pop-up café with bowls made by the local potters for the customers to use.
district of Kyoto which was held in conjuction with one pottery festival. Apart from giving free tours that explained the history of Kyoto Ceramics, we set up a pop-up café with bowls made by the local potters for the customers to use.
Environment
Kyoto has a very supportive environment
for those who are learning Japanese. Outside of language school, there are many
volunteer institutions that offer free or close to free basic Japanese
conversation classes. For example, I used to go the International community House
on a weekly basis for conversational practice with the volunteers. It increased
my confidence in speaking Japanese and also provided a platform for meeting
other people from all walks of life learning the Japanese language in Kyoto.
The district KICL is located in has the
perfect balance of nature, convenience, entertainment and rusticity. On a
bicycle, one can get to town Sanjo (三条) in 25 minutes or climb a mountain
(Daimonji 大文字山) that unarguably has the best view of the entire city in no more than an
1 hour or visit secluded temples in the east of Kyoto not fazed with the ills
of the other tourist hotspots.
University
After achieving my goal in the last year,
new challenges arose as I entered my freshmen year in university. Being
completely immersed in a Japanese speaking environment, attending history and
art lectures in Japanese and socializing with Japanese people took me months to
adapt to (although I am still struggling to). Classes last an entire day,
usually from 9 am to 4pm. However, most students also stay back in the art
studios till late to continue working on their projects. The studios are
equipped with top facilities and students are encouraged to explore different
creative expressions. The learning in art university is also very self-directed
in the sense that students are given the freedom and responsibility to manage
their own individual art practices.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿