Patricia Lenz - JP

What made you decide to apply for a grant at the Leading House Asia?
My dissertation project is focusing on Asia-Pacific War memories in contemporary Japanese art, so spending a research stay in Japan is essential to be able to visit exhibitions, study artworks in the original, and establish academic exchange with fellow researchers. All the more so, since information on many artists and their works relevant for my dissertation is not extensive, especially in the case of younger artists, and conducting interviews and studio visits is an important tool to gather insights. I had heard about the JSPS fellowship opportunity from a previous grantee and when the call for applications was announced, I submitted a proposal.

How did you secure a host professor?
When I was working on one of the artists and topics for my dissertation, I was very impressed by the research of Kajiya Kenji, but before I contacted him via email, I was not personally acquainted with him. I was very fortunate that when I sent him my research proposal, he agreed to be the host researcher and supervisor for my research stay.

How would you describe your experience of the programme?
Due to the global pandemic, it was a complicated time for a research stay abroad; the starting date was postponed by eight months and just when I entered Japan the prevention measures were tightened, and most researchers (in my field) at the University of Tokyo worked remotely. The first three months were therefore quite lonely but thanks to the great resources of U-Tokyo, I was able to make good progress in my PhD project. I received access to many libraries, archives, and institutions and the administrative staff at the host university kindly supported me in most of my concerns. When prevention measures were eased, I got to know the group of PhD students working on modern and contemporary art in Japan as well as in the West which enabled fruitful exchange and many interesting discussions. Together we also toured museums, galleries, and art fairs; one memorable evening we visited several commercial galleries in a row. So there were ten doctoral students of art history standing in front of artworks having critical discussions about it while the artists and gallerists sometimes looked a little overwhelmed.

What were the impacts you made through the project/partners/individual?
My dissertation project greatly benefited from the findings and experiences I was only able to obtain by staying in Japan for a prolonged period and by being affiliated with the University of Tokyo. Over the course of the fellowship, I was able to see not only a great number of works in the original that are relevant for my dissertation project but also discover new works and artists engaging in Asia-Pacific War memories. My travels to different local art museums allowed me to experience art and cultural activities outside of Tokyo thus complementing my general understanding of contemporary art in Japan. Moreover, by having direct conversations with the artists, I was able to gather information pertaining to their artistic process and more generally regarding their views on contemporary art, specific issues, and their own position within the art scene.
I was able to see many new aspects of Japan not only regarding my research focus but also in everyday life, all of which have added to my knowledge of Japanese culture and society. Furthermore, my language skills also improved greatly. Even though I have returned to Switzerland, I am still participating in the research colloquium of my former host professor and I am planning to spend a second research stay at the University of Tokyo.

Testimonial: what were your personal experiences/thoughts on the bilateral cooperation experience?
Overall, I made many new acquaintances within academia as well as in the contemporary art field and beyond, some of which have become friends. For me personally, I really enjoyed the diverse background of the people I met and that I had time to chat with them and hear their opinions and experiences regarding many different things. When visiting a country as a tourist, this is rarely possible. During the fellowship, I have not only made invaluable experiences for myself and my future research, but I also think that this kind of exchange opportunity is very important for cultural studies in general since it is invigorated by discussions and outside perspective.