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Adams helped to establish diplomatic relations between Japan and Europe and opened the way for lucrative trading partnerships. Eventually he would give up his English name and life to become Miura Anjin, the first western samurai.
To commemorate Adams and his time in Japan,  Blandy has worked with the Tokyo University of Arts to combine contemporary anime techniques with the traditional methods of Edo-era wood block prints to tell the story of Adams in Japan. Blandy, taking a cue from Homer’s The Odyssey, follows Adams’ historic actions while exploring themes of global culture and identity in the modern world.
In addition to the installation, Blandy has worked with the east London community to assemble local stories of immigration. He has integrated these tales and reformed them as sprawling space adventures to demonstrate how powerful an individual’s journey can be. (Words: Barbara Cole) 
Anjin 1600: Edo Wonderpark will be on display from 13th September – 26th October 2013, from Wednesday – Saturday 12pm- 6pm, with a late night opening until 9pm on 3rd October. It is located at the Rose Lipman Building, 43 De Beauvoir Road, N1 5SQ. For more info, visit: www.createlondon.org/event/anjin-1600-edo-wonderpark-david

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in a wide range of media. Bold, blocky coloured pencil drawings hang beside tightly detailed scratchings in biro; chunky, expressive sculptures sit below elegantly abstract geometric patterns in pen. Souzou is full of works that are carefully executed, aesthetically striking and overall memorable for their originality; by conventional measures and in formal terms, the exhibition could be called a success. But this is not a conventional art exhibition as such. You are unlikely to have heard of any of the artists, and they haven’t thought about you as an audience. Neither are they particularly interested in – even aware of – their work’s marketability, or, in some cases, the fact that it is on display at all. All of the works brought together for the Souzou exhibition were created by adults with a range of mental disorders and illnesses, living in social welfare facilities across Honshu, Japan’s largest island. Souzou is a Japanese word that can be translated as either creation or imagination. Some of the works convey or communicate a particular idea or experience, others fulfil an essentially private function; in all cases there is little to no engagement with history and theory. In some ways, this exhibition represents a purer form of art-making, unshackled from a debilitating awareness of critical reception and the art market. The works are very personal to the individual’s particular outlook or perception of the world. Toshiko Yamanishi writes love letters to her mother in the form of multicoloured swirls of jagged patterns; Shota Katsube creates brilliant little action figures out of shiny bin-ties; Ryoko Koda reduces his name to one unique character and repeats it again and again in artfully arranged geometric patterns. Exhibitions of ‘Outsider Art’ like this one always throw into question what it is that defines the ‘Insiders’ of the (fictional) concept of a singular and cohesive Art World. The Wellcome Collection’s exhibition offers an alternative kind of self expression through the visual arts and is not to be missed. (Words: Florence Ritter) Souzou: Outside Art from Japan, Wellcome Collection, runs until Sunday 30 June 2013. Click here for more info.

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The Destinations: Bali, Japan, Korea, Malaysia

“Astonished by her beauty, I was intrigued with Bali’s ethereal landscapes, vivid colours and ancient spiritual practices. As for Malaysia, it’s rich culture and ancient customs sparked my interest, while Japan lured me with her colourful cultural, traditional and social norms. Korea’s remarkable palaces and temples attracted me to this unique country, which is heavily rooted in Confucianism and Buddhism.”

Click here to see Anya’s images on our Tumblr and click here to read her travel tips to Bali, Japan, Korea, Malaysia!

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