HOT SANDWICH MAKERS CLUB / ホットサンドメーカーズクラブ

When ingredients from different cultures are sandwiched between slices of bread and grilled, the result is often delicious. This simple idea sparked the “Hot Sandwich Makers Club” project, which aims to share stories of people with diverse cultural backgrounds and build networks across the world. Yamaguchi travels with a sandwich maker, inviting people he meets to create hot sandwiches using ingredients that are meaningful to them. They then share the meal together. The conversations that arise during this process are carefully documented through video and drawings. Ultimately, words that Yamaguchi wishes to share with others are selected from these interactions.

In 2022, a particularly impactful work emerged from an encounter with a young Uzbek immigrant in Berlin. While it may be difficult to fully comprehend the history of Russian occupation in his homeland or the hardships he faced as an immigrant in Germany, Yamaguchi attempted to absorb his companion’s incomprehensible experiences through the act of eating the sandwiched words. The poignant phrase “I’M FROM HUMAN,” spoken by the young man, was engraved on a specially crafted sandwich maker. Since then, Yamaguchi has been using this unique sandwich maker to perform sandwich-making events throughout Japan and overseas. These activities are presented as video installations at various exhibitions, continuing to explore the potential of cultural exchange through food.

異文化の食材をパンで挟みホットサンドにすると、大抵美味しくなる。このシンプルな発想からはじまった「ホットサンドメーカーズクラブ」プロジェクトは、世界の多様な文化や背景を持つ人々の物語を共有し、ネットワークを築くことを目指している。山口は、ホットサンドメーカーを携えて旅をし、出会った人々と共に彼らにとって思い入れのある食材をパンに挟み、一緒に食事をする。この過程で生まれる会話は、映像やドローイングによって丁寧に記録される。そして最終的に、他者と共有したい言葉が選ばれる。

2022年、ベルリンでのプロジェクトでは、ウズベキスタンからの移民の青年との出会いが印象的な作品を生み出した。彼の故郷がロシアに占領されてきた歴史や、移民としてドイツで受けた痛みを理解することが難しくても、パンに挟んで食べるという行為を通じて、山口は理解することができない相手の経験を身体で受け止めようと試みた。 彼が語った「I’M FROM HUMAN」という印象的なセリフを刻印できるホットサンドメーカーを制作し、これまで日本全国および海外でホットサンドを振る舞うパフォーマンスを行ってきた。これらの活動は、映像インスタレーション作品として各地の展覧会で発表されている。

-Appearance-

Dec 11, 2023 – Dec 17, 2023
Contemporary Art Foundation Award 2023
Daikanyama Hillside Forum, Tokyo, Japan
*Performances on all day.

Nov 4, 2022 – Nov 25, 2022
A-TOM ART AWARD 2022 Vernacular and Dawn
CourtyardHIROO, Tokyo, Japan
*Performances on Nov 17.

Oct 11, 2022 – Oct 16, 2022
ATLAS 2022
Tokyo University of the Arts, Ibaraki, Japan
*Performances on all day.

-Performance/Workshop-
Traditional Uzbek “Palov” performance, served on hot sandwiches ATLAS 2022 / Tokyo University of the Arts (Ibaraki, Japan), 2022

HOT SANDWICH MAKERS CLUB – I’M FROM HUMAN – WORKSHOP Liverty-house (Nishi Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan), 2022

HOT SANDWICH MAKERS CLUB – I’M FROM HUMAN – WORKSHOP BAR Eden (Yokohama, Japan), 2022

HOT SANDWICH MAKERS CLUB – I’M FROM HUMAN – WORKSHOP A-TOM ART AWARD 2022 Vernacular and Dawn / CourtyardHIROO (Tokyo, Japan), 2022

HOT SANDWICH MAKERS CLUB – WE ARE FROM HUMAN – WORKSHOP Shizuoka, Yoshiwara, Japan Supported by Arts Council Shizuoka, Yoshiwara Central Culture Center, 2022

HOT SANDWICH MAKERS CLUB – WE ARE FROM HUMAN – WORKSHOP Shizuoka, Yoshiwara, Japan Supported by Arts Council Shizuoka, Yoshiwara Central Culture Center, 2022