contact Gonzo

Performance group founded by Yuya Tsukahara and Masaru Kakio in 2006. The name “contact Gonzo,” which is derived from 1970s gonzo journalism in the United States, refers to both the group and to the methodology they have developed for making different forms of “contact” between bodies. Their activities range from improvisational performances in public places to films and photographic works. They have also made active use of social media from their earliest performances, which were uploaded on YouTube. Since their participation in the Jiro Yoshihara Memorial Award art project in 2007, contact Gonzo has also attracted attention in the field of contemporary art, leading to their participation in many international art exhibitions and festivals. In 2013, they were featured in Performing Histories: Live Artworks Examining the Past at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. The group’s current members are Yuya Tsukahara, Keigo Mikajiri, Takuya Matsumi, and NAZE, and their current activities include performances, installations, publishing magazines, and more. Saison Foundation Fellow from the fiscal years of 2011 to 2017.