Gimnasia de Radio
(Radio Gymnastics)

Video Installation (two syncronized projections facing each other)
Spain 2002, Mini DV, PAL, 5:4, Colour, Stereo, 3'09''
Projection size: 300 x 400 cm each

Gimnasia de radio (Radio Gymnastics) is a videoinstallation – of two facing projections – in which Kaoru Katayama, in her previously mentioned role as Heidi teaches a group of Spaniards the steps and movements to piano music playing in the background the traditional movements of a Japanese gym routine (radio gymnastics*1). The disciplined choreography of the movements of the Swiss-Japanese teacher contrasts with the hilarious clumsiness of her western pupils.

*1 Radio Gymnastics was founded in Japan in 1928 by the Social Security Section of the Ministry of Communication of the time (now the Health, Labour and Walfare) in order to favour public health in Japan. Current Radio Gymnastics that all Japanese know about and many still practise, is based on the revised version that was developed in 1951. Japanese children still learn the routine and take advantage of their 40 days' summer holidays to learn it, going to their local park at 6:30 in the morning.