Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art

What a strange sight: Blue lines covering everything from the floor to the walls and all over the ceiling. If you look close enough at these gigantic blue roots, you realise that it’s all made of plastic rails, more precisely, of blue plastic toy rails we used to play with as kids! And if you look at the patterns longer, you recognise model stations and mountains alongside the rail tracks – one big diorama. You’d eventually find a pinhole-sized goat on top of the model mountain! Paramodel are Yasuhiko Hayashi and Yusuke Nakano, an artist duo from Eastern Osaka, and they unfold such 3D, graffiti-like patterns on any surface: not only on the white walls of a gallery or the floors of a back-street factory, they extend their haptic art all over a Japanese onsen tub and don’t stop with even covering the water surface of a pond. PingMag was eager to meet up with the paramodel duo for a chat during their preparations for the Dialogue with the city exhibition in Yokohama.

Written by Kaori Nishida

In the making of getting everything covered with railway tracks, from the ceiling to the walls and down to the floor, even on the column.

When visiting Paramodel at the BankART Studio NYK, in the Yokohama Bay area, we found them in the midst of their preparation for the Dialogue with the city exhibition: With just a few days to count down before the opening, how can you possibly manage to complete all these parts???

Well… we hope we can. This one is relatively small scale compared to other exhibitions, so it should be okay… But if not, we learnt to phrase it as a “production-in-progress-show”. It might be fun for people to see us putting the rails up, you know. We were sponsored with these Plarail railway parts from the TOMY Company, Ltd. – and they come in truck lorries. We have no idea how many parts we are using…(supported by: TOMY Company, Ltd.)

At the Dialogue with the city exhibition in Yokohama: landscapes on the wall.

An ultra miniature farm!

Your artist duo’s name, “PARAMODEL”, is kind of a spoof word of ‘plamodel’?

Yes, but also many other words too. Originally we used to make flip books [PARA-PARA-MANGA in Japanese], and animations. When we officially had the idea of working together, we realised that everything we’d been doing could be summed up by the phrase “PARA”. Our works are kind of ‘para-dox’ of all sorts, and we are two people running in ‘para-llel’. In a way, what we are doing is on the same track as those kids that make a diorama or make-believe plays. You know, one kid drawing on the street and the other kid keeps on drawing on top of it, and in the end it adds up to one big strange imagery world. They are totally immersed in their imaginary ‘para-dise’, like we were as kids. This made us name ourselves “PARA-MODEL”, combining two image parts into one as if making a ‘pla-MODEL’. That may sound a little old-fashioned and like the name of a back-street factory. We liked it.

You have been making works in various places. How about this night scenery (above) – where was that?

It’s in my family house, we built the whole set inside a back-street factory in Eastern Osaka. Though everything is visible in this picture, it was in fact pitch dark. We put lights on the toy trains that were running on the rails, and then took this photo in a two-hour long exposure mode.

This piece (above) was built on the surface of a huge garden pond at the Okazaki Mindscape Museum in Aichi. The visitors walk through the museum’s indoor exhibition, and at the very end, our ‘pla-rail’ would lead them out to the pond to our ‘pla-rail’ landscape work. We let the ‘pla-rail’ and the artificial lawn quietly float on the pond. This one was pretty heavy in size and work, but we loved it.

So, you also created art works on top of the SAWADA MANSION: It’s a well known apartment house where the owner built rooms on top of each other by himself - with absolutely no plan whatsoever. Its unlimited growth resembles paramodel’s art…

We actually never had any plan to build our rail track works on the mansion. When we had an exhibition close by, our friend took us there. Then, there you go, the magical dream castle! I just had to ask the owner, and he welcomed us. So we made it on the roof top, and the residents and the owner’s grand children helped us…

… children! We heard that your workshops are so popular…

Yes, we make them with kids in places like gymnastic halls. During the workshops, we shoot a video and take photos of the whole process from a fixed point. Then, we fiddle with the images, cut and paste, put more people in and layout the rails in different places. If you look very carefully, you will notice the same people standing in different places… We’re kind of building them on our desktop, too.

It all started from an empty hall… （ｃ）paramodel /© and photo by paramodel

‘Pla-rail’ with paramodel vol.03 at the Shikitsu Primary School in Osaka, 2005. （ｃ）paramodel /© and photo by paramodel

Variations… （ｃ）paramodel /© and photo by paramodel

…and more variations. （ｃ）paramodel /© and photo by paramodel

Detail of a “Tomica” cutlet - including mini truck!

Your “Shinsekai” series as part of “The Hundred Landscape of GOKURAKU SCENE”, again, takes places in quite unusual spots…

‘SHINSEKAI’ [meaning ‘NEW WORLD’ in direct translation], is the name of the red light district in Osaka. It is a ‘GOKURAKU’ [meaning ‘paradise’] scenery series, with photographs of such paradise-like moments, like when you are relaxing in a good spa. Well, we Japanese all resort to the spa for a bit of relaxing, as you know. The “Yae-katsu split cutlet bar”, was set up in one of the uncountable cutlet bars in Osaka. There, we served Tomica, the mini cars manufactured by TOMY Company, Ltd., - fried and skewered! We also had a “Tomi-sushi” version with sushi being served on a Tomica mini car.

And you’re now developing a new toy. We’d love to see that when it’s finished… Luckily, as we are still right at your preparations for the Dialogue with the city exhibition at Yokohama Bay area’s BankART Studio NYK, we should also focus a bit on this interesting exhibition: Organised by young and hot curator Makoto Hashimoto, it also introduces a bunch of upcoming artists, such as Souhei Nishimura (who makes enormous wonderland like maps consisting of literally thousands of snapshots). Right now Makoto stepped in and joined us. He’s in charge of everything regarding the exhibition, so we thought he should give us his opinion about paramodel’s works as well: Makoto, how did you come across their amazing work?

It is certainly interesting how young Japanese artists depict this ‘city’ topic as inextricable part of our life… there are so many interesting aspects. And I found them just when I thought we had seen enough of all these recent works dealing with the ‘city’: Paramodel’s works, at a glance, are visually stunning. But in contrary to their plastic and inorganic looks, all of this is the result of a well-thought-out concept, but also of painstakingly manual work and a sweaty devotion. This perfectly applies to the very existence of a grown ‘city’ itself.

curator Makoto Hashimoto

In the exhibition “Dialogue with the city”, many other young up and coming Japanese artists, such as Souhei Nishimura, who makes one enormous wonder-land like map with literally thousands of snapshots were introduced.

As for paramodel’s ever spreading graffiti-like rail track canvas, they are currently joining the Beautiful New World: Contemporary Visual Culture from Japan exhibition in Beijing and Guangzhou that just opened two days ago. Their rail track paradise may grow unlimited!

Thank you so much, paramodel and Makoto Hashimoto! You guys are great!

52 Comments

1. [...] wrote an interesting post today on Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track ArtHere’s a quick [...]

   Posted by: Orcone.Com » Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art on September 28th, 2007 at 7:35 pm

2. love the shinsekai series!

   Posted by: may on September 28th, 2007 at 8:05 pm

3. suge!

   Posted by: chicwithtamborine on September 28th, 2007 at 9:47 pm

4. Damn! I missed the exhibition! (T_T)

   Posted by: Samantha on September 28th, 2007 at 10:56 pm

5. This just blew my mind and made my week. Well done, Paramodel and Pingmag.

   Posted by: Myke on September 28th, 2007 at 10:58 pm

6. [...] wrote an interesting post today on Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track ArtHere’s a quick [...]

   Posted by: Pipezel.Com » Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art on September 29th, 2007 at 12:19 am

7. [...] for a chat during their preparations for the Dialogue with the city exhibition in Yokohama. ^^^via PING Please follow link to read [...]

   Posted by: Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art on September 29th, 2007 at 2:11 am

8. Inspiring! Toys R definitely us

   Posted by: maki on September 29th, 2007 at 2:42 am

9. Is there any Hi-res photos of these?
   They are so cool.

   Posted by: Badger on September 29th, 2007 at 4:11 am

10. that was too amazing!!!!

    Posted by: Sergio on September 29th, 2007 at 5:39 am

11. One word. WOW. O_O These guys are amazing!! I especially love the one on the water surface. Kudos to the Paramodel and PingMag team. I’m definitely sharing this article with my friends. =)

    Posted by: razori on September 29th, 2007 at 8:42 am

12. [...] PingMag - The Tokyo-based magazine about “Design and Making Things” » Archive » Paramodel: Gra… (tags: art japan sculpture toys play artists) [...]

    Posted by: mobmash blog » Blog Archive » links for 2007-09-29 on September 29th, 2007 at 9:20 am

13. huh?

    Posted by: Anonymous on September 29th, 2007 at 3:47 pm

14. Super radical. I totally second that notion by Myke. Toys!! This is bananas man. Absolutely well done. The long-exposure train?? Genius.

    Posted by: Joe on September 29th, 2007 at 6:35 pm

15. [...] Graffiti-style Rail Track Art.  Really awesome stuff.  [Link] [...]

    Posted by: Coppola’s Been Robbed! « Chris M. Ferguson on September 30th, 2007 at 3:59 am

16. OMG- This is beyond awesome

    Posted by: jessie on September 30th, 2007 at 7:53 pm

17. oh! so inspiring!!!

    Posted by: larry seow on September 30th, 2007 at 8:44 pm

18. Its really very interesting.
    And back to childhood kind project.
    Like it

    Posted by: Paavani on October 1st, 2007 at 12:35 am

19. Cool think

    Posted by: TB on October 1st, 2007 at 2:48 am

20. That’s wonderful stuff!

    Posted by: okinawa on October 3rd, 2007 at 5:33 am

21. [...] The blue lines are plastic toy rail road tracks from the TOMY toy company. Check out the other photos. The artists, Yasuhiko Hayashi and Yusuke Nakano also did installations outside, over water, at a [...]

    Posted by: Blogadilla.com: The Tijuana of the Internet » Blog Archive » Rail Track Art on October 3rd, 2007 at 1:39 pm

22. Hello Guys,
    Congratulations. Fabulous creation.
    you need to think big to do big…Superb!

    Posted by: Anuja wani on October 3rd, 2007 at 2:22 pm

23. Amazing! I’m loving the “mini truck”~

    Posted by: Nico on October 3rd, 2007 at 2:23 pm

24. wow, thats pretty cool, but its a long stretch to call it anything related to graffiti….

    Posted by: horus on October 5th, 2007 at 5:12 am

25. [...] http://pingmag.jp/2007/09/28/paramodel/ [...]

    Posted by: japoński szał kolejki ( macicy ?! ) on October 6th, 2007 at 2:41 am

26. [...] Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art [...]

    Posted by: Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art at inertgreymatter on October 9th, 2007 at 4:36 am

27. [...] Fruto da maluquisse de dois artistas niponicos, o grafite é feito com peças de brinquedo e está em exposição em Kyoto, Japão. Cabuloso, né? Clica! [...]

    Posted by: trilha sonora » paramodel… on October 10th, 2007 at 11:18 pm

28. [...] du hast da echt was verpasst. paramodel [...]

    Posted by: Paramodel | Reich und Schön on October 12th, 2007 at 8:54 pm

29. [...] (the artists responsible for the bottom picture) perhaps do this best and I encourage you to go here and look at the wonderful pictures of old men somewhat indifferently eating their dinner at a [...]

    Posted by: wrongdistance.com on October 12th, 2007 at 11:10 pm

30. [...] “Graffiti” Art Made with Toy Train Railway Tracks! What a strange sight: Blue lines covering everything from the floor to the walls and all over the ceiling. If you look close enough at these gigantic blue roots, you realise that it’s all made of plastic rails, more precisely, of blue plastic toy rails we used to play with as kids! And if you look at the patterns longer, you recognise model stations and mountains alongside the rail tracks – one big diorama. You’d eventually find a pinhole-sized goat on top of the model mountain! [...]

    Posted by: Nerdcore — Links vom 13. 10. 07: Spike Jonze, Draht-Lamborgini, Karate-Nonnen und Star Wars auf der Trompete on October 13th, 2007 at 9:06 pm

31. [...] Link [...]

    Posted by: Nerd Arts » Blog Archive » Train Track Art by Yasuhiko Hayashi and Yusuke Nakano on October 14th, 2007 at 6:02 pm

32. [...] This is some really amazing stuff. Combine Plarail plastic train tracks & the incredible imaginations of artists Yasuhiko Hayashi and Yusuke Nakano & you get the wonderful textural graffiti of Paramodel. Click through here for more artist info. [...]

    Posted by: Prefect in K-Town on October 16th, 2007 at 1:18 am

33. [...] PingMag - The Tokyo-based magazine about “Design and Making Things” » Archive » Paramodel: Gra… (tags: déco design) [...]

    Posted by: pfhmag » links for 2007-10-16 on October 17th, 2007 at 8:29 am

34. [...] rail track art [...]

    Posted by: biba on October 19th, 2007 at 4:50 am

35. [...] Rail art [...]

    Posted by: Will’s Web Miscellany » Blog Archive » Friday Link-o-Rama on October 19th, 2007 at 5:18 pm

36. Wow really aweseom and inspiring work, keep the good stuff coming !!!

    Posted by: Jonathan Leong on October 21st, 2007 at 7:14 pm

37. [...] far it may look like drawings, but it

    Posted by: blablabla - Train Tag on October 23rd, 2007 at 11:09 pm

38. [...] PingMag - The Tokyo-based magazine about “Design and Making Things” » Archive » Paramodel: Gra… [...]

    Posted by: ponchorama!!! » Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art on October 31st, 2007 at 11:35 pm

39. [...] Freelance Editor placed an observative post today on Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track ArtHere’s a quick excerpt [...]

    Posted by: Media Districts Entertainment Blog » Paramodel: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art on November 16th, 2007 at 11:36 am

40. great. and you can buy the blue lines as a toy? looks nice and works. in the EU-border state alias EX-yu-state that has a taste of balkans(Slovenia), we use electric cabel and stage(jesus*)tape and called them “space-drawings”.

    http://sonda.kibla.org/space-drawings.html
    http://sonda.kibla.org/mala-2007.html

    *the macedonian name for gaffer.

    Posted by: son:DA on January 4th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

41. [...] conceit of ‘modular systems.’   The above photo is from an art piece ‘Paramodel.’  Many more amazing photos behind the link. Tagged:cool [...]

    Posted by: I Love This World :: I love the Brio Train Standard on February 14th, 2008 at 1:23 pm

42. [...] good people at Tokyo Art Beat (specifically Paramodel) have juxtaposed a giant tokyo mansion in a little tiny tshirt.  It’s a great idea however, [...]

    Posted by: awada mansion complex in Kouchi prefecture in a TEE : SHIRTMOUTH! on November 4th, 2008 at 3:59 am

43. [...] good people at Tokyo Art Beat (specifically Paramodel) have juxtaposed a giant tokyo mansion in a little tiny tshirt. It’s a great idea however, I [...]

    Posted by: awada mansion complex in Kouchi prefecture in a TEE : SHIRTMOUTH! on November 15th, 2008 at 1:25 am

44. Very cool!!!!!!

    Posted by: Kael on December 29th, 2008 at 1:45 am

45. [...] Paramodel By thesilverlining The duo that goes by Paramodel does installations with blue plastic train tracks. I admit, though, that I’ve been known to be pretty impressed with blue painter’s tape…see more here. [...]

    Posted by: Paramodel « The Silver Lining on January 26th, 2009 at 4:56 pm

46. [...] find. Apparently the whole thing is made with childrens toy tracks. You can read more about it at Pingmag.jp Share and [...]

    Posted by: INTERNET PARTY » Blog Archive » Awesome Art By Paramodel on April 15th, 2009 at 6:02 am

47. [...] Check out the interview. [...]

    Posted by: PARAMODEL « Tervel Andrews Is No Adam Cadre on April 28th, 2009 at 11:24 am

48. [...] http://pingmag.jp/2007/09/28/paramodel/ [...]

    Posted by: Design Blog » Blog Archive » paramodel on May 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 am

49. [...] Paramodelic – graffiti [...]

    Posted by: Fotojam: Big In Japan « Laimikis.lt on June 25th, 2009 at 1:53 am

50. [...] Paramodelic: Graffiti-style Rail Track Art [pingmag.jp] [...]

    Posted by: Laimikis » Blog Archive » Fotojam: Big In Japan on August 9th, 2009 at 6:46 am

51. awesome!!

    Posted by: someone on October 10th, 2009 at 6:23 am

52. Oh,God..i like it very!it is great guys

    Posted by: Anonymous on February 2nd, 2010 at 2:27 am

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