I just got back from Niigata where I am working on an installation made out of local materials such as ash, stones, mud and sand. It was quite an exhausting week in the countryside as my body has grown a bit lazy from daily life in Tokyo, but it felt meaningful to be literally “digging in the dirt” each day to see what materials I could uncover.
Each day I spent time talking with the neighbors, finding out more about the history and stories of the town of Naka-Senda where the exhibit is located. I found all kinds of surprises in the process- for example I was given fresh vegetables by the elders of the village while inquiring about the elementary school we are exhibiting at. I also held a workshop that brought members of the local community back into the school to form some cones together. Many different people have touched the cones and the handmade aspect of each cone is crucial to the piece.
This installation is part of the Dynamo: Conquering Snow section of the Echigo-Tsumari Triennial open from July 26th to September 13th. The overall aims of the exhibit are to address social and environmental issues by creative means thus bringing international attention to the countryside of Japan.
Here are some photos of the materials that I collected from the area to make the cones along with views of the Mini-Landscape.
