A Place That is Vanishing While Being Born

Finished

Artists

Akane Nakamori, Hirokazu Tanaka, Hirotaka Sato, Kazumi Shimode, Kuniko Donen, Margret Wibmer, Nik van der Giesen, O33, Sae Shimizu, sub-document

Plants have a life cycle of germination, growth, flowering, leaving seeds, and dying or going dormant. In this exhibition, we imagine the “vacant houses” which root in the land of Kikugawa, as plants in the stage of death and dormancy. And this fall, the windows of the long asleep houses are gently opened and we are about to step in.

At the main location “Ikuyama House” which was built in the late Showa period, Kuniko Donen(1944-) will create an installation art based on the motif of the leaves of the evergreen Korean pine, which means “everlasting now.”

In the “Omukaino-ie（House Across the Street）” which was built prewar, Hirotaka Sato (1993-) will present a media installation on the theme of life and death and ethics in the digital age. 033 Ou San San(1993-) will display textile work on the theme of life and death based on Tibetan Buddhism using sheep intestines.

Margret Wibmer, an Austrian artist in residence at Ikuyama House will create a participatory performance exploring “Love” using love letters as a motif.

At “K Apartment” which was built in the late Showa period, 3 different artists will exhibit their work in three vacant rooms. Hirokazu Tanaka (1998-) will set up a room that will turn the room to a piece of art itself. Akane Nakamori (1962-) will display installation art while growing plants indoor and transforming a decaying room into a sacred space. Nik van der Giesen(1981-) will present a series of photographs taken in Noto Peninsula before and after the earthquake January 1st ,2024

In the “Kado House” which had been used as a residence and store since the early Showa period, the Kanazawa-based creative group, sub-document (2021-), will perform a play based on the motif of “things left behind.”

And at “Matsumoto House,” a renovated vacant house which was built more than a hundred years ago, there will be paintings by Kazumi Shimode (1983-) who has been depicting mysterious girls (or boys) and small animals standing comfortably surrounded by flowers and grass. Also, a participatory artwork inspired by the Kuratsuki irrigation canal that flows through the yard will be displayed by Sae Shimizu (1997-).

At the beginning of this year, many people lost their loved ones and places in the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Does art have the power to transform and heal the loss in to hope? Like plants, people, houses, communities have been following a cycle; to born, disappear, and born again. Through the creativity of art, we care and nurture ourselves, others, houses and communities, just as we care for plants. We would like you to think about our challenges and issues while strolling around the vacant houses of Kikugawa- A Place That is Vanishing While Being Born.

*The title of the exhibition, “A Place That is Vanishing While Being Born” is taken from the title of the stage performance 「Something Being Vanishing While Being Born」(Natsu Nakajima & Mutekisha Dance Company) by the dancer Natsu Nakajima who spent her last days as a BUTOH dancer in Mexico.

Schedule

Oct 19 (Sat) 2024-Nov 18 (Mon) 2024