2012.10

Hiroshi Naito: 18800 pieces 2012.6.13

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Kyoto University of the Arts advocates “artistic activities that envision world peace.” This exhibition aimed to provide students and visitors with opportunities to think about the role of art by creating a “place for prayer.” Architect Hiroshi Naito was commissioned to design the work. Ever since the East Japan Great Earthquake hit the Tohoku region in March 11, 2011, Naito has visited the devastated area, thinking about architecture and the role it should play among the threat of natural disasters. He began using  ink dots to represent the number of casualties. When the dots covered an overwhelming area of a single sheet of paper, on June 13, 2012, they numbered 18,800 and the work was complete. The elaborate installation consisted of 18,800 glass pieces neatly placed by students and artisans on a 5.4 x 5.4-meter platform carefully mounted on hangers made with paper of a hand-printed design, manufactured by Kyoto-based karakami paper company Kamisoe.  

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Glass pieces painted silver shimmered in the natural light like ocean waves glistening in the sunset. Reminiscent of the transiency of human life against the enormous presence of nature, the exhibition made an impression on visitors to the Entrance Lounge for two-and-a-half months.    

 

 

 

Date: October 2, 2012 - January 14, 2013

Venue: Entrance Lounge, 1F Ningenkan, Kyoto University of the Arts

Organizer: Kyoto University of the Arts  

Cooperation: Naito Architect & Associates  

Design: Naito Architect & Associates (Hiroshi Naito, Kazunori Hiruta)  

Fabrication of glass pieces: The Usami Shokakudo Co.Ltd. (Naohide Usami, Tamotsu Tanaka, Kunito Horii)  

Karakami paper: Kamisoe (Koh Kado)  

Installation: Kikusui Co., Ltd. (Kiyohiko Ikeda), Ayabe glass Co., Ltd. (Kenichi Nagase), Sanai glass Inc. (Hiroyuki Ikene)  

Cooperation with installation: Kajima Corporation (Ikumi Toyota)

Cooperation with coordination: Art Consulting Firm Co., Ltd. (Atsushi Kato, Natsuka Okamoto)  

Poster, postcard design: cozfish (Shin Sobue)      

Curator: Kayo Tokuda (WATER AND ART) 

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Associated Events  

Dialogue “Architecture after 3.11”  

Hiroshi Naito (architect, professor emeritus at Tokyo University) x Kazuro Kishi (architect, professor at Kyoto University)  

Saturday, October 6, 2012 13:00-14:30  

Senshudo, Kyoto University of the Arts