| I have
devoted over 30 years of my life to create sculptures that move by wind
or water. I think the richness and depth of natural energy helps keep me
interested in creating new works with fresh ideas. It seems natural that
I came to wish to find out more about our planet- the Earth, which is covered
by air and circulates water. I came up with an idea to explore the places
I have never been before with freestanding lightweight sculptures, which
move by wind like a kite. Though I had no idea on such places nor knew how
to select them. How and where I start such trip was totally unknown then. |
It was
May 1999 at Cafe Beaubourg when I first mentioned such dream over lunch
with Pierre Restany, art critic, who is also one of my great friends. Mr.
Restany earnestly listened to my dream and said, "This is a project only
you can think of. Just forget about everything else and concentrate on this."
And this conversation encouraged me to realize my dream. Mr. Ji rí
Kylián, a choreographer in Holland and his wife, Sabine, agreed with
me and gave me a big hand. When I look around me, I see that I have so many
precious friends who are very talented in their own right, like Renzo Piano,
Tadao Ando (both architects), Issey Miyake(a designer), and Yusuke Nakahara(an
art critic) and others. All of them showed interest in the Wind Caravan
project and gave me an encouragement and even providing good ideas. Although
the Wind Caravan began from my idea, from the beginning, it was strongly
supported by many friends. |
| Site selection began
with the process of sorting out the limited amount of knowledge and imagination
I had on the Earth. The process of selecting sites was so dramatic that
it would be worth writing a book just about it. It had the support of my
friends from all over the world and experienced a number of interesting
coincidences. Besides the rice field of Sanda-city in front of my studio,
the other five sites are all new to me. They include native people from
the indigenous culture found around each site, including Maori, Sami, and
Berbère.
I hope that we can learn from them how we can live without further destroying
our natural environment. All these sites are known for strong wind but have
no electricity. So they are suitable for research on natural energies of
the Earth. |
Drawing |
| 21 sculptures
of two different designs are made of light-wight aluminum and sail cloth
to receive the wind.Each sculpture will be approximately 5-meter high and
weights only 75 kg and can be easily assembled and dismantled by manpower.
The works will be packed in one 20 foot container while the crate will be
reassembled into a small windmill house with four wind mills to generate
energy at each site. Dr. Izumi Ushiyama, an expert on the wind energy, has
been an advisor for windmills and is expecting that this will be a great
opportunity to research wind energy. |
| The Wind
Caravan will take place for two weeks at each. During this time my wife
and I will stay at the site and will hold an activity with local children.
Starting with traditional rice planting by local children in Japan and ending
with special dance choreographed by Jirí
Kylián to be danced by local children in Brazil. Children will keep
participating in Wind Caravan throughout the exhibition period. We have
visited the sites from last year through the beginning of this year and
found local collaborators at each site. We have already started negotiations
with them. |
|
I do not intend to
complete Wind Caravan as just a mere art event by an individual artist.
I am hoping this process, going around the world with Wind Caravan, will
make us think about the fure of the Earth. Real time reports will be dispatched
and updated through Internet and other media. After it is complete, the
project will be reported to the world through publishing, an exhibition,
and TV programs.
|