At my residency place, Minamioguni-machi I have created my first free-standing outside installation or pavilion 'SYU IRO' 「朱色 しゅいろ」 [in Japanese it means 'Kind of Red Colour' traditionally used in Torii gates and objectively being perceived as bright orange].
Location:
Tanoharu 6953, Minamioguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
Definition: Site-specific permanent outside installation, Pavilion
Dimension:
5.000
x 1.100 –5.000 x 1.500 – 20.000 [mm]
Material:
Oguni-cedar
Material
Supplier:
Hideki Kawazu [main material supplier]
Mitsuhito Kodama [cedar chips]
Mitsuhito Kodama [cedar chips]
Art Residency: International Artist-in-Residence Programme in Aso
www.asoart.comSYU IRO film: http://youtu.be/pXYH8smdvZQ
Aso Uchinomaki interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNb7pi51x_0
SYU IRO in SNOW
photo credit: Shinobu Yamauchi
photo: artist
I arrived to Japan
without any certain plan apart from a firm intention to build a space
from Oguni-cedar [-sugi, in Japanese] using Japanese joint
techniques. Neither I had worked with wood as a material before nor
were fully aware of the way to cut Japanese joints.
As
a matter of fact, this Japanese-joints structure, honestly built in a
traditional Japanese way, is inherently anti-Japanese in one tiny
ratio: by its mere implementation of diagonals – contradicting to
Japanese tradition of straight angles and the overall logic of
Japanese-joints. Absurd contradiction. I like.
SYU IRO - OVERALL VIEW
photo credit: Kohji Asakawa : Deltaworks
SYU IRO at NIGHT
photo: artist
photo: artist
SYU IRO - INHABITED
photo: artist
Metaphysically
and philosophically, 'Syu Iro' does not have any static points –
all perspective shifts, both vertically and horizontally, are dynamic
and unpredictable. Height of the segments varies in correlation to
Aso Mountain containing a breathable volcano. Perhaps, from this idea
for breathing and distinct odour – cedar-chips arrived to the
installation. They form a deep movable and soundable layer over the
'floor' area of 'Syu Iro', emphasising an importance of being
immersed into some
substance or state of mind. The same way your body does it with onsen
waters. Although, in onsen it happens vertically, from the top to the
bottom, while in 'Syu Iro' – horizontally by traveling through a
long corridor of a life-long journey.
Oguni-sugi is extremely bright, versatile, flexible and
responsive material with unique calming smell. Being embraced
by a thin layer of orange paint as a caring container it allows sun
to penetrate all the way through the surface and bounce back into the
open space creating a chiaroscuro effect.
This
natural unexpected miracle transforms 'Syu Iro', giving it an extra
dimension of light-shadow interplay. Uniqueness of your experience is
mainly determined by weather conditions and time of the day. I expect
it to change dramatically in winter. In a sheer glowing brilliance of
white snow.
SYU IRO - CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
photo: artist
As all my other installations, 'Syu Iro' is totally not master-planned. Organically emerging from the surroundings, it is a being born during a process of me inhabiting a site, which I otherwise call a construction process. No models. No plans. No anything preconceived or predetermined. But everything happening on site matters and leaves traces on a final outcome.
SYU IRO - HALLOWEEN NIGHT CONSTRUCTION
photo: artist
SYU IRO - DAYTIME CONSTRUCTION
photo: artist
photo: artist
SYU IRO - UNDER RAIN CONSTRUCTION
photo: artist
SYU IRO - LATE NIGHT AFTER RAIN CONSTRUCTION
photo: artist
