Installations / Frozen (2017)
The two installations "Frozen" and "Flow" are related, with the second being an extension of the first. The inspiration for Frozen comes from my hometown in Nagano, Japan. In the winter of 2016, I was walking by a frozen creek. I was struck by the power and immobility of the water. It reflected my state of mind at what was an emotional time. Life in rural Japan seems suspended during the harsh winters. People look forward to the spring. Seeing the river caused me to reflect on the emotions I felt returning to my hometown after living abroad for so long. While there are cracks in my memories; they also form a strong foundation for my life in the U.S. today.
The inspiration for Flowing extends from my 2016 visit to Nagano. When spring comes, the snow starts to thaw. The frozen creek melts and surges in a powerful movement. Time breaks the ice, washing away the riverbed and reshaping the flow of the water. Thus, the water is transformed from a two-dimensional snapshot into wave- like patterns – in turn, the shapes of the individual Tyvek pieces morph into a piece that has a life of its own.
Shown at the exhibition "Alternative Facts" at SPACE Gallery in Denver, 2017, "Taiko Chandler: From the Etching Press" at 15th Street Galley in Boulder, 2019 and "Indelible Garden" at Denver Botanic Gardens, December 2021- April 2022.
Photo: Wes Magyar
