Akari (2010)
shoji paper, thread, and light
2010
Whenever I think back to the place where I was from, I remember the traditional Japanese room at my parent's house. Just like most Japanese rooms, it had shoji paper sliding doors. Shoji door has versatile functions including insulation, partitioning, and providing illumination. This illumination is called 'akari' in Japanese. The akari through shoji doors reminds me of many memories from my childhood. Memories not only recall the past but make me think about the present and urge me to question the future. Where am I from and where am I going? These questions are interlaced with my search for a place to call home. They also always remind me that there is a light source at the end of the tunnel. With this installation's lamp like form, a tunnel-like structure from the bottom, and the play of the light and shadow, I explored my continuous sojourning and spiritual journey interwoven with my memories and the relationship with me in the past, the present, and the future.