Hisakatano
paper, mirror, thread, and light
2012
My work expresses my personal feelings and experiences as a sojourner. As a sojourner, I have a physical place where I live, but simultaneously, my mind goes to the places where I used to live. Right now, it is the season of the cherry blossom in my original country of Japan. I imagine they are blooming beautifully now, as always. At the same time, I am concerned that the land and the people who are living there have been going through mourning and struggles after the earthquake and tsunami disaster and the nuclear accident from a year ago.
The image of this particular installation art piece was inspired by my memory of viewing the cherry blossoms and a shoji window, a Japanese paper sliding window. The petals fall off and form other flowers in another place. Together with the light, shadow, mirrors, and reflection of the mirrors, I expressed my thoughts and prayers for my original country and the people there.
The title of this piece, ‘Hisakatano’ is from a waka, a short poem, by Kino Tomonori from the 9th century. The word Hisakatano itself does not have a meaning, but it is a word that goes with the word ‘the light’. The poem goes like this:
Hisakatano hikarinodokeki harunohini
Shizukokoronaku hananochiruramu
It translates to:
On such a light tranquil spring day,
Why do the cherry blossoms fall like restless thoughts?