A Thread X (Meets) A Thread ~ Treasuring the Moment ~
A Thread X A Thread
~Treasuring the Moment"
Material: thread
2013 - ongoing
Dimension - variable
In the foreign country where I live, I feel like I am a new girl in a new school. For me, relationships with people in a new place are something that I cannot take for granted. Although I know I cannot build relationships with everyone I meet, I want to at least treasure and appreciate the moment of meeting people whether I will have another chance to meet that person again or not. I believe treasuring the moment of meeting people leads us to make peace between individuals and create a "home" eventually.
In making this installation piece, multiple threads were used. The verbs related to a thread such as to tie knots, to cut, and to get tangled are used idiomatically to express different conditions of relationship with people in the Japanese language. I started to make this piece in Wichita, Kansas, U.S. in 2013, by making knots with two pieces of thread. I kept tying the thread to another thread. Each knot with the threads represents the notion of treasuring the moment of meeting people.
I prepare shortly-cut thread pieces on a pedestal. I would ask the viewers to participate in making this piece by tying knots with these short thread pieces to my piece so that this task will become the place for them to meet this artwork and to think about their own relationship with people. This work looks like a breeze. Just as a breeze moves, travels, and sojourns at different places, this work also travels and has been exhibited in 19 different locations. It met people along the way, and many threads were added. The thread you add will meet people in other places. I hope this piece will travel around the world and meet many people. The work remains "in progress" with the presence of new viewers in the space.
This work was previously exhibited in these locations and threads were added:
Wichita, KS (2013,) Newton, KS (2015,) Matfield Green, KS (2016,) Chiba, Japan (2016,) Kyoto, Japan (2016,) Wichita, KS (2017), Kansas City, MO (2017), Wichita, KS (2018), Oklahoma City, OK (2018), Derby, KS (2018), Tulsa, OK (2020), Manhattan, KS (2020), Lindsborg, KS (2020), Asuka, Nara, Japan (2022), Meguro, Tokyo, Japan (2022), Otemachi, Tokyo, Japan (2022), Greenwich, CT (2023), Billings, MT (2023) Wichita, KS (2024)
I consider this interactive installation as a collaborative piece with the viewers with a theme of community engagement and relationship building. If your community or organization is interested in this exhibition and collaboration, please contact me through the "Contact" page.