Scenes From Japan
I am interested in the juxtaposition of old versus new, and what it is like to visit a place that you are not familiar with, seeing what it is like to live there.
During a trip to Japan I experienced first-hand what it is like to be an outsider, a “foreigner” in a land in many ways completely different than my own. I got around mostly by walking, which allowed me to see more of the everyday life of the people who lived there than I would have by only taking cabs and trains and just visiting the tourist attractions.
It was very interesting and compelling to see how Japan’s history was still so celebrated and involved in contemporary architecture, art and everyday life. I could see clearly buildings that had been there for hundreds of years, preserved to remain the same as they always were. They were right next to huge modern buildings and landmarks. Every day I saw the celebration of their history at the same time as they are leaping into the future with billboards, advertisements that attract you with sound and color, and the steel and concrete architecture of modern buildings.
Each of my pieces is created from the perspective of myself, someone who is a visitor in a new place. I wanted each piece to show the beauty of the landscape and the people, to draw you in and intrigue you with what you are seeing and make you wish to know more.
