During the building of the current exhibition here in Osakako, there are two places that I would call my ‘favorite’ places. These are the places I go to sit and have a few minutes alone, to breathe, and sometimes to take a nap if the mosquitoes aren’t out!
One of the places, as some of you might guess, is under a tree. In a tiny park next to a Buddhist temple. The tree is one of the two that I’ve collected fallen leaves from for the exhibition, and very conveniently, it has a nice little bench under it where I can take a nap after I’ve hugged the tree. I think the locals might take me for a crazy homeless person, however I’ve not yet been arrested or thrown out of the park.
Then there’s the other place…
The other place is a little plaza overlooking the harbor where the big container ships come in and are loaded and unloaded. It’s grand. It’s also completely the polar opposite of sitting under a tree. Yet I’ve sat and napped here, too. The sound of the containers across the water as they are set down onto the ships with a hefty metal *thunk* is somehow eerily comforting. Society is moving along, doing the thing we know how to do. Things are being shipped, sold, and bought. Economy is working. Trade is working. That thought mixes with the image of clouds crossing overhead as I lie here on my back.
The show opens today for those who are in the Osaka area. The piece I’ve produced over this time is a mandala of about 7,000 leaves, each individually placed. The entire piece is set with a center keystone, a piece of crumbling concrete that I found in front of the gallery. Maybe it all has some link to the container ships and clouds?
Really happy to have been a part of the Robert Callender Residency, working with the really fine group at Contemporary Art Space Osaka. I’m really struck by many of the works in this show. A varied group all with some very strong and deep and beautiful things to say with their work.
It’s truly worth it to make a visit… and while you’re there maybe you can have a nap outside under a tree, or watching clouds and listening to container ships.
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Art Shower 2015
Contemporary Art Space Osaka (CASO)
Exhibition runs from 22 August — 3 September
Gallery open 11am — 7pm (every day except monday)
CASO is a 7 Minute walk from Osakako Station
Directions Here
Good work, Mr. Lydon. Our paths are converging more and more these days. I’m happy to see how big of a role the arts are having on your mission. Good luck and keep the updates coming. cheers.