![The [HUMAN:NATURE] program interface in Megijima, Japan](https://www.pmlydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/humannature-peoplemegimonitor_PML3602-1024x574.jpg)
Medium: film, interactive media, social practice
Location: Setouchi International Triennale / Megijima, Japan
Year: 2013
In the Summer of 2013, I had the opportunity to lead an amazing team — Suhee Kang, Johann Barbie, Song E Lee — along with nearly fifty Japanese volunteers in a project combining art, technology, and community interactions.
During two months as artists in residence at the Setouchi International Triennale, our team explored the connection between community and ecology on this small Japanese island of Megiima. We got to know dozens of the island’s families while producing an interactive documetary film about their cultural and ecological history, and connection to the land.
The project saw us producing video, portraiture, and landscape imagery based on the lore of the villagers and their connection to the land, media which was merged with agricultural and geographical data to create an interactive documentary that built on the project’s key ideas of human:nature connectivity.
On this island, in the liminal space between historical and contemporary Japan, the interactive documentary, along with a regional natural agriculture conference organized by our team and Aichi University of the Arts, helped visitors and islanders re-imagine roles within the vital social and ecological support systems of community and agriculture.
Related projects: Final Straw / Human:Nature Landscapes / Harvest
Exhibition Dates
July 20 — August 18
Setouchi International Triennale
MEGI House and Ryusen-So
Megi-cho, Takamatsu, Japan
August 25 — September 8
Aichi Triennale
Aichi University of Arts Museum
Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Team Members
Patrick Lydon (USA) – Project Leader, Filming, Landscape Photography
Suhee Kang (Korea) – Portrait Photography
Johann Barbie (Germany) – Software Development
Songyi Lee (Korea) – Social Design
with
Professor Isao Suiz (Aichi University of Art), Ross McLean (Edinburgh College of Art), Ikumasa Hayashi, Kei Toh, Patrice Milillo, and Setouchi’s Team Koebi.
Downloads
This project and software development is entirely open-source and available to the public. Our source code in development is available at: https://github.com/johannbarbie/MegijimaWebApp
Some images are available below, right-click (ctrl-click) to download high resolution versions. All images are made available under Creative Commons license (CC SA-BY 3.0, P.M. Lydon / Suhee Kang). Please observe terms of use before downloading.
Documentary Images
Production Images
![The [HUMAN:NATURE] team in Megijima, from left to right (Songyi Lee, Isao Suiz, Patrick Lydon, Johann Barbie, Suhee Kang, Kei Toh)](http://www.pmlydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/humannature-megijima-workIMG_7772.jpg)
Exhibition and Event Images
![[HUMAN:NATURE] Setouchi exhibition information sheet (front)](http://www.pmlydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/human-nature-web-01.jpg)
![[HUMAN:NATURE] Setouchi exhibition information sheet (back)](http://www.pmlydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/human-nature-web-02.jpg)
![Gallery visitors interact with the [HUMAN:NATURE] artwork at MEGI House](http://www.pmlydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/human-nature-megihouse_PML4027.jpg)
Support
This project is arranged through a partnership between The University of Edinburgh – Edinburgh College of Art (Scotland), Aichi University of Arts (Japan), with help from the Setouchi International Triennale.
Hi Patrick,
I find your project(s) really fascinating.
I’m not sure I understand if one can see the project online.
I followed the github link, but I’m not sure I understand what to do next.
Thanks in advance.
Hey David! The project was meant to be shown within the MegiHouse on the island, and then at another arts festival in Aichi so it is technically not really advertised, but if you shoot an email to my name @pmlydon.com I will be more than happy to send you a link to a working online beta.
Megijima was a special time and place for us, and the local people were so kind and supportive. This project was a great start and I wish we could find the funding for more substantial projects which could have long-term positive effects there and in the region. It’s such a lovely place and there is so much which could be done there.
At any rate, thanks for the note, hope to talk more soon.