The Jomon-period marine transgression, which occurred about 7,000 years ago, brought rich marsh to the region of Aomori Prefecture, and its plain was later formed by volcanic activities where the coastline was shaped by sand carried by ocean currents. FUJIKURA Asako and her research/production partner OHMURA Takahiro got interested in how the land was created from a view of the sea and made works during their residency focusing on the topography that was constantly changing due to the natural environment and modernization ambitions and plans. 

The shallow and gently sloping sea tends to be reclaimed for industrial expansion and military utilization, so such scenery is rare in contemporary times. Fujikura says that she is greatly attracted to a shallow sea in general. The book that inspired her in her research was journalist NARITA Tetsushiro’s “Mutsu-wan no Shorai (Future of Mutsu Bay)” and it pointed out one of the good bases for development as being a shallow sea. Published by the Too Nippo Press Co., Ltd. in 1894, the book puts emphasis on the importance of cutting from Takahoko-numa swamp to the present Itako-numa swamp on the Mutsu Bay to develop an international sea route, avoiding the rapid stream off Shiriyazaki Cape. The writer did not seem hesitant about changing the peaceful scenery. Similarly, canal development plans had been discussed six times starting from the one by Nambu Domain in 1673 to the Association to Open Mutsu Canal that was formed around Aomori city after WWII. Learning about rapid changes in the land of Shimokita and its industry since the modern times from Mutsu Ogawara Development Plan to the nuclear fuel cycle, Fujikura and Ohmura have reflected them in their works along with imagination for the future.

Fujikura explains that “Impact tracker is virtual subjectivity that is tracking down some kind of renovation/impact that is generated on the land surface.” The three-piece monitors of “Impact Tracker/shallow water” display incidents observed by the Impact Tracker: garbage bags left on the beach, rotating fans, man-made pseudo-Impact Tracker, and multi-colored sea, etc. The ancient and contemporary, fake and true, and environment and one’s plot all exist in integrated composite.

In “The Plan,” the deposited sand on the Shimokita Peninsula drawn on the wooden panel is mixed by someone. Casual handling of sand reminiscent of sand play overlaps with the way the world was created by gods stirring up the chaos in Japanese mythology as well as human desire that has greatly changed and still can change the land. Visiting the land of Aomori and its complexity with the attached text in hand, the viewer might be able to see totally renewed landscape.

exhibition handout text by MURAKAMI Aya (ACAC)