アートを社会との関わりで分類した稀有な論述であり、”Art as a social practice”の好例。「アート作品」扱いではあるが、展示内容については異例であることに理解を示しており業界にはインパクトがあった珍しい記事。

Henshu Techou : Yomiuri Shimbun editorial notebook, September 9, 2018

Yukihisa Isobe, an artist, studied environmental planning in the United States in the 1970s and, upon returning to Japan, contributed to national projects as a pioneer in the field. His works, born from his unique background, reveal the indelible relationship between people and the land. Currently, he has a large-scale outdoor installation on display in Tokamachi and Tsunan in Niigata Prefecture. This work visualizes the traces of a massive landslide by erecting hundreds of poles and establishing a huge scaffold on the river terraces to indicate the ancient riverbeds of the Shinano River. Before the grandeur of nature, we are reminded of how small and powerless humans are.

In the past, he created a piece called “Tokyo Zero Meter,” where he marked the names of women like Katharine, Ion, and Kitty high on the exterior wall of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, indicating the sea levels reached during the devastating typhoons that struck Japan shortly after World War II. The painful memories of the devastating floods that struck downtown Tokyo, resulting in numerous casualties, usually remain outside our consciousness. Yet, there is no guarantee that such a day will not come again.

In recent times, we have been continuously at the mercy of raging nature. Faced with such overwhelming power, it is tempting to retreat to the phrase “unprecedented.” However, despite the difficulties, we must continue to think and prepare. The worst can surely be avoided.

2018.9.9

This article is a rare example of categorizing art in relation to society and is an excellent example of “Art as a social practice.” Although treated as an “artwork,” it was recognized for its exceptional content and had a significant impact on the industry.