In 2019, “Kaigū” (Encounters) was exhibited at Genki Plaza in Sayama City. It is a stone sculpture that can be moved anywhere, a “relocatable art object.” In today's rapidly evolving information society, where desired information can be easily obtained and people can meet on the internet, we named the sculpture “Kaigu” with the hope that Genki Plaza grows as a community hub, bringing more people together and becoming a platform for disseminating information about Sayama.

The work was created through inspiration. The concept of making Genki Plaza a “place of encounter” led us to imagine the Yin-Yang/Taiji symbol. The idea of strangers meeting, their hands intermingling and connecting, is similar to the philosophy where the opposing forces of yin and yang, light and shadow, mix and ultimately connect as one circle. This concept solidified the image of the work.

The work is influenced by our thoughts and backgrounds, as well landscapes of the heart. Niwaren embraces these ideas, and each member contributes their thoughts, philosophies, and ideas to enhance the completeness of the work. The structure of the sculpture uses Inada stone from Ibaraki Prefecture, one of Japan's top three granite production regions. Each piece was processed and shaped by Niwaren members mainly by hand. Relying as little as possible on machines and focusing on handiwork enabled us to imbue more feeling into the sculpture. It is our pride as artisans striving to create something better that resulted in a finished work with such a high level of quality.

Creating something unexpected and inspiring to people requires not only skill, but also human emotion, passion, and conviction. To produce that spiritual element, we believe in eschewing the easy route and taking the long way around, which increases the intensity of emotions and breathes life into the work. To that end we deliberately chose challenging handcrafting methods like chiseling and other manual techniques for stone processing.

We, Niwaren, dare to attempt the impossible and hope to create soulful works that move and inspire many people. Like the local Jizo statues that serve as a spiritual anchor for the community, our vision for “Kaigu” is to emphasize the importance of human connections and interactions through a space that embodies the community’s animistic traditions. We aspire to create works that become a source of life, crafted with heartfelt dedication.

P.S.
Amid the continuous distressing news since the beginning of the year, we have been taking some time to reflect about what it means to live in the volcanic archipelago of Japan, about the threat of nature, about the importance of bonds between people. About Japan’s culture of rice, about Niigata Prefecture, which is one of the country's leading rice-producing regions, and about Sado Island, which was originally connected to the mainland but was created by ancient tectonic movements. Considering all these factors, we believe it is fitting for Sado Island to be the landing place for our relocatable artwork, “Kaigu.”