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. 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.”