Japanese

Opening remarks

Akira Fujimoto “Marine Garbage of Land” is Gallery A4’s 104th special exhibition.
This exhibition is presented under the category, “modern art.” Akira Fujimoto, the artist we have invited, has been engaged in the creation of videos, objets d’art, and other works through cross-disciplinary collaborations that have as their motif social phenomena that are beyond the control of people. I find Fujimoto to be a very unique artist in that his artistic activities, rather than being limited to the production of “artwork,” are inclusive of the process of creating the work, which is equally important, the aim being to act as a catalyst for response to society in each and every one of us.

With this exhibition, Fujimoto brings his artistic powers into full play by taking on the theme of “plastic ocean waste.” I was deeply impressed by the way “waste,” through the filter of his sensibility, has been recycled into a work of art and transformed into something that is not merely “garbage” but garbage that offers some new value—a kind of “recyclable garbage.” This indeed is the power of art.
In addition, with the offering of scientific evidence, one feels that an attempt is being made to give meaning to the work of creation, and this greatly adds to the appeal of the exhibition.

Plastic—this synthetic resin manufactured with petroleum as its main raw material—is light, durable, and inexpensive, and production volume has increased steadily. For modern-day people, it is an extremely useful material for daily life that we come into contact with every day from the cradle to the grave. Indeed, in the extreme heat produced by the abnormal weather conditions of recent years, the clear plastic bottles bearing water that come out of vending machines may even look to us like symbols of life support.

However, the plastic that is discarded after its mission is completed does not easily decompose, and once it flows into the sea, it rides the ocean currents and not only inundates the shores of Japan but also drifts across the ocean to distant waters, washing up on beaches and accumulating in large amounts in the mud at the bottom of the ocean, causing damage not only to fish but also to seabirds and wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. If we try to dispose of it through incineration, the greenhouses gases that are released accelerate global warming, contributing to the emergence of problematic phenomena such as abnormal weather conditions, huge typhoons, droughts, and frequent wildfires.

This issue has been taken up by many media outlets and warning bells are being sounded that this is an environmental problem on a global scale. A significant solution will require a shift to an economy that is not based on disposable production and consumption systems. As long as plastic is used as a raw material, the recycling of plastic and development of alternative materials are matters of great urgency, but it seems that we have not reached the point where these endeavors are economically feasible.

With the aim of making our lives on this planet more sustainable, humanity has always used its collective wisdom to overcome various crises in the past. But time is running out.
What is your response to the query put forth by Akira Fujimoto in this exhibition? I encourage you to start thinking about your own circumstances from a global perspective, and take appropriate action.

Hironobu Shirakawa / Director, Gallery A4