New Year's Day 2015 began with a beautiful blue sky in New York City. The blue sky made me peaceful and happy but, at the same time, it reminded me of many victims. This year will be the 70th year since the end of the Second World War, the 150th year since the end of the United States Civil War, and 239 years since the American Revolution. American Army bases are now all over the world. There is a real chance of new and continuing wars. This is a good year to think about what real peace is.
I remember September 11th, 2001 which began with a beautiful blue sky. I hope our individual happiness can spread to our friends and the whole world this year. Without the happiness of others, I can not be truly happy.
Yasuyo Tanaka
Report of JeJu Island
In the beginning of 2014, I saw the movie "The Ghosts of Jeju" and met this movie's director, Regis Tremblay. This movie addresses some of my concerns in the world so I arranged screenings of it at my solo art exhibitions. When I heard about the JEJU Peace Festival I decided to visit Gangjeong Village on South Korea's Jeju Island and participated in the first JEJU Peace Festival. The movies and personal encounters at this festival were very inspiring. I saw the movie "Life is Peace" and met Hwang Dae-kwon who is a deep ecologist and operates the life peace village. I felt a close affinity with him.
Gangjeong village is a water source area which has expansive mandarin orange groves and farmlands. In this pristine village, a US military base has been under construction. There are daily protests that oppose the U.S. military base. When I participated in the demonstration there was a mother holding a child next to me. We were surrounded by the police. The child was afraid and began to cry. I can't forget the facial expressions of the police who looked embarrassed about what they were ordered to do. They couldn't look us in the face. The opposition movement has come to a turning point in Gangjeong village because the base is already 70% complete.
I visited 4.3 Museum which has been exhibiting the massive war history of genocide that has been hidden by South Korea's government. It reminds me of the many differences of opinion amongst different groups of Japanese and Korean citizens and government officials. Jeju is a tourist island which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of the people who visit here, don't know about these horrors. I feel there are potential problems that can happen everywhere.
My home town is one of the top candidates to be the final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from Fukushima.The government's specified location is famous for being one of the 100 most pure sources of spring water in Japan.This spring water flows into the Tonegawa River in Tokyo.Residents are fighting against the government's plan to transfer radioactive waste from Fukushima to their town.There are many signs all over town protesting the choice of their town as the final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste.
Exhibitions
“And so it grows...”
Monday January 5 through Friday January 30
250 West 40th St 5th floor NYC
Tel (212) 219-8783
“White Carnation”
Wednesday March 11,14:00 - Sunday March 15, 17:00
Open hours 11:00-18:30
Yokohama Creative City Center
Honchyo 650-1 Nakaku Yokohamashi
Tel 045 221 0325
I will participate in the exchange exhibitions of Japanese and Armenians to commemorate the establishment of the Armenian embassy in Japan at the coordinating Gallery Ginza 1 chome. Even now, Armenian people remember that Japan helped in the rescue and reconstruction when a large earthquake occurred in Armenia on December 7th, 1988. Armenian people built a stone monument that spelled in Japanese "For the Great East Japan Earthquake victims" and they commemorated it by decorating it with white carnations.
After I decided which of my artworks to send to this exhibition I learned about the Armenian nuclear power plant. The only Armenian nuclear power plant was said to be the most dangerous nuclear power plant in the world. It was closed after the earthquake.
Workshops
Experimental Bookmaking
February 17th - 20th at Gettysburg College in PA
Collagraph
Saturday February 28 and Sunday March 1
10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
323 West 39th Street 2nd Floor NY NY 10018
Tel 646-416-6226
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