What is home? Where is home?

Shioya town

A cold winter is coming after a busy, fulfilling fall. I'm looking over what I did and updating my blog while thinking about the future. 

 I held 2 solo shows in my hometowns on the theme of “home". In 2012 my hometown became the first candidate to be the final disposal site for radioactive waste. There was a strong opposition movement by my hometown's residents which caused the site to be changed to the neighboring town of Shioya. 

My parents' home is almost the same distance from both of the candidate sites that are state-owned forests. The spring water of Shioya town was chosen as one of the 100 best waters in Japan. This water flows to Yaita and to Tokyo. Transferring the waste disposal site to Shioya town does not solve any problem. However, some of Yaita's residents think the problem is solved. Therefore, I wanted to interact with people in Yaita city and Shioya town. 

"What is home? " Eco House at Road station Yaita

My first hometown exhibitions were successful and were blessed with a lot of viewers. The theme of “home" caught the interest of many people and I got to involve them in my workshops and events. 65 people of all ages participated by using their pictures, writings, and haikus in our collaborative bookmaking projects entitled "My home”. In their work, their love and gratitude toward their families, and their desires to have a society without war were spelled out with quiet signs from their daily lives. 

"my home"

 During the exhibitions, I remembered the days I spent in my hometowns from fourth grade to high school. It was a pleasure to reunite with my classmates, most of whom I hadn't seen in more than 30 years. I worked together with my high school classmates to present my exhibitions and events. We were helped by lots of local people and our families. 

There were many wonderful encounters with new people who had shared interests with me. One of my favorite experiences during these exhibitions was getting acquainted with local people who were volunteering to organize thyroid cancer tests for children in Yaita City and Shioya Town. My friends who came to see me from far away were also a source of great joy.

"Where is home?" Exchange Center at the Road station Shioya

 I revisited my past and noticed that my basic feelings have not changed much. I felt warm feelings for humanity and nature while touching Japanese paper from my hometown. I have now recognized my identity more clearly after living overseas for 22 years. Japan, the United States, and the earth are my home.

What is home? 

Eco House, Road station Yaita Tochigi, Japan 

10/6 Thurs. - 11 Tues. 9am-5pm 

10/6 Thurs. 3pm Opening
10/10 Mon. Events

10:30am-12:30pm  Suminagashi Workshop 

2:30pm - 4:30pm  Artist Talk “Key and Home”
“Yasuyo in New York/Spring 2014” by Satoshi Yajimachi

Where is home? 

Exchange Center, Road station Shioya Tochigi, Japan 

10/11 Wed. - 11 Wed. 9am-5pm 

10/19 Wed. 3pm Closing (Potluck Party)  

10/16 Mon. Events

10:30am-12:30pm  Itajime Shibori Workshop

2:30pm - 4:30pm  Events

Screening

“Mayogoshiki” by Satoshi Yajimachi

“Endlager”  by WasabiChilli Films: 
Takashi Kunimoto &Renato Vazquez 

“Fukushima disaster area report 2015” by Yasuyo Tanaka

Panel Discussion

"Barrier-free railroad farm "Kazedayori" owner Masaaki Mizuno

"Hachidori: considering the future of children" Representer Shie Ida,  
"Orienteering Federation" Vice Chairman Katsunori Yamakawa,
Filmmaker Takashi Kunimoto, Filmmaker Satoshi Yajimachi

Artist & Educator Yasuyo Tanaka

Special Gusts came from Fukushima and gave us their up date report.

Tutomu Soma, Fujishima, Teduka, Satomi Teduka,  

Kenbun Hasegawa 

Japanese report by Shie Ida

Collaborator for workshops: Japanese paper mills "Mokuan"
Tochigi Prefecture Traditional Craftmaster Yoshiko Komatsu

Co-organizer: Youth leader development · child rearing lifelong learning support Sophia Representer Yuko Takase

The Choices We Make 
Hebrew Tabernacle's art gallery, the Gold Wing, presented eight neighbors, eight artists, and seven poets for their 2016 Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration. My print “transform 1” was selected by a Jewish curator Regina Gradess and was displayed next to a document of an 88 year old holocaust survivor. This print was previously used for a poster of my exhibition “In search of the meaning of our lives" commemorating Palestinian Nakba Day 2011.

This show at the Gold Wing ends Friday, December 30th. 
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 AM - 5 PM 
Some evenings: Call to find out evening hours 212-568-8304  
Hebrew Tabernacle 551 Fort Washington Ave. New York, NY  10033

Dec 6th action in front of NYC's Waldorf Astoria 

to protest the Wells Fargo Pipeline Symposium. 

Native American Sioux tribe members are protesting against the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline that will contaminate their water sources and its construction will destroy sacred burial sites. During this Thanksgiving holiday, Native Americans and police clashed and protesters were seriously injured. 2,000 USA military veterans supported the Standing Rock protesters and got the construction halted at least until the court rules in February. 

Standing Rock Benefit Exhibition
Rogue Space is presenting a 1-day exhibition 
Saturday, December 17th from 1-5 PM 
508-526 West 26th St, 9th Floor 
Manhattan's Chelsea area.