Tane - Between Land and Sky (Kyoto exhibition, mixed media, 18-20 April 2014)
There is a notice about the exhibition details, access etc., at my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/peter.matthews.9678
That can be used to pass the information to others.
Depending on what happens when we try setting up tomorrow, there should be 20 - 30 framed prints on display. Since they are mostly the result of publically-funded research, I will offer to sell the frames and distribute the prints for free, with a Creative Commons license for reuse, non-commercial, with attribution.
Small experimental exhibition with researcher & artists
in Kyoto! April 18(Fri)~20(Sun)
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Peter Matthews (photography)
Jennifer Henbest de Calvillo (installation)
Sahoko Aki (tableau)
Jude Aki-Field (media art)
EVENTS
41818:00~with
419 (),20()13:00~18:00
42018:00~
, 155000
4.18 Fri. 18:00 Party with flute ensemble
4.19 Sat., 20. Sun., 13:00-18:00 Workshop for family
4.20 Sun. 18:00- Night series talk no. 1
Naomichi Ishige (former Director, Minpaku): On the Foods of West and East
Dinner party: 15 persons with reservation, 5000Y
OPENING HOURS 11:00 ~20:00
LOCATION AIR
600-8024456-27
7
AIR - Takasei River Four Seasons Gallery
600-8024 Kyoto0shi, Shimogyoku, Tenma-machi 456-27
7 mins walk from Hankyu Shijo-Kawaramachi St., Kiyamachi South Exit
Introduction to the Photographs
Peter J. Matthews,
National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku), Osaka
The photographs in this exhibition have been taken over many years in different countries where I have travelled while studying the history of taro (sato-imo). Since 1982, I have been following the trail of taro and in March 2014, Minpaku published my book on this subject:
Peter J. Matthews (2014) On the Trail of Taro: An Exploration of Natural and Cultural History (Senri Ethnological Studies 88). Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology, pp. 429.
While doing fieldwork, I meet people and plants in a great variety of situations. One of my greatest concerns is the loss of habitats where people and forests have coexisted for many thousands of years.
This happens where modern economic pressures and systems of management lead to the cutting of trees too quickly, or too often, or without replanting and without care for biological (and human) diversity generally.
In New Zealand, my home country, the Maori people regard trees in the forest as representatives of Tane a god responsible for creating the world as we know it the world with life existing between the earth and space, or between land and sky. Tane separated the earth mother and sky father, creating space for forests, animals, and people. Tall trees especially are associated with this god.
Earthly trees naturally follow a cycle of life and death, but I still feel sad when I see trees that have died especially those that stand alone, separated from the forest that gave birth to them. In this exhibition, the life and death of trees is a theme that I explore, along with the story or trail of taro, which also begins in the forest of Tane.