The feeling and emotion of invisible memories fade into obscurity as time goes by. Memories of touching daily moment build up as small charm and eventually become a great source of energy to support me from the ground up.

Whenever I encounter a moving sight in my daily life or when I am overwhelmed by nature on a trip, I record the moment as a photograph or words and put the memory into the form of glass. While it is impossible to directly touch the memory itself, but by reproducing the colors of the moment in glass, the memory can exist semi-permanently.

If we can evoke the emotions and memories of the past, it will be the great encouragement for me to live in the "present" and move toward the "future.

For me, glass is "a means of giving form to the light in memory," a way of making the untouchable touchable. I feel that glass material is the most suitable material for expressing memory because it is amorphous at room temperature and a semi-permanent substance.

”Photography" allows us to objectively look at our own gaze, which tends to stay inward. Photography is a way to visually share memories of what moved you and what you found beautiful with others, and is one of the means of expression. On the other hand, "words" can convey senses other than sight, such as air, temperature, humidity, and smell, through writing.

The shape of a "container" separates the outer space from the inner space, and holds and accumulates something inside. I feel an affinity between this image of "container" and the image of memories accumulating within me. When the glass is used to encapsulate air and memories, the "container" transforms into a work of art that "holds memories".

I hope it will help you to notice the beautiful colors of the earth that are right in front of you when you look around on your way home.

Karuizawa Gallery

1151-5 Karuizawa, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano, Japan
Tel: +81 (0)267 46 8691
Fax: +81 (0)267 46 8692
Opening Hours: 10:00 - 17:00
Closed: Monday
More Info

ARTIST

MUTSUMI HAGIWARA

Biography

2020
B.F.A. Joshibi University of Art and Design
2023
M.F.A., Tokyo University of the Arts
2024
Currently enrolled in Tokyo University of the Arts' Doctor degree

 

 

Awards and Prizes

2020
Shigeyuki Kato Memorial Prize (First Prize)
2022
The 70th Tokyo University of the Arts graduation works exhibition, Arakawa ward Mayor Award
A-TOM ART AWARD 2022 Art Basel Hong Kong Prize
2023
Selected for 9th Contemporary Glass Art Exhibition in Sanyo Onoda
Entry, Craft Competition, Art City of Takaoka
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