Q: Please introduce yourself.

A: My name’s Takako Higashihata and I’m currently working as a potter in Shigaraki while also developing art pieces. In recent years, I’ve been making sculptures and installations that combine various materials, everyday objects, and photographs, which all focus on the theme of the transformation and sharing of time.

Q: What would you like visitors to pay attention to?

A: I’d like it if they could focus on the act of perceiving and seeing while taking in the position of objects and what’s reflected in the mirror.

Q: What brought you to make this work?

A: There’s a famous Chinese music piece called “Reflections of the Moon” which is played on a two-stringed instrument called an erquan. It’s supposed to evoke an image of the moon, high in the sky reflected onto two springs far away from one another. My interpretation is that the song shows that despite how far apart the springs are, they’re connected by the moon.
So with that in mind, I wanted to created a work where you’d feel connected to others even if you couldn’t see their faces, even if you aren’t physically close to them.

Q: Is there anything you want to convey through your work?

A: I’d like to bring attention to the blindspots in our lives—both places and things. I hope that I can help people be more cognizant of the things we normally don’t pay attention to.

Q: Was there anything you focused on in your work?

A: My work spans between two floors and has a unique, thin shape. By using that uniqueness to my advantage, I focused on making sure that the visitors were seeing what I wanted them to see. I also tried to use plain objects that are in our daily lives, but we don’t often notice. By being in a space with things we often overlook, it’ll help to find the blind spots you have in your daily life.

Q: Could you expand a bit on the title of your work?

A: The image I had for the piece was a reflection of “me” and “you”. Visitors will be taking the role of “me” and see “you” in the mirror that’s placed a little bit of a distance away from them. With both people reflected, it shows that both of you are in the same place despite not being physically next to one another.
I also thought that being able to present our work in this exhibition space, where two floors are combined into one space, would further reinforce this image.

Takako Higashihata
Reflections of the Moon
2024
Mirrors, drywall, wallpaper, curtains, old paintings