Sparkling silver snow. When you take a closer look, you find shapes of “houses” and “buildings”. Shapes of houses that can be seen in Echigo-Tsumari region and shapes of quintessential buildings in cities. It's the mixing of region and city. Let us reexamine the relationship between these two entities through this interaction.
Did this Cuban artist construct this kind of overlap to draw a connection to the relationship of his homeland with developed countries? Cuba still retains many old structures due to delayed modernization as a result of the revolution… Do you see the overlap of regions and cities.? Cuba and America? Echigo-Tsumari and Tokyo? Or maybe somewhere else?
And here, the art poses a question to you.
This artwork was first introduced in 2012. Some people may feel it is beautiful, yet also filled with sorrow. There is also another reason as to why the artist came up with this artwork-- the Great East Japan Earthquake. The artist was shocked upon seeing images of houses swept away by the large tsunami in 2011.
On the following day after the Great East Japan Earthquake, another earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck near Echigo-Tsumari. In the four months following the quake, the place also experienced floods due to severe downpours. The result was more wrecked houses and damage in the form of a collapsed railway bridge.
The artist, who saw the ruins himself, might just be hinting that whether it is house or a building, they are both equally transient. Despite life being impermanent and momentary, there lies a shining beautiful future ahead.