“hand base” AMPP Vol.22

You established your own private gallery AMPG for a limited time opened for 2 years. How and why did you start AMPG?

I use plants for my work. First of all there were no galleries that accepted plant art. I know it’s because there are many problems using plants and flowers since they are living things. For this reason I think exhibits using plants in gallery spaces didn’t happen. So then I decided to do it by myself and started AMPG. Recently there are galleries that welcome plants. I think I’ve proved a way for how galleries can handle living artworks during 2 years of AMPG experience.

AMPP

You have exhibited your new work once a month for 2 years at AMPG, which made a total of 24 works. You are very active.

I like to work on things hard. And to present a piece of artwork, I don’t like to be seen as if I just make a work to exhibit it in a rental gallery space. I thought I needed at least 2 years for doing exhibitions to convince people. So I’ve implemented 24 exhibitions in total for 2 years at AMPG. Besides showing works, we made visual papers AMPP for each exhibition under the concept to let the audience bring the installation from work back home.

“Botanical Sculpture #2 holding” Solo Exhibition “AMPG vol.25” Mitsubishi Jisho Artium / Fukuoka / 2009

Your solo exhibition AMPG vol. 25 is on show at Mitsubishi Jisho Artium in Fukuoka your local city. AMPG vol. 25 showcases all the past work you exhibited at AMPG in addition to a new work. Please tell us about the new work Plants of Remembrance 0-21 Fukuma?

This is my second time exhibiting my work at Mitsubishi Jisho Artium. It’s an exhibition in my local city, but I don’t feel love toward the local area. I don’t have specific feelings toward any cities like Tokyo, Fukuoka, New York or London. But I came up with an idea to make a work under the theme of my memory, as I hold an exhibition in my local city. Many people have their own memories like if you listen to certain kinds of music, it reminds you of a girlfriend who you used to hang around and things like that. And I wanted to express such memories with plants. Returning to my local area, I kept track of the past memories I’ve gone through, shooting a road movie by seeing various people, eating local foods, staying there over night and so on. At the end of the film, the making process of my latest work is included.