About the artwork

The artist who exhibited artwork at this same location in 2003. The artist returned to the site to finalize plans during the winter of 2006, which saw record-breaking heavy snowfall. There, they encountered a landscape completely different from what they had seen in 2003, and a school sealed off by snow. Perhaps it was then that the artist truly grasped the reality of a region cut off by deep snow for five months. The resulting artwork densely and heavily encapsulated the site’s memory within the building.A preview event for the community, held before the general opening, saw many local elders attend. They were asked to bring items connected to the area and the school. These are quietly gathered in the smallest space at the very back, starting from the entrance.

In 2009, the third-floor space was renovated. Additional curtains were added to rearrange the partitions, completely transforming the impression.Additionally, a temporary installation featuring stacked vintage clothing was displayed during a period. Separate from the artworks, a booth was set up for the artist’s ongoing global project collecting heart sounds. Over 50 days, heart sounds from 416 people were recorded. These collected sounds later became part of an artwork presented at the 2010 Setouchi Triennale.

[Sponsor = Soichiro Fukutake]