Naoko Ito - Urban Nature
Naoko Ito. Born in Tokyo, lives/works in New York.
I saw these works from Itos "Urban Nature" 2009 series awhile back and was hoping to find some more information to flesh out a post but I have drawn blanks. That said I like these pieces and had to share them. The rest of Naoko's works vary greatly but these objects resonate with me greatly.
Elements of the work remind me of characteristics in Japanese culture and others link to the concepts of urban living. I think mostly this is because the Japanese seem to balance urban living and with such a strong traditional cultural connection so well. They seem to find room for everything, all be it compartmentalized. I think you can see where I am going with this. Shinto shines and bonsai trees, small pockets of tranquility that have strong roots in the spiritual history of Japan. With the development of Japan as a industrial power, its advance on cutting edge technology and head-strong charge into western consumer commerce its often a surprise to find pockets where Japans cultural heritage is so prevalent, yet it is.
Isolated or insulated?
I wonder if the idea around the trees/wood being encapsulated is to preserve or to protect? Its the fact it was once a living thing fulled with energy but now lifeless also factored in?
The manner in which is has been laid out and divided by basic man-made building materials such as glass jars, bricks and planks of wood a pointer towards the manner in which we construct and manipulate or environment?
I still feel there is something both beautiful yet tragic about the works as a whole. Some deeper critic of the way we alter the spaces we living in. How the manner in which we live impacts on the natural energies that move about us even inside urban environments. The struggle in ourselves as people/individuals to balance the spiritual nature of things with fundamentally basic flaw modern man exerts in his need to control or destroy everything around him.
Tonight I think I will watch "Lost in translation".
Work of Naoko Ito found here.
I saw these works from Itos "Urban Nature" 2009 series awhile back and was hoping to find some more information to flesh out a post but I have drawn blanks. That said I like these pieces and had to share them. The rest of Naoko's works vary greatly but these objects resonate with me greatly.
Elements of the work remind me of characteristics in Japanese culture and others link to the concepts of urban living. I think mostly this is because the Japanese seem to balance urban living and with such a strong traditional cultural connection so well. They seem to find room for everything, all be it compartmentalized. I think you can see where I am going with this. Shinto shines and bonsai trees, small pockets of tranquility that have strong roots in the spiritual history of Japan. With the development of Japan as a industrial power, its advance on cutting edge technology and head-strong charge into western consumer commerce its often a surprise to find pockets where Japans cultural heritage is so prevalent, yet it is.
Isolated or insulated?
I wonder if the idea around the trees/wood being encapsulated is to preserve or to protect? Its the fact it was once a living thing fulled with energy but now lifeless also factored in?
The manner in which is has been laid out and divided by basic man-made building materials such as glass jars, bricks and planks of wood a pointer towards the manner in which we construct and manipulate or environment?
I still feel there is something both beautiful yet tragic about the works as a whole. Some deeper critic of the way we alter the spaces we living in. How the manner in which we live impacts on the natural energies that move about us even inside urban environments. The struggle in ourselves as people/individuals to balance the spiritual nature of things with fundamentally basic flaw modern man exerts in his need to control or destroy everything around him.
Tonight I think I will watch "Lost in translation".
Work of Naoko Ito found here.
