"Kahoku Shimpo Special Exhibition on the Great East Japan Earthquake: 1462 days Artistic Journalism"
The Kahoku Shimpo newspaper company is holding the "Great East Japan Earthquake Special Exhibition: 1462 days Artistic Journalism" at its former Tokyo branch office in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, from March 10 to 22 (closed on the 20th and 21st). This exhibition was planned to halt the accelerating fading of memories of the disaster. It displays art created by 11 artist groups connected to the disaster-affected areas in response to the earthquake. Furthermore, it presents articles from the newspaper related to the disaster that inspired the artists or align with the themes of their works, conveying a message to prevent the fading of memories.
A press preview was held on the 9th ahead of the opening. Sato Jun, Tokyo Bureau Chief of Kahoku Shimpo, stated: "Over 2,500 people remain missing in the disaster areas, and tens of thousands continue to live in evacuation shelters. Meanwhile, outside the affected regions, we sometimes sense the fading of memories. We planned this exhibition to prevent this fading and to encourage people to maintain a mindset of preparedness for the 'next disaster'. Newspapers provide people with opportunities to think through facts, while art stirs people's hearts through imagination. The title uses '1462 days' instead of '4 years' because for the disaster victims, the years after the disaster are not marked by yearly milestones, but by the continuous struggle of each and every day." Participating artists introduced included Minako Shimonagase, representative of the Sakura Project; Kaoru Harada, Akihito Mutoh, and Kaori Sato of UWABAMI.
The venue is located on the 5th to 9th floors of the company building slated for demolition due to reconstruction. Each room serves as an exhibition space dedicated to a specific artist. The stairwell walls feature artwork by UWABAMI depicting the terror of the disaster-stricken night, the restoration work, and the gradual return of smiles as recovery progresses. There is also an interactive art corner where visitors can participate.
Details and venue footage: www.facebook.com/1462daysで 閲覧できる.
Participating Artists (11 groups) - in no particular order
・Sakura Project
・UWABAMI: Kaoru Harada / Akihito Mutou
・Kaori Sato
・Kimura Takeshi
・Hiroko Masuko
・Hayato Matsuyama
・Kozue Morita
・Shinpei Iwasaki
・Shunichi Sato × Chie Iyoda
・Natsumi Seo × Haruka Komori
・Morihira Ozaki
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