Contemplation: Earth Energy

Abstract

Urada: Is a small isolated farming village on the western side of Japan in Niigata Prefecture producing buck wheat and rice. Like much of rural Japan its population is aging as the young move to the cities. Contemporary art festivals and residencies are seen as a way to revitalize rural communities through cultural tourism. These works were made at Australia House as the winter snow began to melt. They aim to express the elemental forces that dominate daily life for the people of Urada. The two week residency was under the auspices of the Australian Embassy and the Echigo-Tsumari Art Foundation.