It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. The above image is in response to a recent apprenticeship in Shigaraki, Japan, from August through November of this year. Living with, working for and studying under internationally celebrated artist, Yasuhisa Kohyama, was one the highlights of my life. To be associated with his greatness, however brief in duration, changed me. The days in Japan were long and each seemed to arrive earlier than the one before it, always carrying the promise and excitement of new sensory stimulation and all things unfamiliar. I once calculated that each day was the equivalence of a week's worth of knowledge while still in school. Its been a month now, however, since I returned to The United States. It seems that readjusting to my own culture has proven more difficult than was accepting and getting acclimated to the order and gentility that is Japan.
I was surprised to learn how proud the Japanese are as a people. Unlike Americans, however, they do not determine their identity by individuality and personal interests. Concern is for the shared sense of a general good feeling. The establishment of seniority and rank within necessitated groups and subdivisions is an important measure by which this expectation is met. Japan and The United States have each benefited from a relationship which we continue to foster and share. Contrary to popular opinion, however, the Japanese do not want to be American. What they do want is to be recognized, despite their small stature and isolation, for a heritage of adaptability and accomplishments that make them a world leader.
The above image depicts the United States land mass as surrounded by and fortified with a wall. While in Japan, witness to the great pleasure people take in being Japanese, I was forced to consider what it means to be an American. This brought to mind the current state of our economy, the apathy well entrenched in the minds of our youth, and our military might. How dramatically our society changed as a result of the Vietnam War. Perhaps its time we forgive ourselves of this conflict. The cost of our recent invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan have proven that we can't afford to assert ourselves by military strength alone. The United States is in desperate need of a different kind of pride, which celebrates the shared ingenuity and inventiveness of its citizens. After coming to these conclusions I imagined this wall America built up around itself. Perhaps Alaska and Hawaii are sold off to pay for our debt. Of course I realize this is unlikely and unrealistic, but until we begin reinvesting in ourselves here at home, the respect from the rest of the world we so concern ourselves with will not be forthcoming. The fear that comes from the barrel of a gun is not really respect.
But what does any of this have to do with art, one might ask? Everything. Art is about awareness and observation, perception and practice. Art is about creativity, the birth of inspiration and ideation. Art is about action, practice and change. Art is about reckoning and resilience.
