cardboard + blue tarp castles by makoto aida emphasize temporariness in tokyo

japanese artist makoto aida has built two castles utilizing cardboard and blue tarps, as part of pavilion tokyo 2021. both materials are robust yet cheap, sharing the similar characteristic of symbolizing temporariness instead of permanence. by using these two elements, the pavilion depicts human resilience which cannot easily be crushed, and also a way to protest against modern sculptures that use only heavy, expensive and long-lasting materials.image © designboom

the stone wall on which these works are installed was built during the construction of meiji jingu outer gardens, which once supported the historic edo castle. the cardboard and blue tarp castle standing on the stone base serves as a message οf encouragement from tokyo to each region where the scars of disasters still remain, ‘let’s get through this together‘. it also represents a strong sense of determination and readiness to face catastrophes that may one day come to tokyo.

‘what I want to emphasize is the opposite of permanence- temporariness, unreliableness, paltriness as well as the bravery in trying to withstand such characteristics. I’ll never know what the outcome will be like, unless I try creating it. sink or swim I will try. I want to dedicate the outcome to japan of today or more specifically to tokyo’. said makoto aida.image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

project info:

name: tokyo castle, part of pavilion tokyo 2021

artist: makoto aida

venue: ginkgo avenue, in meiji jingu gaien 2-1, kita-aoyama, minato-ku, tokyo

dates: july 1 – september 5, 2021

producer and curator: watari-um, the watari museum of contemporary art

organizers: tokyo metropolitan government, arts council tokyo (tokyo metropolitan foundation for history and culture), and executive committee of pavilion tokyo 2021