takashi kuribayashi installs paper forest at the sapporo art museum
photo by osamu watanabe
all images courtesy of takashi kuribayashi

 

 

 

for the 2014 sapporo international art festival, japanese artist takashi kuribayashi reconfigures his ‘wald aus wald’ (forest from forest) to suit the exhibition space at the sapporo art museum. the installation fills the room as a pure white forest, crafted entirely from japanese washi paper — itself made from the trees it represents. crevices reminiscent of the tiny, partitioned spaces in traditional japanese domestic interiors are cut-out from the plane, acting as small observation spots from which the viewer can peer through.

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival
from underneath the installation, visitors are covered by a paper expanse

 

 

 

as a multi-layered structure, the installation enables the audience to see the paper forest from an unexpected perspective — from underneath. reminiscent of the vast expanses of hokkaido — japan’s second largest island — the work provides an opportunity to reexamine the position of humans in relationship to their environment and reflect on the boundary between the natural and the artificial.

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival
small crevices act at viewing points for visitors

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival
photo by osamu watanabe

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival
peeking out onto the white forest

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival
the perspective imagines an ant’s eye view

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival

takashi kuribayashi installs wald aus wald for sapporo international art festival
crafting the paper used for the installation