Robotic dragons spit fire into a group of fully masked and chained prisoners. The futuristic scene around them is dark, chilling, and dystopic: police cars line the crowded streets and swarms of blackbirds stream out of a cryptic circle on the floor decorated with ancient esoteric signs. The large manga-like image comes from Nonhuman Crossing (2013), a woodcut made by Sachiko Kazama (b. 1972, Tokyo). Her work largely consists of large-scale black and white woodcut prints, a layered process with very meticulous stages: drawing, transferring images, engraving, and printing, most of it made in her apartment. For Kazama, this laborious process of woodcut making corresponds to her archival research into multiple layers of history, making scenarios for the future.
Similarly, The Whirlwind of the 13th District (2005) presents a severe panorama. It is based on the large artificial island of Odaiba, situated on top of a former landfill in Tokyo’s area 13. Seemingly dystopic, the island was once a disposal area and now has many high-end shopping centers where tourists flock. The woodcut shows the tremendous battleship Yamato, which fought in several battles during WWII but was eventually destroyed by US forces in 1945. Similar to Noah’s Ark, the battleship in the woodcut carries not animals but the buildings that were built for a failed World City Expo before the bubble economy burst.
Research for her works consists of delving deep into history and questioning the veracity of it as told by states and their linear descriptions of past events. The skepticism and distrust that drives her to research are visible in much of her work that appears apocalyptic, fantastical, and frightening. Her amusement with always obscuring historical fact versus fiction and the past with the present is investigative. The imagination of Kazama might appear far-fetched, however, the control and surveillance visible through many of the images is increasingly present in contemporary society. The works attempt to push viewers to tap into a more dissenting character, which today more than ever seems necessary. JV + AM
self-presentation:
My starting point as an artist is at kindergarten in Montessori Method and unique art class I’ve attended as a child. These early education taught me independency and to think outside the box. As I grew up, I’ve had difficult time fitting into compulsory education, but it made me realize that imagination and creation are free. I still question myself what freedom is and find an answer in 1920’s Japanese anarchistic artists who were influenced by German philosopher Max Stirner. I see there is greater creativity in winning freedom from nothing. Historical and current events intersect and create fictional stories in my work. Nonsensical human activities throughout the ages always inspire me. As an art, I seek abiding beauty, e.g. timeless strength of sharp and characteristic lines seen in the work by Soga Shohaku, E. L. Kirchner and L. Feininger. That’s the beauty and freedom I’d like to pursuit.
