今回は、桜島の石でキャンドルホルダーを創りました。日々の生活／暮らしの中で、自然の素材をつかって「こんなのあったらいいな」をカタチにしました。
I have created candle holders with natural stones from Sakurajima, a beautiful volcanic island in Japan’s South Kyushu area, imaging of beautiful shapes which will illuminate our daily lives.
素 材の石は、数年前に桜島を旅した時に戴いたもので、噴火によって産まれた火山特有のものです。島の方々は、何故か見ず知らずの僕に親切で。茶菓子をいっぱ いくれたり、色んな話を聞かせてくれたり。突然、壁画を描かせてくれたりと、型にはまらない愉快であたたかな人柄が印象的で、今も心に繋がりを感じていま す。
I got these volcanic stones on my trip to Sakurajima a few years ago. The local people were extremely kind and generous, giving me a lot of local treats and relating many fascinating stories to me, a mere stranger. They even allowed me to draw on a wall! I was very impressed with their generous and cheerful character, and I still feel a strong bond with them.
キャンドルホルダーの制作中、桜島の火山活動のニュースを見て驚 きました。島でお世話になったお母さんに電話をすると、島では風評被害で観光客が激減し、とても困っていると聞きました。詳しく話しを伺うと、今回の火山 活動は大正大噴火のような大規模なものではなく、避難区域は島の南側であり、それ以外の地域は安全で、みんな普段どうり生活をしているのだそうです。
When I was working on this exhibition, I heard the news that the volcano in Sakurajima had become active. I was surprised and immediately called a woman who had taken care of me at the trip. She explained that this volcanic eruption was far smaller than the great explosion in 1914, which was so powerful that it connected Sakurajima physically to the mainland by lava.
In this latest eruption, the area subject to evacuation was very limited to the southern part of the island, and other areas are quite safe. However, people's lives have been devastated by the following decrease in tourism and harmful rumors about the volcanic activity.
この先何か起こるのか、それとも何も起こらないのか。僕には、自然があまり に大きな存在なので判りません。けど、そこに島の方々の生活があるのは確かで、何か手をとりあい成せる事があるのではと感じています。微力ですが、展示を 通じて桜島の石に触れながら、出来ることを探していきたいと思います。
Nobody knows what will happen to the people in Sakurajima, because the power of nature is far beyond their control. However, at this very moment, they continue to live and work in Sakurajima. I continue to believe there is something we can all do for these people. This exhibition is my contribution to this effort.
2015.8.30 Takuya Komaba Translated by yuria
桜島の噴火警戒レベルを 4 から 3 に引き下げ、気象庁が発表。火山活
動は前の状態に戻ったと判断。
The eruption alert of Sakurajima has been lowered from level 4 to level 3. (The
eruption alert of Sakurajima is usually level 3 which is the restriction on entering
the mountain.)
2015.9.01 気象庁
2015.9.01 Japan Meteorological Agency