Can't turn back time.

By Keiichiro Muramatsu

Piece description from the artist

This work is made by placing stones, wood, tree bark, fallen leaves, bird feathers, nuts, and other objects collected from the Iwakura ruins on a piece of calligraphy paper.

Iwakura-iseki is the site of an ancient ritual. A group of giant rocks is considered to be the god's retainer (i.e., a rock formation), and this rock formation is composed mainly of three giant rocks in the west, east, and north. Surrounded by tall, twisted trees such as cedars, the rock formation is surrounded by a different atmosphere, and still retains the atmosphere of the special place it once was.

The first step in this work is to carefully select several stones from among those collected and place them on a piece of paper. In arranging the stones, Keiichiro is conscious of the relationship between each stone as in a Japanese temple garden. He then gathers the stones that have fallen to the ground in the palm of his hands and scatters them from above. By creating a "space" where "order" and "disorder" coexist, He is attempting to express a "time of no return". For the calligraphy paper, he used the belongings of hIs wife's calligraphy master. Taking a bird's eye view of the artifacts makes him aware of the separation of body and soul, life and death.