Shinjuku Marui: Participatory "Water Surface" Art Created with Customers

Shinjuku Marui BSP: "Water Surface" Art Completed with Customers (2024.3.14 - 3.31)

In late March, we proposed a participatory art project at BSP on the 8th floor of Shinjuku Marui Main Building.

From "Waste Material" to Separate, to "Water Surface" to Connect People

What we chose as the material for this work this time was three large acrylic panels. These were waste materials received from a TV station that used them as partitions in the studio during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turning panels that once existed to separate people into art for people to gather and enjoy. With such a story of regeneration, we challenged live production in a special place called a department store.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Work Completed by Customers Taking Photos

When Jun (Iwasaki) gave the theme "Draw a picture of water", Morikawa decided, "Even if it costs money, resin expression is the only choice". That is because she could not forget the happy feeling when their own figures were reflected in the work finished like a water surface with unevenness intentionally in the first Kokura Castle exhibition.

The concept of this work is "Completed by customer involvement". Trying to place your own personal belongings on the acrylic panel, or looking for your own angle by utilizing the reflection. By visitors taking pictures in their own way, a work only for that moment in the world is completed. Seeing everyone looking into the water surface and happily pointing the lens, we deeply felt the happiness of being able to express ourselves in this place.

A Piece of "Waiting" without Compromise, Water-Repellent Furoshiki "FROSHIKI -haus-"

For the 1st anniversary water-repellent furoshiki, we chose a photo of "Nankin" that we thoroughly particularized. This photo where goldfish swim over a Japanese pattern is not a composite. It is a piece that Jun took by erasing his presence so that the goldfish would not notice him and waiting for hours looking through the lens.

Our expression that cut out a natural moment of goldfish becomes a shape of furoshiki and blends into everyone's daily life. This period until the end of March became an unforgettable time for us, realizing again the joy of creating a work together with customers through the place called a department store.