This is How I Aged 108

TUESDAY, SEPT. 10 – THURSDAY, OCT. 3
10 AM - 6 PM, Mon. - Thurs, excluding holidays & closures

THIS IS HOW I AGED 108:
Artworks by Kaori Takamura

From the Artist

My recent series, titled “This Is How I Aged 108” expresses the sublime beauty of the aging process, which I believe is heavily influenced by my unconscious understanding of Japanese Zen Buddhism. I use my perspective to depict this transcendent process: how we begin, and how we end, and what this means to us. By encapsulating our thoughts and memories in each of the numbered boxes, I want to reveal the passage of time. Each box is laser-cut and hand-constructed individually, numbers are either hand-stitched or engraved. 

In our Japanese culture, Zen Buddhism holds the belief that humans have 108 defilements, and we have a tradition that all the temples in Japan must ring their temple’s bell 108 times right before the new year to cleanse us of our sins. Because of this, the number 108 is meaningful for the Japanese people, regardless of their religious beliefs.  Inspired by this belief, I conceived the installation pieces titled “Composing Time” and “Erasing Time” to convey that our lives create all the occurrences and phenomena, but they are born from nothingness and return to nothingness.

Opening

Join the reception on Mon, Sept. 9, 5:30 – 8 pm.