Deep in the forest located on the foothills of
Tsurugi Mountain, Shimizu, Hokkaido was an experimental outdoor gallery which was opened by some young Ainu artists who usually live in Tokyo area.
The forest was named "Hapo Ne Tay" which means Mother Forest in Ainu language. The owner, Rumiko Ehara offers her property as a place and opportunity for the young artists who are trying to find their own ways of new artistic expressions based on the long-lasting tradition of the tribe.
Her daugher, Utae Ehara has been producing such events, exchanges, promotions and exhibitions in the metropolitan area as well as in Hokkaido.
Exhibited as
Forest Gallery in September were the impressive pieces of work by Shogo Yoshino and Sayo Ogasawara. Shogo creates them with hand-drawn lines to symbolize celestial bodies (photo: "Sun") and animals while Sayo demonstrates unique and colorful illustrations of the gods = animals and traditional Ainu patterns.
In the quiet white birch and larch forest where you can hear the sound of streams and birds echoing, surrounded by their handmade works of art displayed here and there, the entire gallery itself was standing as if it were also a piece of art. I hope
my gallery conveys such atmosphere too.
北海道清水町の
剣山の麓の森の奥深くに、首都圏に住むアイヌアーチスト達による実験的なアウトドアギャラリーがオープンした。「ハポネタイ」（アイヌ語で「母なる森」）と名付けられた森、代表の惠原るみこさんが、民族の長い伝統を受け継ぎながらも新しい表現を見いだしていこうとする若いアーチストたちに場所と機会を提供している。
惠原さんの娘さん、詩乃（うたえ）さんは、このようなイベントや交流、普及活動、展示会を首都圏や道内でプロデュースして回る。
9月に
「二人展」として展示されていたのは、芳野省吾さんと小笠原小夜さんの美しい作品の数々。省吾さんは手描きのラインで天体や動物たちをシンボライズし、小夜さんは神様である動物たちとアイヌの伝統模様を個性的でカラフルに表現する。
せせらぎの音と鳥の声が響く静かな森の中に、人間の手でつくられた作品が点在するギャラリー全体そのものが作品のようだった。そんな雰囲気が私の
ギャラリーからも伝わるといい。
(Special thanks to Ms. Ehara, Utae, Shogo and Sayo)
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