OZONE-SO
Courtesy: Mizuma Art Gallery
Copyright ©2004 Ujino Muneteru, All rights reserved.
Ozone-so
OZONE-SO was built in 2004, as a sculptural piece comprised of familiar waste material, such as electric appliances, junks, building materials and books. They were collected around Tokyo and contributed from the volunteers. First, these utensils are completely and utterly polished up to reveal their own beauty and now it would surely fetch a high price at an auction. The junks are then neatly assembled as if they were sensitive Japanese dish. The neatness and cleanliness are a very core of Japanese authentic beauty, and for us Japanese, a wild chaos can only exist as the subject of exoticism.
Implementing a concept brought from the USA in 1950s: “Even the best can get better when it’s bigger”, the sculpture was built in the size to maintain the sense of architectural structure. It takes a form of tank which is made of iron, symbolizing masculinity and power, but is constructed as a Japanese house which usually made of paper, wood and clay. The elements diametrically oppose to each other simultaneously exist within wooden tank house OZONE-SO. When OZONE-SO was built, Japan Self Defense Force, constitutionally structured as solely a self-defense force, was sent to Iraq. I see the humor and the sarcasm lie in the OZONE-SO in regard to such behavior of the Japanese Government. However, Japanese audience did not warmly welcome it then.
Along with a growth of mass consumerism and disposal, recycling industry seems to be expanding beyond cans and bottles. Old materials are traded as goods. Junks are no longer junks. In other words our brand-new future may already have been the past…
OZONE-SO was built in 2004, as a sculptural piece comprised of familiar waste material, such as electric appliances, junks, building materials and books. They were collected around Tokyo and contributed from the volunteers. First, these utensils are completely and utterly polished up to reveal their own beauty and now it would surely fetch a high price at an auction. The junks are then neatly assembled as if they were sensitive Japanese dish. The neatness and cleanliness are a very core of Japanese authentic beauty, and for us Japanese, a wild chaos can only exist as the subject of exoticism.
Implementing a concept brought from the USA in 1950s: “Even the best can get better when it’s bigger”, the sculpture was built in the size to maintain the sense of architectural structure. It takes a form of tank which is made of iron, symbolizing masculinity and power, but is constructed as a Japanese house which usually made of paper, wood and clay. The elements diametrically oppose to each other simultaneously exist within wooden tank house OZONE-SO. When OZONE-SO was built, Japan Self Defense Force, constitutionally structured as solely a self-defense force, was sent to Iraq. I see the humor and the sarcasm lie in the OZONE-SO in regard to such behavior of the Japanese Government. However, Japanese audience did not warmly welcome it then.
Along with a growth of mass consumerism and disposal, recycling industry seems to be expanding beyond cans and bottles. Old materials are traded as goods. Junks are no longer junks. In other words our brand-new future may already have been the past…