Tsukimi (月見) or ‘moon viewing’ is so important in Japan that even special festivities are dedicated to it, mostly in September when it’s said that the most beautiful full moon of the year appears. Even in Japanese (garden) architecture, the moon is an important consideration, as is sunlight.
Numerous traditional gardens have been designed and planted in a way that during a night walk, your attention is directed at the interplay of light, shadows and reflections of the moon, often in the reflecting surface of a pond. It’s a calming experience that may have been the inspiration for the artwork 'Craftscape' by Youichi Sakamoto of the artist collective 9+1.
Just like reflecting water surface - which sometimes moves fiercely and sometimes quietly, brightly or softly lit - 'Craftscape' has different appearances. It is an intriguing play of light on the walls of the Mennonite Singel Church. But when you squint your eyes, you can see a mountainous landscape of light that floats mysteriously in space. Surprisingly enough, this illusion is caused by a very simple configuration: a processed metal plate is moved with an engine and reflects the light of an LED lamp. By the way, this plate was lacquered black with a traditional method (urushi) and a computer-controlled laser cutter drew a line pattern.
As the title 'Craftscape' indicates, two elements are crucial in this installation: something that is made by hand, and the natural landscape. The search for harmony between culture and nature has been an essential part of Japanese society since ancient times. Sakamoto’s mechanical imitation of a natural, intriguing light (like that of the moon) is, like all of 9+1’s work, a modern, technological interpretation of that tradition. It’s simple but beautiful.
