Amidst the natural surroundings of Hvitsten Salong’s artist residency, a small stream winds its way down to the ocean. On the opposite shore, a factory produces explosives intended for military use, rumored to be involved in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This quiet stream, however, is connected to a deeper sense of memory, flowing toward the ocean, indifferent to the turmoil on the other side. Toni Morrison, in her work The Site of Memory (1995), beautifully encapsulates this idea, noting that despite efforts to alter the course of water, it will always find its way back to its true path.
She writes: “…the act of imagination is bound up with memory. You know, they straightened out the Mississippi River in places, to make room for houses and livable acreage. Occasionally the river floods these places. "Floods" is the word they use, but in fact it is not flooding; it is remembering. Remembering where it used to be. All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was…"
At Hvitsten Salong, a 100-meter-long textile installation is presented featuring sublimation-printed photographs. As I currently reside in Tokyo, my work is inspired by the theme of connectivity. Just as no two bones in any animal or human body are identical, yet together they create a complex structure, my photographs capture moments of connection—or the lack thereof—among daily commuters in Tokyo. The images depict hands grasping onto phones, books, umbrellas, and bags, yet rarely holding onto each other. They show the stability sought by individuals holding onto hand grips on trains and the quiet solitude of travelers resting their hands in their laps.
This project explores the tension between memory and the present, between connection and isolation, and reflects on how these elements intersect in our daily lives, much like the stream that silently remembers its way to the sea.
The exhibition is curated by Camilla Von Kløppen
