YOSHIAKI NAKAMURA: Voices of the Forest

Karuizawa Gallery 3

2023.06.24 – 07.23

Yoshiaki Nakamura, having an innate hearing disability, has communicated with others through faint sounds, lip-reading, and gestures since childhood. For him, who has always imagined sounds and explored the relationship between words and real images, dialogue difficulties mirror those of a traveler in deep forests and mountains.

This exhibition aims to represent the "Voices of the Forest." Nakamura explores the boundaries between hearing and vision, the points of contact and limits of dialogue between people, and the unknown possibilities that transcend these boundaries. He also examines how materials, sounds, and words interact within the realm of hearing and vision, as well as the differences in perception between the worlds of sound and silence.

YOSHIAKI NAKAMURA

The seemingly tranquil forest is filled with various sounds, such as wild deer with acute hearing, trees, and fungi. The moon illuminates all creatures, and the symbiosis within the forest connects species, resembling a dialogue. They form a complex network, similar to our human society.

Yoshiaki Nakamura

Nakamura has encountered misunderstandings in dialogue due to his hearing difficulties. He believes that from these experiences, new values and meanings emerge. Miscommunication is not negative; it provides clues for problem-solving and the development of advanced ideas. Communication problems can happen to anyone, big or small. In this exhibition, Nakamura presents an image of the "difficulty of dialogue—the essence of communication" that only he can express. This offers viewers a fresh perspective on how "misunderstandings" can occur, encourages them to question their own preconceptions, and provides an opportunity to accept and empathize with others.

"Deer in the Noise World"

In my painting, a deer stands like a phantom among fragments of noise that float in a silent world. The presence of the deer alludes to my own experience of wearing a hearing aid, as deer are known to be sensitive to sounds. In their uncertain state within the pink fog, the deer sense the constantly shifting sounds, vibrations, and words. Depicting such a world involves being mindful of the boundary between oneself and others, enabling effective communication. Ultimately, I aspire to express the deer within the dense mist in order to break through the unknown and create new possibilities for dialogue.

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"Ambiguous Words on the Moon in the Water"

To convey indirect dialogue, the words from my notebooks in my iPhone, intended for a deaf person, are projected onto the moon, acting as a reflection of the ever-changing sun. The letters on the moon's surface crumble, resembling the rippling effect on water, symbolizing the ambiguity of words and sounds, reflecting my experience of living as a deaf individual. The meanings of words are in constant flux, making dialogue an uncertain endeavor. Nonetheless, even within this uncertainty, I believe that new values and meanings will continue to emerge through dialogue.

"The Sound Space Between the Covered Chairs"

This is a musical instrument made of chairs, and it gives the impression that the chairs come alive with the sounds it produces. My intention was to share my personal experience of sound. I believe that all things, including artificial materials, possess a sense of life due to the vibrant sounds they emit. By depicting the covered chairs, I aim to evoke the concept of boundaries and provoke the audience to question the limits of sound and address the issue of disabilities. The wires, resembling mycelium and ivy, are tightly stretched, symbolizing my own tendency to be overly tense when interacting with others. The guitar amp serves as a metaphor for a hearing aid, allowing the audience to feel the vibrations of sound through their fingertips in a silent world. The mycelium-like drawings on the wall, along with written words, represent the noise that can be heard in the silent world and are exhibited as a musical score for playing the chairs.

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ABOUT

YOSHIAKI NAKAMURA: Voices of the Forest
2023.06.24 - 07.23

Karuizawa Gallery

1151-5 Karuizawa, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano, Japan
Tel: +81 (0)267 46 8691
Fax: +81 (0)267 46 8692
Opening Hours: 10:00 - 17:00
Closed: Monday
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