2020
梛の木の下で
Echoes Beneath the Nagi Tree
Mural at Wakayama City Library
(Wakayama)
Panel, cotton cloth, soil, acrylic, etc.
21m×3.7m
Cooperation: Honganji Sagimori Betsuin, Hokkaido University Wakayama Research Forest,
The Power of the Forest
Commission: Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (CCC)
2020
梛の木の下で
Echoes Beneath the Nagi Tree
Mural at Wakayama City Library
(Wakayama)
Panel, cotton cloth, soil, acrylic, etc.
21m×3.7m
Cooperation: Honganji Sagimori Betsuin, Hokkaido University Wakayama Research Forest,
The Power of the Forest
Commission: Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (CCC)
This mural, "Under the Nagi Tree," is located inside the Wakayama City Library. It is based on the Wakayama City folktale "The Great Tree of Sagi Forest." The mural evokes the memory of a giant Nagi tree that is said to have once stood in this area, bringing it back to life in the present day. By researching Sagi Forest and using local soil in the artwork, the artist emphasizes the connection to the land's history and nature. This work overlays a local story onto a reading space, creating a space where memories are passed down through generations.
The "Nagi Tree," which symbolically stands out in the space of the Wakayama City Library, is a work conceived from the folk tale "The Great Tree of the Heron Forest," which is passed down in Wakayama City. According to legend, there was once a gigantic Nagi tree near this area, said to be several kilometers tall with a root diameter of about 4 kilometers, and its shadow was said to reach the sea off Awaji Island. It is also said that countless white herons lived in its branches and leaves. While it is said that this great tree has already been cut down, it is imagined that its roots still remain deep underground. This work spatializes the narrative structure in which new sprouts grow from those invisible roots, spread their leaves, and grow together with children.
Yoshitaka Nanjo, the creator of this work, is an artist who has consistently used the unique "soil" of a place as a material, creating works that focus on landscapes and sense of place. In this project, he researched Saginomori in Wakayama City, using folk tales as a guide, and collected soil from the site to be used in part of the artwork. Through this process, layers of past time and present place are superimposed, creating a space in the everyday public space of a children's library that evokes the nature, history, and culture of the region. Visitors can enjoy reading, and at the same time, by being in this space, they can quietly touch upon the memories inherent in the land of Wakayama.
Furthermore, this symbolic space is intended to be etched in children's memories for a long time, serving as a catalyst for stories to be passed down when they revisit it as adults. The aim is for it to become a place where people will eventually tell their own children the background of the folk tales, and where stories are passed down through generations. The Nagi tree, which shows different expressions depending on the season and time of day, will continue to exist as a symbol of this place, embodying multiple layers of hopes and wishes.
Cooperation: Honganji Sagimori Branch Temple, Hokkaido University Wakayama Research Forest, Mori no Chikara, Wakayama City