Today I met with Kawaguti Norimitsu (川口智慎) to go see a public art project that he just completed at a new grade school in Nagakute. The sculpture titled, 水の記憶 (Water Recollection), is meant to move in the rain and it rained the entire time that I rode my bicycle to the university to meet him, but when Kawaguti and I arrived at the site the rain had stopped. Since the school was still under construction we were required to wear hard hats.

The Japanese school year starts in April so the construction is down to the wire. In America we have urban sprawl and the same is true in Japan. The Japanese call this the Donut Effect because the central city thins out and the population occupies a dense ring surrounding an empty core. In Japan it is fueled by the desire to own a “My Home.” “My” becomes a prefix for personal or western items. In bowling it is “My Ball” and “My Shoes” instead of the Japanese, Watashi no kutsu. We say tofu and tsunami in the states in the same manner. Peculiarities of language are fascinating.

The school that the sculpture is in is a very contemporary design decided upon through a competition between architectural firms. Most grade schools in Japan are sparse concrete structures consisting of three stories. The lead architect of this project insisted that there be only two stories. The building sports stainless steel at any opportunity and has a wonderful blend of modern materials and simple Japanese forms. All schools in Japan have ample places for the children to wash their hands unlike the few stations inside the restrooms in American schools. Another feature of note is a second floor pool.

Kawaguti received the commission through a competitive process which is somewhat special in Japan. Many commissions are given through a known network of artists, architects and planners. Kawaguti gave me an in depth explanation of the process that he went through. Hopefully this will help me approach different projects in the future.

The work has eight stainless steel cylinders on top of which are poised shiplike aluminum structures with stainless steel spouts in their bows. Each vessel is carefully balanced so that as it fills with water it will reach a tipping point and spill its contents into the next vessel in a cascading motion. If I had class in a room with a view of this I am sure I would not have paid attention to the teacher. I helped him take off the blue protective plastic and he mounted a nameplate at the corner of the site. Now all that is necessary it a good rain and I am sure the rainy season will take care of that.