Takadanobaba Findings
James Harney
Opening 24.09.14 6-8pm
Artist Talks 16.10.14 6-7pm
Takadanobaba Findings is a personal response to having lived in Tokyo for three months.
Continuing my developments from Lessons For Living: Know Your Resource No#1 (Wood), whereby I first became interested in the handmade object and the development of specific skill sets, my Japanese adventure not only lead me to masters of woodworking but also into a far greater cultural experience.
This experience had a profound effect on me, both personally and for my artistic practice. I questioned and reacted to a culture in which ancient traditions are incorporated into a modern everyday; what can be learnt and borrowed from these insights into design, lifestyle and interactions with environment? The ability to focus on one thing truly, refine and hone it, is one that humbled me.
This installation is an attempt to create a homage to the wonderful things I saw and learnt, the people I met who influenced me and those things that were just out of reach.