Ter gelegenheid van de tentoonstelling DUET – Nederland + Japan bouwt de Japanse kunstenaar Takashi Kuribayashi een ‘site specific’ werk in de tuin van het Van GoghHuis. Hij wordt daarbij geassisteerd door studenten en vrijwilligers. Zijn ontwerp is een holle boom aan de binnenzijde bekleed met kleine spiegels. Daardoor verbindt het werk het aardse met het hemelse. De reusachtige sculptuur verwijst naar Vincents fascinatie voor bomen en natuur. Deze voorliefde deelt hij met de Japanse cultuur. Tree of Vincent van Gogh is te bewonderen vanaf 6 juni 2026.
‘I have created various trees up until now’, aldus Takashi Kuribayashi. ‘In addition to trees, I have also created many works focusing on roots. Trees exist in various places as the memories and symbols of that specific land. Trees that live to be tens of thousands of years old are enshrined as sacred trees, carefully protected and deeply appreciated. This is because these giant trees, deeply rooted in the soil, hold the ground together and have protected the land itself from earthquakes and natural disasters. However, we humans have deforested many of these precious trees for the sake of our own livelihoods, using them as materials for a very long time. Furthermore, the leftover scraps—the parts not used as lumber—are either discarded or turned into woodchips. I utilize those local leftover scraps and bark-covered pieces to construct a new tree that serves as a grand symbol. It is an imaginary giant tree, formed by bringing together pieces of wood that each hold their own individual memories. It is then named after the land or the people connected to it, resurrecting as a brand-new entity. Moreover, the interior of this tree is constructed with mirrors. People who step inside will see countless reflections of themselves. It functions as a device that allows people to confirm where they stand today alongside their past, future, and memories. At the same time, it lets them feel the vastness of the sky shifting above them at that exact moment, experiencing a connection between themselves and the universe. In this particular case, it also becomes an existence that makes people conscious of the connection between the land and the human being known as Van Gogh. The tree will eventually decay and return to nature. But until that time comes, it will surely serve as a precious symbol that remains in the memories and records of the people who visit this place.’
foto: Annaleen Louwes
