Tomoko TADA (Curator)


Kano works to grow the potential of a place. He has been working to discover the possibilities places present for `precious happenings`. Kano aims his work beyond place potential, striving to develop human potential. Once we begin to realize place potential we see things with more precision, observing what we could not see before. Thus we encounter precious moments.

Kano began with `Weeds` where he placed seeds inside of houses and in places where it is not usual for weeds to be found growing. Starting from seeds which he watered, he watched them sprout and grow into weeds. The weeds flourished in some locations and failed to grow in others; this uncontrollable factor is important for `Weeds`.

Next he discovered a new world: `Transparent Mountains`. A series of seeds were planted in the ground at different locations. Transparent cups were then placed over the planted seeds to shield them. Some seeds sprouted during the night, breaking through the soil and shooting into the sky as they passed through the tunnel of life and death. These seeds simultaneously shot their roots down through the tunnel in the opposite direction, journeying through a different segment of the tunnel. Some sprouted and shot; others didn’t. The seeds that were on the tops of the cups represented movement during the night. The seeds that were on the cups placed upside down displayed the process of sprouting.

Kano’s third work, `NaturPlan`, was created during the “Time Blossoms” exhibition. To display time in the exhibition he placed a bird in his installation work, paralleling the seeds and overly ripened fruits (Garden Prayer). Time without reference to people is set inside the installation work as Kano seeks to make another view available, alternative from our human view. His notion is that birds view another world as they move and breathe with a different timing - walking, flying and behaving in their own way.

His intention was to clearly display bird movement to people. Kano allowed the bird to exist and to act in a space where the actions of people and birds can cross. Combining the two different viewpoints, he was working to discover a precious unperceived moment.

Kano intended the presence of the bird to alter perceptions of time and space. He is watching carefully when our paths intersect in the space of his work. Kano seeks the possibilities of a space where the bird, the weeds, fruits and humans exist together.

Kano is not intentionally pursuing world peace or happiness; his actions unconsciously pursue them. He is searching for a better way for all of us to live together. His work includes peace and happiness on a small scale. Reproduce this peace and happiness on a greater scale and they would create world peace.

Originally starting with a playful spirit, he was curious as to what would result from placing seeds on a tatami mat. Kano began by focusing on the uncertain fact of whether the weeds would grow or not in each place. This focus still plays a major role in his work, but discovering place potential has grown in importance in the attempt to discover `precious moments`.

What are precious moments? Kano discovered this term during his photography series `Studying About Something`, a series where he searched for precious things, places and scenes, and photographed them. A cat in the grass turns back; flowers fall off a tree; fireworks bloom in the sky. The moments and trivial things in our lives are precious and important; Kano calls them `precious moments`.

Precious moments actually happen in his installation works - the bird had eggs even though she was still very young; an artist who saw the eggs layed was inspired and started to draw; he and another artist immediately made a complex work from the pieces of a work that accidentally broke (Nameless Play); one of his friends brought food to the exhibition, contentedly lunching with all the visitors in a atmosphere where time continued freely and without end. Precious moments occur naturally in Kano’s work. Very trivial precious moments burst forth from the potential of his work and the potential others have. This uncontrollable factor is within his works. So fragile; so strong.