Ako Sugie | "Lessons in Relating: Dialogue with Trees #100"
This exhibition explored dialogue with trees by digitally analyzing collected branches and adding 3D-printed elements to them.Summary
The exhibition, "Lessons in Relating: Dialogue with Trees #100" by Ako Sugie, held at Axis Gallery, was a study exhibition jointly planned by the design studio TAKT PROJECT and the engineering company SOLIZE Holdings. The core of the exhibition involved 100 collected tree branches solemnly placed on the gallery floor, each adorned with white substances seemingly intertwined with or asserting individuality upon the branches. The project aimed to foster dialogue with trees, forests, and nature as a step toward a sustainable society. This dialogue involved physically collecting branches, digitizing them via 3D scanning to analyze their form and mechanics, and then adding elements materialized by a 3D printer back onto the original branches. During a gallery tour, Satoshi Yoshiizumi of TAKT PROJECT referenced philosopher Koichiro Kokubun's concept of the "middle voice," emphasizing the importance of engaging with materials without imposing human will, which in turn encourages reflection on the natural environment. This approach served as a reminder of the way Japanese people traditionally interacted with materials, emphasizing harmony with nature over conquest.
(Source：artscape)