Contingency A, 2011

With collaborator Shun Tsuzawa

In Contingency, there are many caramel puddings placed on the surface of the gallery floor. Stuck on top these gelatinous desserts are tiny, colorful paper flags.

I made this installation immediately after the Touhoku earthquake in March 11, 2011. During this time, there were frequent aftershocks, which caused much distress among the Japanese population. Contingency utilizes pudding, a light-hearted and sweet material, to convey comic relief regarding these serious events. These puddings vibrated and giggled as if an aftershock came, which brought humor to an otherwise fearful situation.

A dichotomy exists in this piece. For some, this installation can conjure feelings of irresponsibility and negligence toward the effects of the Touhoku earthquake. Much of the discussion being expressed related to this disaster came from a single-minded perspective. I was interested in the embrace of other viewpoints. Although I am empathetic to the horrific effects around this event, I am also concerned about the ability to acknowledge our own human error and sometimes, our irresponsibility. When the puddings shake from a quake, damage is not only limited within the gallery, but extended to the ground and environment around us too. When some people see the pudding, they are reminded of irresponsibility. When others see the pudding, they are reminded of a kind of positivity that already exists apart from its negative repercussions.