youki hirakawa

Twenty Five Thousand

TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND YEARS TO TRAP A SHADOW / 2021

Outdoor Installation / Neon Light, Steel Stand / 9000:1600 mm
Photo by Ko Yamada / As part of the art festival Streaming Heritage

The work title is quated from an unfinished and unpublished book written by moving image historian and collector Will Day in the 1930s.
This book explores the origins of moving images and the field of cinematography.
The artwork itself consists of a 9-meter long neon light that replicates the design of a test print document.
When night falls and darkness envelops the surroundings, the neon light becomes visible in the landscape, creating a clear and striking presence.

The artwork delves into the inseparable relationship between light and shadow.
The use of neon light in this piece acts as a cinematic subtitle, adding a poetic element to the landscape.
This transformation of the installation site into a place detached from its historical context creates a sense of an undefined and unique space,
almost like a "nowhere place." Overall, the work explores the interplay between light, darkness,
and the transformative power of art within a specific location, offering viewers a thought-provoking experience.