For the past 15 years Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata has studied natural disasters and catastrophes, including the severe tsunami that hit Japan in 2011. In a wood installation at Centre Pompidou-Metz, Kawamata realizes the enormity of natural disasters—creating a wave out of pieces of wood. Under the Water hangs from the ceiling of a room in the musem, contorting the space and rendering viewers uniquely vulnerable.
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Kawamata, whose art explores various fields including architecture, city planning, and sociology, captures the "out of control" nature of disasters, combining their size and power with an intense sense of movement. A uniquely dramatic piece for Kawamata, Under the Water resembles both the destructive power of tsunami waves while also simulating a kind of protective structure. Light leaks through the pieces of fragmented wood, seemingly bathing the room in sunlight and shadow. Paradoxically, Under the Water resembles both a destructive force and a protective shelter, as well as the natural beauty of sunlight and the inevitability of darkness. The mismatched pieces of wood, nailed together, resemble the wreckage that occurs after natural disasters.Under the Water will be on exhibition until August 15th. The piece was created with the help of several organizations and people who collaborated with the Centre Pompidou-Metz and the artist.
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