かげ Kage, 2024
Crocheted nylon and wool, broken kawara tile
32cmL x 17cmW x 35cmH
In Japanese, ‘Kage’ can be read as 「影」or 「陰」. Meaning ‘shadow’ or ‘yin’ (in yin-yang) respectively, it hints at an ‘other’ self that always exists within a whole. This vessel (inspired by amphoras with its pointed base) is joined to an extension of itself, hidden or warped when viewed from the side, just like our shadow on different surfaces. Looking at the wall on the left, the shadow appears as that of a regular vase.
The wool crocheted within the nylon acts as a fire retardant, preventing the fire from reaching the broken kawara within. The nylon is used to hold the wool in place, but it has to be melted away before the wool becomes exposed. While it seems a waste of the crocheted nylon as it ceases to exist, the wool structure cannot exist without the nylon.