biscuit gallery Suyeont — Karuizawa Residency Report
I visited Karuizawa to take part in underflow, the inaugural exhibition at biscuit gallery Over/Under Karuizawa.
I stayed at the gallery’s residency on the second floor, in Kyu-Karuizawa, an area with old villas, shops, and walking paths. There was something about this newly established, thoughtfully arranged space that made me feel it was built with a desire to introduce good things to people.
Across from the gallery is a popular dango shop, where people line up even before it opens. I began my stay by enjoying the slightly salty, pleasantly soft dango.
I took a bus to visit Karuizawa Kogen Church, located in Naka-Karuizawa.
Karuizawa first became a summer retreat for Christian missionaries and diplomats, which is why the area is home to many beautiful churches. Among them, Karuizawa Kogen Church, established in 1965, left a particularly strong impression on me. The small chapel, with its pointed roof, is often used for wedding ceremonies. Sitting in one of the pews, I looked up at the pointed roof rising above the white flowers and the beautiful harp. The two sloping lines of the roof meeting at a single peak seemed perfectly suited to a place that celebrates the union of two people. As someone who often paints about encounters, I thought I would like to bring this form into a painting someday. I also found myself imagining the weddings of people I would never know.
After finishing the installation, we had a little time before dinner. We decided to visit Shiraito Falls together with Mr. Kobayashi, the gallery director, and artist Haruka Takahashi. The falls were located high in the mountains, about a twenty-minute drive away. As we made our way along the winding forest road, my ears began to feel blocked.
Unusually, Shiraito Falls stretches horizontally, spanning approximately 70 meters in width. Its name, meaning “white threads,” comes from the way the water resembles countless fine strands of white thread hanging neatly side by side. I dipped my hand into the water and found it rather warm. I was told this was due to the influence of Mount Asama, an active volcano. Standing before the falls, which seemed to extend around us, and feeling the dampness in the air, I had the sensation of entering another world, completely removed from everyday life. I found myself imagining what it would be like to stand there alone, with no one else around, simply gazing at the waterfall.
One hour before the opening of underflow, our two-person exhibition, Haruka and I decided to visit Richter Raum. Some time earlier, I had asked her which place in Karuizawa had left the strongest impression on her during her stays there, and she had mentioned this one. I had looked it up before coming to Karuizawa, but I had never heard of Richter Raum before, so I was curious to discover what kind of place it was.
It is an exhibition space that partially recreates Atelier Richter, the actual studio of Gerhard Richter in Cologne, Germany. The building is approximately two-thirds the size of the original studio, and its room layout, interior details, and the dimensions and designs of its windows have been faithfully recreated. At the time of our visit, Richter’s drawings and collages, along with new works by Belgian painter Luc Tuymans, were on display.
In this beautiful space, I found myself captivated by one of Tuymans’ paintings. Its title was Funnel. A few simple oval shapes were painted against a black background. Tuymans may have had an entirely different intention, but as I looked at the painting, I found myself imagining what it might be like to be a baby inside its mother’s womb. Before entering the outside world, could I, as a fetus, have sensed anything at all? I was transported back to a time I could never possibly remember, and lingered there for a while. It had been a long time since I had experienced the feeling of traveling somewhere simply by standing in front of a painting. These are the moments that make me want to create art, and to keep visiting exhibitions.
Richter Raum was undoubtedly a beautiful place, but what stayed with me even more was the forest path leading to it. I think this was because Haruka had so thoughtfully invited me to go there with her, even though she had visited before, simply for the sake of someone coming from another country. It was raining, and I was somewhat tired from the journey. Had it not been for her, I probably would have stayed in bed at the residency.
As we walked through the quiet, rain-soaked forest, we exchanged stories in our imperfect languages. We talked about our artistic practices, films we liked, and Haruka’s particular affection for nature, using English, Japanese, and a translation app along the way. Walking beneath the damp autumn leaves, I felt grateful for this encounter, brought about by our shared love of art. I also found myself thinking that Haruka’s warm way of looking at the world and her respect for nature are quietly reflected in her work.
At last, the inaugural exhibition underflow opened. People gathered in the space, asking one another about their works and sharing their thoughts. Stories that could never have been discovered online began to emerge through these conversations. I also found unexpected and beautiful connections between Haruka’s work and my own paintings. There is something truly wonderful about meeting people who have come from far away through an exhibition.
Although my stay was brief, I met so many wonderful people. Their kindness and thoughtfulness will remain with me for a long time. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Kobayashi for inviting me and making all these experiences possible through his warm hospitality. I look forward to seeing what other stories will unfold at biscuit gallery Over/Under Karuizawa.