Today is one month from the 10th anniversary of Japan’s 3.11 triple disaster. A magnitude 9.0 megathrust earthquake hit the eastern region of Japan on the afternoon of March 11, 2011 with a resulting tsunami and nuclear following in the aftermath.
Opening today, February 11, The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC host the powerful group exhibition A Future for Memory: Art and Life After the Great East Japan Earthquake, on display until September 5, 2021. Curated by Fuyubi Nakamura, MOA’s Curator for Asia, the exhibition highlights nature’s destructive impact on humans and its regenerative potential, and explores how humans live in harmony with nature, as well as how new connections and relationships have developed in the aftermath of this tragic event.
“A Future for Memory is an important opportunity for those of us living in Canada to consider the effects of natural disasters and reflect on how we are all connected globally,” says Nakamura. “The exhibition is derived from my personal experiences in the disaster region. I spent a few months in the Miyagi Prefecture, which suffered the largest number of casualties, and I have returned every year since. I worked particularly closely on rescuing and cleaning photographs found amid the debris, an experience that led me to reconsider the relationship between memory and objects.”
Nakamura adds: “The Great East Japan Earthquake left both visible and invisible fears in its wake. In a way, these effects are not unlike what we’re experiencing today from the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter the type of disaster, recovery is a long and challenging process. Art can be a crucial agent in revitalizing stricken communities, providing a potent opportunity for reflection and creating a shared sense of hope.”
A Future for Memory will feature works by eight artists, groups and institutions from Japan, tracing the material and intangible effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake, commonly referred to as 3.11 in Japan after its date of occurrence on March 11, 2011.
The artists and works featured include:
- Masao Okabe
- Chihiro Minato
- Atsunobu Katagiri
- The Rias Ark Museum of Art
- The center for remembering 3.11
- The Lost & Found Project
- The “Lost Homes” Scale Model Restoration Project
- The Tsunami Ladies film project team
For a glimpse of the artists’ works visit moa.ubc.ca. Then visit the exhibition in person by booking your timed-entry tickets to MOA (this exhibit is included in admission) at moa.ubc.ca