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Joan Jonas

CCA Kitakyushu Project Gallery presented a new work by Joan Jonas, who lives and works in New York.

In “Double Lunar Rabbits,” Jonas explores the image of the rabbit in the moon, so familiar in Japan. Finding a similar myth in the Aztec tradition she juxtaposes the two stories in an installation involving fragile sculptural forms as a stage for projected video and discarded props once used by imaginary performers.

The stories:
The Japanese story says: The monkey, the fox and the rabbit resolves to practice charity, believing deeds of great virtue would bring even greater reward. An old man begs for food: the monkey gathers fruit from the trees, the fox catches fish from the riverbank. The rabbit, who knows only how to gather grass instead offered its own body, throwing itself into a fire. The rabbit however was not burnt. The old man revealed himself to be a god, and, touched by the rabbit’s virtue drew the likeness of the rabbit on the moon for all to see. The Aztec story says: When Quetzalcoatl lived on earth as a man he started a journey. After walking a long time he thought he would die of hunger. Then, a rabbit grazing nearby offered himself as food to save his life. Quetzalcoatl, moved by the rabbit’s noble offering, elevated the rabbit to the moon. Then, lowering him back to earth, he told him, “you may just be a rabbit, but everyone will remember you. There is your image in light for all men and for all times.”

Joan Jonas stayed at CCA Kitakyushu as Professor of Research Program from January 5th to February 2nd, 2010.

This post is also available in: Japanese