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Hamish Fulton

CCA Kitakyushu Project Gallery presented a new work by Hamish Fulton.

WALKING ON A TRAIL UP TO THE HIGHEST POINT OF GROUND AND ON THE COAST ROAD IN A COMPLETE CIRCLE
ROUND THE ISLAND OF YAKUSHIMA

7 ONE DAY WALKS BY WAY OF:
2170 YEAR OLD JOMON SUGI CEDAR
1936 METRE HIGH MIYANOURA DAKE
TACHU DAKE
YAKUSHIMA LIGHTHOUSE ANBO
THE HANAYAMA TRAIL UP AND DOWN NAGATA DAKE
AND TO YAYOI SUGI CEDAR IN SHIRATANI
KAGOSHIMA PREFECTURE JAPAN 19 – 25 NOVEMBER 2006

Seeing with my own eyes, the incomprehensibly ancient Jomon sugi cedar, I was struck by two distinct but unexpected emotions. Firstly, my short adult life has been one of constant travel. Whereas, this giant tree has remained at its birthplace for 2170 years. Secondly, I experienced a feeling of ¡Æconfessional¡Ç guilt, looking up at this great survivor, words formed in my mind – ¡ÈHow, was it possible that the U. K. joined the U. S. invasion of Iraq? ¡É

Ironically, this tree (and others like it) has survived not only countless typhoons but, being of a crooked shape had also survived the Edo period demand for straightness. The stumps of giant trees scatter the primeval forest, felled as a form of taxation to be used in the construction of large buildings.
The title of my wall text in the CCA Project Gallery is: OLD TREE.

I call myself a ‘Walking Artist,’ neither of these two words give importance to art mediums; I am not a sculptor, this – is – not – Land – Art.

Hamish Fulton stayed at CCA Kitakyushu as Professor of Research Program during a month of November 2006.

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