Takashi Horisaki

Diaries from the Capillary City, 2012
Latex, cheesecloth, pigment, detritus from building and street surfaces, plastic injection mold remnants, LED lights, overhead crane, performance with high school students
Approx 8ft x 10ft x 7ft, 10 minute performance

Contemplating the ever-changing nature of the city, Horisaki worked with groups of students and community volunteers to cast architectural surfaces in older sections of Seoul, like Seochon and the Jongno-3-ga area, as well as in the small-scale factories of Geumcheon. Horisaki used this casting process as a way to let students—the future of the city—reconsider the urban environment, observing and learning about the nature of these neighborhoods and workplaces. These locations were selected for they reveal the precarious patchwork of the city. They remain integral to the city’s production and vitality despite their antiquated appearance. Creating a multi-faceted installation that combines the collected latex casts with other objects gathered from these sites, such as the remnants of plastic injection molding and industrial casts in addition to a photo diary of the artist’s experiences, Horisaki seeks the connections between shifting technologies, urban architectures, and the knowledge and aspirations of the next generation.