悶熱的天氣下在小巷中來來回回，古舊建築與新式的咖啡店和文藝小店，大坑總是給人一種寧靜又充滿活力的獨特的氣質。
「我已在附近了，但找不到展覽的入口。」
「這裡是有點難找的。」
喜愛香港舊式建築的Alex，幾年前在大坑建立了藝術空間THE SHOPHOUSE，最近又在附近找了一棟看上去更古舊的兩層建築，成為新的展覽空間otherthings。沒有加上任何店名、名牌作記號，關上珠紅色的木門後就如被遺棄已久的荒廢樓宇。藝術家野口寛斉（Kansai Noguchi）的個人展覽「EX TERRA」安靜地進行中，簡約古典的陶器就如身處的樓房，充滿歲月沉澱下來的痕跡，禪意氛圍讓人心也跟著平靜下來。
Wandering through the alleyways of Tai Hang, the juxtaposition of historic buildings and trendy cafes and art shops creates a unique atmosphere – one that is both peaceful and vibrant.
“I’m nearby, but I can’t seem to find the entrance to the exhibition.”
“It can be a bit tricky to locate.”
Alex, a lover of Hong Kong’s old architecture, established an art space called THE SHOPHOUSE in Tai Hang a few years ago. Recently, he found an even older two-story building nearby to serve as a new exhibition space called otherthings. With no signage or markings, the vermilion wooden door makes the space feel like a long-abandoned building. Inside, the solo exhibition , EX TERRA, by artist Kansai Noguchi was quietly unfolding. The simple, classical ceramics echo the aged character of the space, creating a zen-like atmosphere that calmed the mind.
場地的中央鋪上了一張白紙，赤著雙腳的野口正準備現場創作。他先是提起一邊腳，凌空在紙上反覆畫著圓；下筆時以雙臂的力量帶領，一圈又一圈，繪畫他心中的宇宙。過程中，所有聲音彷彿都戛然而止。後來野口看著畫作，與團隊嚴肅地討論著，原來是紙的材質不似預期。團隊的人笑說：「你今晚沒飯吃了。」雖然如此，當野口看到已拍下不錯的照片時，隨即笑說：「哦，今晚我可以吃飯了。」
In the center of the room, Noguchi stands barefoot on a sheet of white paper, preparing to create a live work. Lifting one foot at a time, he traces circles in the air, the motion of his arms guiding the drawing of his inner cosmos. All other sounds seem to fade away during this process. Afterward, Noguchi and his team discuss the work, realizing the paper’s material is not quite what they had envisioned. “Looks like you won’t have time to eat tonight,”they laugh. But when Noguchi sees the photos we’ve captured, he smiles and says, “Now I can have dinner tonight.”
OB：OBSCURA
K：Kansai Noguchi
OB：這次是你第一次來香港嗎？對於在這個古舊的建築裡舉辦個人展覽有什麼感受？
K：我是第一次來香港，看到舊建築旁邊又有新的建築，感覺到這城市正在轉變中。除了第一次在香港辦個人展，新作品亦是首次在日本以外的地方展出，所以對這次展覽充滿期待，也很好奇觀眾的反應。除了較為人熟悉的JOMON Yakishime系列，展覽亦展出了最新的APOLLO系列，希望觀眾可以留意到兩個系列的不同之處。
OB：你在新的作品中用了很特別的材料，可以介紹一下嗎？
K：展覽名字的「terra」，是拉丁語中地球的意思，作品的取材也是來自大自然，如山上的泥土、海中的珍珠和以鹿皮、骨頭製成的「nikawa」顏料。從去年開始，我想把一些社會性的議題融入作品之中。例如是把被人大量遺棄的次級珍珠製作成白色的顏料，以及從被人獵殺的鹿中，提取皮和骨頭製成膠水和顏料。
由於現時日本的鹿出現過度繁殖的問題，對人和環境也帶來嚴重的影響。例如是有些鹿為了覓食，會由山上走到山下，破壞農田，影響農民的生計，因此，當地出現了一群人上山獵殺鹿群。雖然鹿肉可以製成食物，但仍有很多部分用不上而遭掉棄，所以我拿鹿皮和骨頭來做材料，希望把這些被遺棄的物料用在藝術創作上，為環境出一分力。
OB：收集或運用這些天然材料時，有遇上困難的地方嗎？
K：最大的挑戰是用鹿來做材料的部分。我跟隨人們去捕獵鹿，由去皮、烹煮，整個過程需要一個月左右，都是由自己一手一腳去做。
OB: Is this your first time in Hong Kong? What are your feelings about holding a solo exhibition in this historic building?
K: Yes, this is my first time in Hong Kong. I’m struck by how the old buildings stand alongside the new ones—it feels like the city is in a constant state of transition. In addition to this being my first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, these new artworks are also debuting outside of Japan for the very first time, so I’m very excited about this show and curious to see the audience’s reaction.
OB：You’ve used some very unique materials in your new works. Can you tell us more about them?
K: The exhibition title “terra” comes from the Latin word for “earth”, and the materials I’ve used are indeed from nature—things like soil from the mountains, pearls from the sea, and nikawa pigments made from deer hides and bones. Since last year, I’ve been trying to incorporate more socially relevant themes into my work. For example, I’ve used discarded, lower-grade pearls to create a white pigment. And I’ve extracted glue and pigments from the hides and bones of deer that have been hunted.
There’s currently an overpopulation with deer in Japan, which is causing significant impacts on both people and the environment. Some deer are coming down from the mountains to forage in agricultural fields, disrupting farmers’ livelihoods. This has led to deer culling efforts in some areas. While the deer meat can be used, a lot of the other parts often end up discarded. So I’m trying to utilize these overlooked deer-derived materials in my art, to do my part for the environment.
OB：Did you encounter any difficulties in collecting or utilizing these natural materials?
K：The biggest challenge has been the use of deer as a material. I follow along with the people who go to hunt the deer, and from the skinning to the cooking, the whole process takes around a month, all done by myself.
OB：為什麼把新作品命名為「APOLLO」？
K：據說阿波羅是一位騎著馬的神，每天把太陽帶到特定的位置，這讓我想起日復一日重複的生命是如此珍貴。這次我面向自然，重複著雨沖、日曬的過程來完成這系列的作品。
OB：你的作品與大自然存在著密不可分的關係，可以談談你怎樣看人與大自然的關係嗎？
K：無論是人工製品，或從大自然中提取出來的材料，兩者都是地球裡的資源，這加強了我珍惜地球的想法。若然不去珍惜的話，我的藝術也無法繼續下去。
OB：Why did you name the new work, Apollo?
K：Apollo is a god who is said to ride a chariot and carry the sun across the sky every day to a predetermined position. It makes me think about the preciousness of life that is repeated day after day. This time, I aimed to create a work of art by engaging with nature, through the repeated process of washing it with rainwater and drying it in the sun.
OB：Your work is closely intertwined with nature. How do you see the relationship between humans and nature?
K：Whether human-made or extracted directly from nature, all materials are ultimately resources from our planet. This notion has reinforced my deep appreciation and care for the Earth. Without this reverence, my art simply could not continue.
OB：你認為JOMON Yakishime系列是你的代表作嗎？可否談談創作的靈感？
K：我是從日本繩紋陶器、韓國李朝陶瓷和古希臘的雕塑中汲取創作靈感，當中繩文時期是日本最古舊的文明，而JOMON系列就是受到當時的陶器形態啟發而創作。
我也認為JOMON系列是我的代表作，七年前創作這系列時，作品有粉紅、粉藍色等顏色，但慢慢地只剩餘黑白色，可能是因為黑白色讓我有一種冷靜、安心的感覺。在這段時間，我養的小狗過身了，於是我在作品中加入了圓形的圖案，代表著生命的循環。
OB：Do you consider the JOMON Yakishime series to be your representative work? Can you talk about the inspiration behind it?
K: I drew inspiration from Japanese Jomon pottery, Korean Goryeo ceramics, and ancient Greek sculptures. The Jomon period is the oldest civilization in Japan, and my JOMON series was inspired by the forms of pottery from that time.
I do consider the JOMON series to be my representative work. When I created this series seven years ago, the works had pink and light blue colors, but gradually they became only black and white. Perhaps it’s because the monotone gives me a sense of calmness and reassurance. During this period, my pet dog passed away, so I incorporated circular patterns in the works, representing the cycle of life.
OB：年輕時在美國唸音樂，為什麼後來會成為陶藝師？
K：在美國玩音樂的一段時間受到了一些挫折，於是想尋找一條新的道路。一次偶然走進了野口勇的博物館，讓我感受到日本人做的藝術品也能創出一條開闊的道路，我正是受到這股勇氣啟發而開始藝術創作的。
OB：做音樂的經驗在陶藝創作上有幫助嗎？
K：做音樂和做陶器是截然不同的東西，音樂是無形的，陶器則是有形的。音樂是營造一種氛圍，而陶器則著重於形態的表現。也許因為我之前是玩音樂的，比較習慣於表現沒形態的東西，這樣幫助了我去表達陶藝作品的氣氛。
OB：可以分享未來的計劃嗎？
K：我想做一些尺寸較大的作品。現在的作品比較接近工藝的感覺，所以我想做一些偏向藝術一點的作品，藉著大型的創作，能讓更多人看到和認同。
OB：You studied music in the US when you were young. Why did you later become a ceramics artist?
K：During my time in the US, I encountered some setbacks, which led me to search for a new path. One day, I happened to visit The Noguchi Museum, and it made a profound impression on me, showing me that Japanese arts could open up a broad, new path forward. It was this inspiring experience that set me on a new trajectory to artistic creation.
OB: Did your musical background inform your approach to ceramics?
K：Music is an intangible, atmospheric medium, while ceramics are all about tangible, physical form. But I found that my background in music, where I was accustomed to expressing things without a defined physical shape, actually gave me an advantage in how I sought to capture a certain mood or feeling in my ceramic works.
OB：Can you share your future plans?
K: I want to create some larger-scale works moving forward. While my current pieces have a more intimate, craft-like sensibility, I want to produce some artworks that have a stronger artistic presence. By working on a grander scale, I hope to allow more people to engage with and appreciate my creative vision.
EX TERRA by Kansai Noguchi
Date: 29 June – 28 July, 2024 (by appointment only)
Venue: otherthings, 31 Sun Chun Street, Tai Hang, Hong Kong
