Most likely, the flames will destroy themselves — Jörgen Axelvall

Most likely, the flames will destroy themselves

火は火みずからを滅ぼすだ

A solo presentation in two parts - at Ken Nakahashi Gallery and LOWW Gallery - both located in Tokyo

Collaborations

The exhibition title is borrowed from [Flames, Me, Memory] - the poem Mutsuo Takahashi penned for this project.
English translation by Jeffrey Angles, Professor, Japanese Literature and Translation, Western Michigan University.

German musician duo Arigto composed a four track soundscape around the visuals and Takahashi’s poem - recited by Takahashi himself in original Japanese. Kamilla Reinshagen and myself lent our voices to the English translation. A limited edition of 100 cassettes was published by Osaka label Death of Decay.

Synopsis

The interconnectivity of cause and effect - every action provokes a reaction.

A visit to Okunoshima, an islet in the Seto Inland Sea and the site of Japan’s secret chemical weapons program during WWII, took me on a path to learn about the complexity of one of the principal scientists of the 20th century, Fritz Haber. Before going down in history as the father of chemical warfare, Haber was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1918 for his invention of synthesized ammonia, mainly used as an agricultural fertilizer but also a powerful ingredient in explosives. This discovery changed the course of humanity forever; access to unlimited and cheap fertilizer is the chief reason our world has gone through an unprecedented population growth in the last century.

Haber went onto develop poisonous gas for the German army during and after WWI. As the lead scientist Haber was at the frontline at the battle of Ypres 1915, the first time chemical warfare was implemented.

Haber born a Jew converted to Christianity in a bid to advance his career.

His inventions and discoveries eventually lead to the development of Zyklon B, the gas used by Nazis to kill Jews in the millions.

Complexities and contradictions

Consider the philosophy of utilitarianism (for the better good).

When Haber decided to develop and eventually part-take in the release of chlorine gas on the enemy at Ypres he was convinced it was the humane thing to do; end the war swiftly and reduce the total number of casualties. Similar reasoning has been told, however contested, about the use of A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Haber’s infamous development of chemical munitions caused death and suffering in great numbers while his Nobel award winning invention of synthesized ammonia used in fertilizers helped sustain an explosive population growth on our planet, at a cost - excess use of fertilizers decrease the quality of soil, pollute fresh water supply and oceans, affecting our entire echo system.

find the poem here

Present day Okunoshima has been turned into a park with a large population of wild rabbits introduced after the war. Curiously rabbits were commonly used to test the effectiveness of the various gases and chemical munitions at the plant during the war.

Part one at Ken Nakahashi Gallery

The human figure, a reoccurring theme in my art practice, exposed, obfuscated and dichotomized by hazy color blocks: portrayed vulnerable and assailed, indicating the spoils of human impudence and repercussions of our own ingenuity, attempting to find their ground while navigating manmade chaos.

the works below are 700x825mm washi on wood panel, abraded surface, text in grease pencil

Part two at LOWW Gallery Tokyo

Okunoshima, kept secret throughout its brief history as the center of Japan’s chemical munitions program, even removed from official maps from 1927 until the end of the war when all documents concerning its activities were destroyed and locals ordered not to speak of it. The truth eventually reached the US allied forces whom upon inspection ordered the immediate destruction of the stockpile of chemicals and poisonous gases left behind. Some were dumped in the ocean or buried. A few cisterns too large to be moved were simply set ablaze. Those larger size cistern were housed in concrete domes mold into mountain walls. Scorch marks left on the concrete from the incineration are still visible as recorded in this series of photographs; ammonium oxidized UV cured prints on brass metal.

When encountered the crepuscular late summer’s light provided the scorch marks a fantastical sense of beauty - the glowing walls reminisced of golden screen paintings - and triggered something akin to apophenia; the tendency to assign a (visual) meaning to random patterns. (consider the antonym ‘epiphany’).

the works below are 400x500mm UV cured ink on brass sheet, ammonium oxidized

Peripheral closeups of fireworks captured at the nebulous junction where the vivid colors of the festive explosions fade and blend into irrecoverable hues. Pyrotechnics is a rare instance when explosives are used in a non-destructive manner, the ancient Chinese art of fireworks of course predates Haber’s discovery of synthesized ammonium; these images symbolize the complex relationship between ‘destruction and celebration’, ‘chaos and order’, ‘violence and peace’ - fused vapors alluding to ammonium being a powerful combustible used in modern bomb manufacturing.

the works below are 350x350mm washi on wood panel, abraded surface

Lunar Eclipse