Sauntering my way through the beautiful images captured by Kawauchi I was surprised to see a room set up for a video. I shouldn't have been surprised. Many exhibitions of artists have a video section at some point. Though this wasn't a documentary piece or an explanation of her work. It was another part of the exhibition. The only video section of the photography exhibition.
Two projectors were lined up next to one another. Both showing a series of different short form videos. Videos consisting mainly of close up shots. A bug making its way down a window for example, or raindrops falling into puddles, leaves blowing in the wind, a craftsman working with a piece of wood.
It was intensely calming - if calm can be intense. I was hypnotised, each clip projected in front of me involved a simple static camera with the subject close up providing the movement. It was compelling. I was in a trance. Feelings of nostalgia for my time living in Japan washed over me. Feelings of familiarity of a place I didn't quite realise I absorbed so much. Seeing that unique countryside of Japan zoomed in. Close up. Personal. I didn't want to leave. Thankfully there was so much content on there that I didn't see repeats and I stayed awhile. Sitting on that little black sofa in the dark was all I felt like doing in that moment. I didn't think about the rest of the exhibition or what I was going to do with the rest of my day.
For as long as I felt I could get away with, I sat there watching intently. My eyes darting back and forth at the two projections. For fear of frustrating the person I went there with, we moved on to grab a coffee and to see out the rest of the weekend.
Now I must address something... in a previous post I criticised having to sit and watch long videos in art galleries. I complained it left me feeling tired and didn't do much to inspire. Kawauchi's short form videos could well be exactly what my internet addled, short attention span desires. Having two videos playing, starting and stopping at different times, also most certainly sated my content craving brain's need for multiple screens. Anyway, now I see it can have its place and not leave me with the feeling of having my soul drained. It can leave me uplifted, inspired, and even be the highlight of the whole experience. A photography exhibition is perhaps a suitable place for it.
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