Natsumi Sakamoto came to Gray’s to talk about her work about the rowan tree or nanakamado, in Japanese. She found similarities between Scottish and Japanese mythology surrounding the tree and found how it related to gender issues that are still relevant today in Japan.
It got me thinking about the recent murder of Ingrid Escamilla, and how a practice such as burning witches is still metaphorically and physically alive in many countries like mine. Natsumi’s video reminded me of jacaranda trees, which are so symbolic of Mexico City, but started as a gift from the Japanese in the 20’s. You can see them everywhere in the city, but mainly in Reforma Avenue, which is the place where most demonstrations take place.
She talked about how her interest had started when she asked her grandmother the question: Which landscape do you remember most? And I asked myself the same thing and, with Ingrid in mind, the landscape that came to mind was Reforma Avenue, surrounded by jacarandas and people marching to protest femicides.
I thought it was very interesting how she started her whole project from something so personal and managed to create a visual work that talks about so much more.
Maxim Zaragoza 