JUNKAN Museum

Capturing the Cycle in Harmony with the Land: Exploring Handmade Paper that Resonates with Its Subjects

For about four years now, I have been creating artwork while traveling back and forth between Yonaguni Island and Tokyo. While photographing scenes, I have also been exploring ways to express those images through the paper they are printed on. In addition to Yonaguni Island, I’ve had the opportunity to work on residency projects in places like Miyako Island and Taiwan. My stays typically last anywhere from two weeks to three months. I value maintaining a sense of freshness, so even if a place feels comfortable, I never settle down permanently. Feeling the wind and scents of the land, touching the materials with my hands, and engaging deeply with nature have all had a significant impact on my creative process.

A major turning point in my artistic journey came in 2021 when I visited Yonaguni Island as a traveler. While there, I had the chance to participate in a local craft workshop where I learned to make island sandals. Starting from cutting the grass to weaving the material, the hands-on experience and the time spent on the island felt incredibly natural. Before I knew it, I had stayed there for two months.

It was during this time that I wondered if I could create paper using plants native to the island and even horse manure. Since I had been photographing the island’s landscapes and its wild horses, I felt that expressing those images on paper made from local materials would create a deeper connection to the place. However, because Yonaguni Island doesn’t have a traditional papermaking culture, I had to start from scratch — selecting materials and developing my own method. The process was full of trial and error. I watched YouTube videos of Thai papermaking workshops and visited studios across Japan to learn about the craft and its cultural significance. Initially, my attempt to make paper from horse manure failed. The breakthrough came when I combined the manure with fibers from a plant called Itobashō, which grows naturally on the island. This blend finally produced the paper I had envisioned.

One of the reasons I first visited Yonaguni Island was to see the Yonaguni horses. There’s a designated area where wild horses roam freely, and after visiting several times, I encountered a horse that had passed away. Within a few days, maggots appeared, and fungi began breaking down the body. Witnessing the gradual return of the horse to nature, I instinctively captured the moment with my camera. Oddly enough, I didn’t feel fear — instead, I sensed a profound sense of reverence and beauty in the scene. The horse returning to nature, and the horse manure transformed into paper, both represent parts of a larger cycle. The horses eat grass, their manure enriches the soil, new grass grows, and the cycle continues. Living on the island has allowed me to witness these natural cycles firsthand and feel them deeply with all my senses.

Recently, I’ve been exploring new forms of expression that go beyond traditional photographic works. I presented pieces painted using cuttlefish ink collected from the island (as seen in images 4 and 5). Some of these works incorporate the effects of rain and waves, adding natural elements to the creative process. Moving forward, I plan to expand my exploration by incorporating materials from the sea, such as seaweed, into my artwork.

Artist

Moeko Yamazaki

Based in Yonaguni Island and Tokyo, Yamazaki explores the possibilities of artistic expression through two-dimensional works, three-dimensional pieces, and installations using traditional Okinawan Ryukyu paper-making techniques.

HP: moecoyamazaki.com