People coexist with various beings in their lives. They can be other people, animals or plants. People make a lot of effort to live together with these living things. Through raising animals and plants and communicating with other people, I considered what was necessary for coexistence with others.

When cultivating other organisms, it is important to accurately grasp the physiological characteristics of the species. Animals and plants all have their favorite environments and nutrients, and we have to put a lot of effort into each living thing. However, excessive care and efforts could hinder coexistence.

Let’s take the gecko I am raising as an example. Will the gecko feel happy just because I constantly observe and care for it? No it will not. When I start observing, the gecko freezes and does not move, keeping its eye on me. And it only starts moving when I leave. In the case of plants, it is difficult to perceive this because they almost do not have a way to express themselves, but interest is not necessarily proportional to growth.

The importance of contemplation also applies to human relationships. In order to maintain the relationship, people recognize the other person’s preference and put a lot of effort into it, but if it becomes excessive, the other person will feel burdened and the relationship will eventually be broken. Each person needs an independent and autonomous situation, and excessive attention and intervention violates this boundary.

I focused on acknowledging and respecting the subject as it is for peaceful coexistence and produced an installation artwork. The circular object that seems to be breathing in the center of the space stands for organisms. On the floor, dark red wires that operate the structures are installed and these bring up the image of blood vessels. Then, the fog generated from the structures covers the wires like skin. The fog and wires are crucial components to represent the subject. The fog, which is sensitive to minute movements, changes drastically according to the movements of the viewers. In addition, the wires installed on the floor make movement inconvenient, and the viewers can easily realize their movements. The structures surrounding the breathing sphere also function as a chair so that the movement of the sphere could be contemplated while sitting still.

What is necessary for symbiosis with others? Many people are aware of the fact that a lot of effort has to be made to be with other lives. Of course, it is very important to understand and care about the object, but the contemplative attitude of respecting is an essential point that is likely to be overlooked. By contemplating breathing, I  expect that viewers will be given a new perspective on relationships.