M/E Mother Earth - Rinko Kawauchi

Upon visiting Iceland in 2019, Kawauchi encountered geysers like the breadths of Earth, glaciers surpassing human time, and the inner space of a dormant volcano that was reminiscent of the inside of a womb. She had thus experienced the connection to this planet she had never felt before. Iceland was her point of departure; she continued to experience similar sights such as the nature around her home after the COVID-19 pandemic and the winter land of Hokkaido. She opened her majestic solo exhibition “M/E On this sphere Endlessly interlinking” and showcased a fraction of the “M/E” series. Even today, this body of work is been exhibited around the world. 　

The title “M/E” comes from the first letters of the words “Mother” and “Earth”, “Mother Earth” if read in sequence, and also hints at the word “Me”. It reminds us of the certainty that nature as an infinite existence and the small ubiquitous occurrences from our daily lives are not unrelated, but inseparably connected. As the most recent body of work by Kawauchi who returned to her point of origin –the connection between nature and human beings– and thus took a different look at the world during this turbulent time, this series goes beyond “Ametsuchi” and “Halo” through which she had established her perspective by contemplating nature. Bound by Hans Gremmen, the book appears to be a singular book object. A beautifully written essay, the like of a heartfelt letter, by author, photographer, and art historian Teju Cole concludes this publication.