Erika Velez
Georgina Ruff
IDS 121.32
Research Paper

Habermas defined the public sphere as a virtual or imaginary community that does not exist in any particular space, it is made up of individual people gathered together as a public and expressing their thoughts. Through the discussion, the public sphere produces opinions and attitudes that are made to agree or disagree with a particular piece[1]. Tree Huts (2008) and Under the Water (2011) by Tadashi Kawamata are works of site-specific “public sphere” art that promote the reuse of supplies to help conserve the environment which would facilitate a thriving discussion in future classes, and therefore be included in future curriculum.

Tadashi Kawamata constructs architecture in urban spaces with recycled materials such as timber, cardboard boxes, old newspapers and vegetable crates. Born in 1953 and a graduate from the University of Fine Arts in Tokyo, Tadashi has had many experiences throughout his life working with various venues of art, but making works that intend to link the exterior and interior architectural aspects of the urban work places has always been something that interested Tadashi Kawamata[2].

In 2011, Tadashi Kawamata produced his work Under the Water, which was made out of old doors and reclaimed wood bits and parts. The inspiration behind this work was the tsunami that hit Japan in 2011[3]. Placed throughout a gallery and also through the outside corridors of the exhibit, this work was meant to give the participant a vague idea of what it would be like to be stuck under all of the debris that was a result of the tsunami. Doors, windows, wood pieces were all placed strategically by Tadashi Kawamata to leave room for glimpses of light to shine though the piece reinforcing the feeling of actually being stuck under the debris. The work was both humbling and eye-opening, Tadashi Kawamata gave the viewers an inside look into what actual people had to see or deal with during this tsunami and that made the piece very personal to many people and sparked plenty of emotion to go along with the personal relationship that the viewers developed with the piece[4]. This work exemplified Tadashi Kawamata’s passion toward the social context of his pieces as well as the relationships that surround the works and how they are presented.

The materials used for this piece were reclaimed from the disaster zone and shipped to where the exhibit was to be displayed. Because Tadashi Kawamata recycled these pieces of wood and doors, he was able to contribute to the clean-up of the disaster area. Also because of the social contextual nature of this piece Tadashi Kawamata was able to enforce his idea of actually being under the tsunami debris and facilitate emotions from his viewers.

An earlier piece of work that brought Tadashi Kawamata into the art world was Tree Huts, which was produced in 2008 in Madison Square Park in New York City[5]. With Tree Huts, Tadashi Kawamata represented his interested in architecture though these tree houses that were set up in various trees throughout the park. The idea behind the work was to renegotiate the meaning of a public and private space by placing something like a house, which is very private, into a public space that allowed participants to dissect the meaning[6]. Initially the community was concerned about the trees being damaged due to the constructive nature of the project but Tadashi Kawamata reassured them that the houses were merely built around the tree trunks and not build into them in anyway.

Aside from not damaging the trees, Tadashi Kawamata also used wood pieced and eco-friendly tools to produce this work making it easily recyclable and contributing to this notion of global warming and how to further prevent it. Due to the temporary nature of Tadashi Kawamata’s site-specific works and materials he uses, the supplies are eligible to either be used in another work in the future or to be recycled in a proper recycling format[7].

Both of Tadashi Kawamata’s works can be directly related to the public sphere and would help facilitate further class discussion about how eco-friendly works of art are beginning to make a breakthrough in the art world. Both Tree Huts and Under the Water are physical interpretations of Tadashi Kawamata’s creative thought process because they are not only works that exist, they are also thought felt through their meaning and interpretations they generate.

Also, because Tree Huts was exhibited in Madison Square Park, and Under the Water was exhibited not only in an art exhibition but also through the outside passageways, it was very public which in-turn facilitated discussion and public opinions about these works because of their connection to social context and their environmental nature. Because of the reduce, reuse, recycle mentality Tadashi Kawamata portrays in regards to his art and installations, he can potentially become a pioneer for the environmental movement which according to the public sphere definition would possibly effect change and place him into the public sphere category. Finally, due to the public nature of the works Tadashi Kawamata produces, he is allowed the opportunity to freely express himself in regards to social context or even his perceptions on architecture in a public arena.

Art in the “public sphere” is inclusive of many types of works but, Tadashi Kawamata should be included in future classroom discussions because he encompasses the potential future of art. Environmental issues are something that will continue to become prevalent more and more as global warming continues and people neglect the need for recycling. Tadashi Kawamata is a pioneer because his works are temporary due to their site-specificity, and eco-friendly due to the reuse of materials. All of these reasons and more is exactly why Tree Huts (2008) and Under the Water (2011) by Tadashi Kawamata, as well as various of his other works are great examples of site-specific “public sphere” art that would promote a prosperous discussion in future classes, and therefore be included in future curriculum.

Bibilography
Beitiks, M. (2008, November 01). Up In the Trees: Madison Square Tree Huts. Retrieved April 2012, from Inhabitants: http://inhabitat.com/madison-square-tree-huts-tadashi-kawamata/
Calder, A. (2009). Tadashi Kawamata. CNAP , 30-32.
Madison Square Park Conservancy. (2008). Results Page. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from MadisonSquarePark.org: http://madisonsquarepark.org/?s=tree+huts
Meinhold, B. (2012, January 30). Tadashi Kawamata’s ‘Under the Water’ Imagines The Debris From Japan’s Tsunami. Retrieved April 2012, from Inhabitant: http://inhabitat.com/tadashi-kawamatas-under-the-water-imagines-the-debris-from-japans-tsunami/
Mennour, K., & Kawamata, T. (Directors). (2012). Tadashi Kawamata : Under the Water [Motion Picture].
Soules, M. (2008). Jürgen Habermas and the Public Sphere. Retrieved April 2012, from http://records.viu.ca/~soules/media301/habermas.htm
Trunk Show. (2008, August). Interior Design , 79 (10), pp. 36-36.

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[1] Soules, M. (2008). Jürgen Habermas and the Public Sphere. Retrieved April 2012, from http://records.viu.ca/~soules/media301/habermas.htm

[2] Calder, A. (2009). Tadashi Kawamata. CNAP , 30-32.

[3] Meinhold, B. (2012, January 30). Tadashi Kawamata’s ‘Under the Water’ Imagines The Debris From Japan’s Tsunami. Retrieved April 2012, from Inhabitant: http://inhabitat.com/tadashi-kawamatas-under-the-water-imagines-the-debris-from-japans-tsunami/

[4] Mennour, K., & Kawamata, T. (Directors). (2012). Tadashi Kawamata : Under the Water [Motion Picture].

[5] Beitiks, M. (2008, November 01). Up In the Trees: Madison Square Tree Huts. Retrieved April 2012, from Inhabitants: http://inhabitat.com/madison-square-tree-huts-tadashi-kawamata/

[6] Madison Square Park Conservancy. (2008). Results Page. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from MadisonSquarePark.org: http://madisonsquarepark.org/?s=tree+huts

[7] Madison Square Park Conservancy. (2008). Results Page. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from MadisonSquarePark.org: http://madisonsquarepark.org/?s=tree+huts