Exploring the Intersection of Nature and Art at Hanna Saito's Exhibition
On May 28, 2025, the art space Decameron in Kabukicho, Shinjuku will unveil Hanna Saito's solo exhibition titled 'Co-consuming / Mutual Traces'. Saito, who serves as an assistant professor at Toyo University and is a candidate in the doctoral program at the University of Tokyo, has been gaining attention as a contemporary artist based in Tokyo and Yamanashi. Her innovative approach involves using food infused with pigments and colorants to engage with true slime molds, resulting in unique artworks that reflect their interaction.
The exhibition will feature her renowned work, 'Eaten Colors', alongside the world premiere of her new piece, 'Mutual Traces'. This latest creation signifies a novel collaboration between Saito and the slime mold. By mixing oatmeal and shiny glitter, she applies this to her body, which is then transferred onto fabric. As the slime mold interacts with this setup, both Saito's human traces and the non-human presence of the slime mold coexist and intertwine on the fabric, creating an ongoing spectacle of transformation. This aspect will captivate visitors as the mold continues to thrive during the exhibition, prompting changes in the displayed works.
'Mutual Traces' proposes a fusion of cultural representations such as 'makeup' and 'decoration' when glitter is applied to Saito's body, which undergoes a transformation into minerals and metal oxides through the metabolic reaction of the slime mold. This interplay generates visual effects that dissolve the boundaries between artificial and natural artifacts, echoing Saito's aim to capture the fluid interplay between nature and culture.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors will witness the living slime molds actively engaged in their environment, shifting the dynamics of the displayed works. The initial days may resemble a nurturing ground for these organisms, while later parts of the exhibition will showcase Saito embellishing the wall space with the slime molds' cultivation substrate, which also challenges the notion of economic activities intertwined with the artwork.
Saito is aware of the ethical implications surrounding the use of slime molds in art, where practices might be perceived as 'exploitation' or 'violence'. Yet, exhibition director Isomura proposes that there exists a potential that Saito must continue to care for the slime molds, thereby questioning the relationship between humans and nature.
Interestingly, Decameron, where the exhibition is held, is a vibrant art space operated by the LGBTQ+ community. Its bar, which has a culture of adornment and performance, intersects with the theme of 'Co-consuming', pushing multidimensional interpretations of Saito's work further into the spotlight. Saito's own skin flora may even contaminate the pieces on display, emphasizing that this exhibition evolves along with the natural world it embodies. As Saito describes, 'Mutual Traces' visualizes the dynamics of consumption and waste through her body's imprint and the slime mold's consumption of pigment-containing foods, presenting a composition within a co-dependent relationship.
Exhibition Title: 'Co-consuming / Mutual Traces'
Period: May 28, 2025 - June 29, 2025
Venue: Decameron
Address: 1-12-4 Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6265-9013
Hours: 20:00 - 29:00
Closed on: Mondays
Among past works displayed, parts of 'Eaten Colors' will be revisited alongside the newly unveiled 'Mutual Traces'. Saito's artistic practice critically analyzes the boundaries between society and nature, the human and non-human, fostering a discourse on the inseparability of the creator from the subject. Understanding her works prompts viewers to engage with the nuances of materiality and meaning in art, revealing a space where the traces left behind blur definitive authorship and representation. Through this rich tapestry of interactions, Saito hopes for visitors to experience the resultant ambiguity between essence and expression in the context of her exhibition.
The exhibition will feature her renowned work, 'Eaten Colors', alongside the world premiere of her new piece, 'Mutual Traces'. This latest creation signifies a novel collaboration between Saito and the slime mold. By mixing oatmeal and shiny glitter, she applies this to her body, which is then transferred onto fabric. As the slime mold interacts with this setup, both Saito's human traces and the non-human presence of the slime mold coexist and intertwine on the fabric, creating an ongoing spectacle of transformation. This aspect will captivate visitors as the mold continues to thrive during the exhibition, prompting changes in the displayed works.
'Mutual Traces' proposes a fusion of cultural representations such as 'makeup' and 'decoration' when glitter is applied to Saito's body, which undergoes a transformation into minerals and metal oxides through the metabolic reaction of the slime mold. This interplay generates visual effects that dissolve the boundaries between artificial and natural artifacts, echoing Saito's aim to capture the fluid interplay between nature and culture.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors will witness the living slime molds actively engaged in their environment, shifting the dynamics of the displayed works. The initial days may resemble a nurturing ground for these organisms, while later parts of the exhibition will showcase Saito embellishing the wall space with the slime molds' cultivation substrate, which also challenges the notion of economic activities intertwined with the artwork.
Saito is aware of the ethical implications surrounding the use of slime molds in art, where practices might be perceived as 'exploitation' or 'violence'. Yet, exhibition director Isomura proposes that there exists a potential that Saito must continue to care for the slime molds, thereby questioning the relationship between humans and nature.
Interestingly, Decameron, where the exhibition is held, is a vibrant art space operated by the LGBTQ+ community. Its bar, which has a culture of adornment and performance, intersects with the theme of 'Co-consuming', pushing multidimensional interpretations of Saito's work further into the spotlight. Saito's own skin flora may even contaminate the pieces on display, emphasizing that this exhibition evolves along with the natural world it embodies. As Saito describes, 'Mutual Traces' visualizes the dynamics of consumption and waste through her body's imprint and the slime mold's consumption of pigment-containing foods, presenting a composition within a co-dependent relationship.
Exhibition Overview
Exhibition Title: 'Co-consuming / Mutual Traces'
Period: May 28, 2025 - June 29, 2025
Venue: Decameron
Address: 1-12-4 Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6265-9013
Hours: 20:00 - 29:00
Closed on: Mondays
Past and New Works
Among past works displayed, parts of 'Eaten Colors' will be revisited alongside the newly unveiled 'Mutual Traces'. Saito's artistic practice critically analyzes the boundaries between society and nature, the human and non-human, fostering a discourse on the inseparability of the creator from the subject. Understanding her works prompts viewers to engage with the nuances of materiality and meaning in art, revealing a space where the traces left behind blur definitive authorship and representation. Through this rich tapestry of interactions, Saito hopes for visitors to experience the resultant ambiguity between essence and expression in the context of her exhibition.
Topics Entertainment & Media）
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