We would like to present a series of photographs documenting defragment, an exhibition by Takehiko Hoshino (星野武彦) held at See Saw Gallery + hibit during the summer of 2020.
See Saw exhibits contemporary art primarily by Japanese artists. A small project space named hibit, converted from an old storage shed on the premises and opened in 2016, is dedicated to more experimental practices like video and installation works. For this particular exhibition, Aichi-born artist Takehiko Hoshino (b. 1976), who suffered memory loss following a traffic accident many years ago, attempted to piece together fragments of those lost memories. Hence the title defragment, inspired partially by Microsoft’s Drive Optimizer, a program many of us probably remember running in the hope that it would, well, optimise our hard drives. Hoshino draws a parallel between human memory and computer storage, questioning the reliability and truthfulness of both. A fascinating comparison, just like the data on a hard drive, where it’s constantly being written and erased, our memories are reconstructed daily, as we continue to live and age, we create our own malleable illusions.
Launched in 2009 and directed by Mieko Ono (小野美恵子), See Saw is tucked away in a quiet residential neighbourhood in Mizuho, Nagoya. Surrounded by greenery and shrubs, the gallery stands out from its surroundings yet sits perfectly and harmoniously within, the sort of place you might expect to find in a book on Japanese architecture. Upon entering the gallery, immediately, you’re welcomed by the warmth of natural light, and an aromatic smell of freshly ground coffee beans hits you coincidentally.
As you traverse the exhibition rooms, a somewhat lazy, grumpy-looking cat may begin to trail behind you. Just when you pause to gaze at a work, your new companion will likely do the same, stretching out by your feet nonchalantly with an indifferent yawn. When she has perhaps had enough art for the day, she’ll rise up, squeeze, when you slide open the glass door, and disappear into the garden. An intimate, serene, yet open and inviting picture that the gallery paints. Art, coffee, and a cat, honestly, what’s not to like?
