Two weeks ago, the summer session of the Setouchi Triennale 2016 began and I travelled to Setouchi to visit the Fukutake House on Shodoshima to see the Growing Manual: Collective Ferment project.
Earlier this year, Art Byte Critique was contacted by Hyemin Son and John Reardon about the possible inclusion of the group in their Growing Manual Project. After a visit from Hyemin Son in Tokyo this spring, Art Byte Critique’s participation in the Growing Manual Project was confirmed. A brief introduction to Art Byte Critique as well as a selection of a plant (white-flowered Japanese dandelion) that best represented the way Art Byte Critique functions were sent to both John and Hyemin in preparation for their piece at the Fukutake House.
I have included the introduction written by John and Hyemin that was part of the Collective Ferment booklet at the Fukutake House below.
For the Collective Ferment, five artist collectives from Japan are participating with each collective selecting a plant. Two tanks were designed and manufactured to ferment/preserve the selected plants. One tank consists of fruit + 35% alcohol while the second tank consists of plants + 20% salt. The fermentation/preservation process will last almost four months with a bottling and distribution workshop to be held on the last weekend of the fall session of the Setouchi Triennale – November 4 – 6, 2016.
I have included images from the Collective Ferment as well as Art Byte Critique’s pages in the Collective Ferment booklet. You can learn more about Hyemin and John’s works at the Minor Adjustment Collective website.
