Artist Statement – Cozue Takagi

About split and grain series

The split series is derived from the ground series, by dividing each of the 2 images of the ground series into nine pieces.

The ground series started to transform its shape into several series soon after it is finished. I decided to dismantle them, to connect the 'ground' with the world beyond me. I separated the images taken after the style of Japanese esoteric Buddhism's Mandala as I heard that 'ground' resembles them.

By knowing that my creation has linkage with the long-established thoughts, I realized the unseen relationship between the world and myself. The two series split and grain are the results from dividing ground into several pieces, it is to proof and show the link between the world and myself.

After split, I decided to identify the elements forming the world and myself by further breaking down the two images in detail to form my grain series. I made this work by collaging many photographic images. The process of taking out each element from the collaged work was to experience the process of tracing back life to its origin. All the elements show completely different shapes of life, when they returned into individual forms outside the collaged images. Each element is all so original, that made me curious that they were unified in just one image.