300 Veils

Year: 1998
Location: Kansai Region, Japan

Description: This project began as a documentary exploration of contemporary Japanese urban form, specifically the rapid life-cycle of buildings. The use of fabric screens during the construction or demolition of buildings was researched as a sign of numerous Japanese architectural, economic, and social conditions. Over a course of nine days, the three cities of Kyoto, Kobe, and Osaka were documented for their quantity of these screens resulting in over 300 photographic sites. Through a series of smaller projects, issues involving the technology and logistics of the screens, their abstract aesthetic form, and their potential as public works of art were explored.