About the artwork

Gannyu is the northernmost part of Tokamachi City. Just five families live there. Time there seems to pass in a special way. The artist tried to “give form to the atmosphere of the place.” It was just 40 days before the Triennial when the site was finally selected. The artist gave up on the original construction method because of the limited time. After trial and error, the work was created using a revolutionary method innovated by a local construction firm. As the word “placenta” symbolizes the protection of the embryo, a sacred and tranquil space was created, sheltered in the soil. [Architectural design: Masasumi Matsui]