Miya Kosowick Mawatari
Menu
Works 2023
Genkan 2023
Reclaimed wooden scaffold platforms, rebar, metal, rice, ceramics, canvas
Genkan incorporates various materials such as reclaimed wooden scaffold platforms, rebar (commonly used to reinforce concrete structures), metal, rice, and ceramics. Mawatari has created a fragmented representation of a 'genkan,' a traditional Japanese entrance hall. In this installation, visitors are encouraged to take off their shoes and step inside, only to find a haphazard garden made of dried rice grains. The genkan appears to be under maintenance, occupying a liminal space hovering between the inside and outside realms of home and identity. Mawatari has used both found and made materials to construct the installation, highlighting the arbitrary nature of the relationship between time and heritage, challenging the notion of cultural authenticity. The juxtaposition of materials of the genkan emphasizes the artist's exploration of the ambiguities of tradition, time, and mixed-race identity within the fluidity of cultural boundaries. 
Images Courtesy of Millbank Tower, London 2023