Carine Thévenau: Seasonal Abandonment of Imaginary Worlds
Editions Publishing
A limited edition publication that features 32 colour photographs by Mauritian-Australian artist Carine Thévenau documenting deserted playgrounds in rural Japan – many of which are relics of the 1980s financial boom. Abandoned due to snowfall yet devoid of graffiti or damage, the fading playgrounds are portraits of economic shifts and Japanese philosophies towards nature, waste, sustainability and respect for the property of others. Silent and inert, they linger in a liminal space as if time has frozen with the winter snow. This seasonal interval symbolises the Japanese philosophy of ‘Ma’, denoting a pause that enables emotion, thought and growth. The book opens with an image of origami, a poetic analogy for the neglected structures as they fold, unfold and refold into new histories and landscapes.
