Ondo-town is located in a part of Kurahashi-island, and faces on the Ondono-seto that is very narrow strait between Kurahashi-island and Kure-city Honshu. This strait has very busy traffic in whole day. There is a big bridge which had be made more than 40 years ago between Ondo-town and Kure-city.
We have been planning an art exhibition at the Ondo-town on this summer, so I and my class student of the University of Hiroshima city inspected the situation of this town on the 7th February 2004. I got a big impression from this town that the town people has been keeping their own culture and rules. The town consists of many houses and many small personal streets, it seems very complicated situation for outsider. Many Islands of the Seto-inland sea's erea have not many spaces to make thire house and street, therefor townsmen have to considered their original rules and historical culture.
It seems like an ants' nest. Every streets are like an animal trail. So those are rational and beautiful.
Recently, there are a lot of cities and towns that have redeveloped in Japan. But almost every cities and towns have followed with a western way to make the situation, because the city government and architect are thinking how follow with western concept to redevelop the city on their desk. Consequently they killed old cultures, histories and rules, so every new spaces and redevelopment areas are same smell and same landscape.
I think they have to learn more and more the original rules and cultures of a town or a city, it is the only Japanese way and Oriental way to construct.
Well, we will show our art work and action at the Ondo-town on this summer. It is very difficult to join our art work with a space of the town.
Anyhow, I am very interested in this show from now.