Art Museum Webinar Etsuko Ichikawa: Broken Poems of Fireflies.

In this Livestreamed Artist’s Talk, Tokyo-born, Seattle-based artist, Etsuko Ichikawa discusses the creative motivations and processes that brought about Etsuko Ichikawa: Broken Poems of Fireflies, an immersive installation commissioned by the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU. A moderated Q&A followed the talk.

Etsuko Ichikawa introduces the exhibition Broken Poems of Fireflies.

Imagine fireflies pulsating in the dark on a humid summer night—serene, undulating points of light over fields and creeks of a verdant countryside. In contrast to this soothing peace, the firefly’s emanating green light reminds one of glowing uranium, producing a mixture of beauty and fear.

Echo at Satsop

The making of this short film ‘Echo at Satsop’ began with director/producer Ichikawa’s response to the triple disaster that occurred in her home country of Japan on March 11, 2011, when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit the country, causing a massive tsunami that led to the collapse of the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Tragically, due to ongoing radiation leakage, it’s devastating impact on the people and environment around it will continue for years to come.

Etsuko Ichikawa 2100° / 451°

2100° / 451° is a short film capturing how Etsuko Ichikawa creates her signature series “Glass Pyrograph,” drawings made from the fire and smoke of hot, molten glass, in the glass studio. The title of the film refers to Ichikawa’s working temperature with molten glass; 2100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the autoignition point of paper; 451 degrees Fahrenheit.

Etsuko Ichikawa on making a pyrograph, video one of two.

Demonstration by Etsuko Ichikawa of the process of making a pyrograph using molten glass and paper. Held at Liquid Light Glass in Santa Fe, NM February 29, 2020. This is video one of two.

Etsuko Ichikawa on making a pyrograph, video two of two.

Demonstration by Etsuko Ichikawa of the process of making a pyrograph using molten glass and paper. Held at Liquid Light Glass in Santa Fe, NM February 29, 2020. This is video two of two.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!