The development of Fukushima Memorial stemmed from Wasserboehr’s interest in the history, culture, and pageantry of the Samurai period in Japan. Wasserboehr admires the artistry found in battle armor, helmets, facemasks, and Kura saddles.She was particularly fascinated by the saddles; their underlying geometry, references to the human body, and that the armatures of these saddles were constructed in wood. Simultaneously, she was profoundly shaken by the Fukushima triple disasters in March 2011, and was searching for a powerful visual symbol to commemorate the events in sculpture. She selected the Kura saddle as the basis of her design. The interior space of the sculpture is imaged as sanctuary-like where contemplation and remembrance can occur. Fukushima Memorial was drawn in 3D Rhinoceros software then rough-cut with a 7 axis-robotic arm during a residency with the Digital Stone Project (DSP) in Gramolazzo, Italy. At the DSP, I spent a month finishing the sculpture using traditional hand-carving techniques.
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