Artist Miya Ando has created an installation in New York City that uses 72 cloth banners to draw attention to the shift in traditional Japanese seasons caused by climate change. The large-scale banners represent one of the 72 seasons in the Japanese Kō calendar, which was initially developed in the 7th century. Unlike the standard Western calendar, the Kō calendar responds more closely to the natural environment by breaking the 365-day year into seasons of around five days each. The installation aims to highlight the micro-seasons lost to climate change and raise awareness of the impact of climate change on traditional Japanese culture.
“I’m hoping that the public art can serve a function — even just if this calendar exists,” she said. “In the past 100 years, and 1 to 2 degrees of the earth heating up, the planting system is completely off. Geese don’t fly back, frogs don’t sing when they’re supposed to sing. [The Kõ calendar is] a really, really good data source because it’s collected with eyes and real people.…For me, it’s data and information being put forth that is more easily digestible.”
You can experience the installation at Brookfield Place until September 14.
