”The more you try to forget, the more it stays with you. When you need to let go of something, it is engraved in your heart.”
From Wong Kar-wai’s “Ashes of Time”
I simply don’t remember about the past or never really thought about remembering the past. I have never been one to hold on to the past, but after my mother’s death, I found myself troubled by memories of her.
What I remember about my mother is mostly from the time I cared for her. Changes in her suffering from a dementia, unexpected events I have faced, and the way I dealt with her had become burdensome memories. When she passed away, I intended to live carrying these memories and complex emotions. However, the memories never faded, and now she is an unwavering presence, keeps reminding me of them.
I began to wish I could forget. At the same time, I was also tormented by feeling guilty for wanting to forget the memories of her. Then, I remembered a quote from a Wong Kar-wai movie and decided to re-examine these memories. I sorted through my mother’s keepsakes and wrote down those memories.
As I continued this process, I often found myself contemplating her life. This process made me want to let go of them and entrust them under the ground. I chose the field for the safekeeping – a place I loved, where my mother and I often walked, a place that felt like it could accept and purify all. I push my way into the field, dreaming of a journey to mourn and entrust my memories.
About Michiko Chiyoda
After transitioning from a graphic designer to working at an optical manufacturer, I became a photographic artist. My work primarily focuses on creating stories related to memory, and in recent years, I have been producing a series on the theme of “how people live after losing a loved one.” The recently unveiled work, The Eternal Field, is part of this series.
My artistic style incorporates aesthetic and symbolic beauty inspired by traditional Japanese art, and I am dedicated to creating delicate prints using washi paper to craft memorable and beautiful works. I have held solo exhibitions both domestically and internationally, participated in numerous exhibitions, received awards in contests, and have my works included in museum and photography foundation collections.
Additionally, driven by a desire to contribute to society through photography, I have been engaged in documenting traditional Japanese cultural performances. Currently, I am working on a project to promote the preservation and inheritance of cultural properties through exhibitions and publications, documenting the process of Buddhist statue restoration. A museum exhibition is scheduled for 2025. [Official Website]
