Diomita Maurer’s Blog

Wednesday, May 9th, I visited “If the Mind is Absent“, an installation by Kerupa Flow within the LEA program.
Kerups writes in the landmark’s description “When something feels meaningful, I notice my own mind. Is it just a form? Or is it standing at the rare moment that my heart meets your heart?”
This description is a good start. At the landing point there’s a bit more information, in English and in Japanese, as Kerupa is from Japan.

Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent” – at the landing Point

“Things differ depending on the viewers.
Physics? No, in my mind, in your mind.

Sometimes it’s a mistake
But illusion is a fun toy.
Sometimes it is a political confrontation.
It may be that we are opening our eyes at the risk of life.

I think that my sense of reality may have changed significantly in 2011.
It was a year of major disaster in Japan.
The things that are happening at that time reflect something in my work.
I myself often do not notice about it whan making.
I’m thinking about the meaning again while surrounding my past works.

Looking up at the sky at night, the stars away from the eyes’ focus are more clearly visible. I hope my work show things like that way.
I’m happy if you can enjoy my world a bit off the reality.

As much as possible, I will explain the meaning of what I made.
I know that it will not be the end of what you seeing.

enjoy”

Impressions of Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent” (1)

Impressions of Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent” (2)

“If the Mind is Absent” consits of a center piece that clearly is an interpretation of the Tsunami in Japan 2011. Around of this center piece are other works of Kerupa, maybe exibited before as single objects. They are either displayed stand alone or are in seperate rooms that you can walk into. The room “Invisible” deals with the catastrophy of 2011 again.
Kerupa works with optical illusions. No projectors are used but what you see depends on where you stay and look at. To experience Kerupa’s work you shouldn’t use your camera too much but walk around instead, walk into the art, feel it literally.
There are many heads, some are quite artifical and can be seen just from a certain viewing angel, otherwise they look like a chunk of prims. Other heads have a face on each side, that looks at you, but it is an optical illusion.
Another element of Kerupa’s art are silhouettes of humans and last but not least Kerupa uses optical illusions that draw you into the art. It is that you see always something different depending on where you are, that makes Kerupa’s work that particular.

Impressions of Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent” (3)

Impressions of Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent” (4)

I spent an hour at “If the Mind is Absent” and I still haven’t discovered everything. Kerupa’s art lets your mind roam, it is relaxing to just open your mind and let it happen. Memories, my own memories did pop up. My mind is never absent, I can’t switch it off. I interpret “If the Mind is Absent” as “If your mind roams, if your mind doesn’t deal with everyday life issues, if your mind does see soemthing that isn’t there (optical illusion).
I also got a new insight of what the catastropy of Fukushima meant to the people of Japan. It did not just destroy a whole region but it also destroyed the trust in technical progress, the trust in a better life and what is left are memories and chaos.
At most pieces you’ll find texts in English and in Japanese about the art and what Kerupa had in mind with it. There’s also recommendations of how to set your windlight setting (some art looks best set to “midnight”).

Impressions of Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent” (5)

Impressions of Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent” (6)

I took a lot of pictures again, but the pictures can’t reflect the three dimensional experience which is much more intense. Best is to see it yourself.

I like Kerupa Flow’s art and I’m very impressed of “If the Mind is Absent“. The installation should be open at least until June 30th. Thank you Kerupa for your work!

Landmark to Kerupa Flow’s “If the Mind is Absent”
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA11/46/47/22