The sense of safety seems to be one of the most important human needs. But this is not obvious. It is a result of the earlier experiences and the acquired convictions. It does not fit into a once defined framework. It can be manipulated. And so, paradoxically, it may turn out that a small Japanese town situated by an active volcano is the safest place in the world, as stone statues guarantee the peace and quiet. Successive depictions of a minor deity, encountered during everyday walks, rise to the rank of vigilant friends. In the Japanese mythology, O-Jizo-sama is, among others, a guardian of travellers. He becomes a certain kind of a talisman for the artist; the act of recording his images and multiplying them in a compulsive manner means a wish of happiness and peace addressed to others.
“Prelude to the Safe Place” is a continuation of the actions performed during the artistic residency “Artist in Aso” in Japan in 2019.
Hanna Kaszewska – born in Ostrołęka in 1989; graduated from the Academy of Art in Szczecin. Finalist of the Hestia Artistic Journey (2018). Her works were exhibited, among others, during the “Inspirations” festival of TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art in Szczecin and in Kronika Centre for Contemporary Art in Bytom. She opposes rigid boundaries between art and other fields of life. An interdisciplinary artist, who performs drawings, videos and installations.