Statement of the artworks in Forest Art Festival 2026

A-1

Yusuke Asai -Artist
The constellations of the Earth　”Messenger of the Wind King”, 2024
Land Art on upper part of plantation area
Materials: Sun dried bricks, lime　
Size: 280m×130m
From ancient times, constellations were created by peopleʼ s imaginations in many regions, and numerous stories were born and passed down through the generations. In Ladakh, a beautiful land that is especially close to the sky on this planet, I have fulfilled my 20-years dream by creating a geoglyph here.
I believe that this work, with lines made of sun-dried bricks and lime that span over 1 kilometer in length, will eventually return to the earth. However, within this magnificent landscape, I connected rocks that serve as landmarks, much like connecting stars to form constellations, and created an image where plants and animals intermingle.
I believe that plants have the power to analyze and adapt to their environment, flexibly creating forms, while animals have the ability to move to environments that suit them and sometimes even transform those environments. Additionally, I think that humans are capable of balancing both plant-like and animal-like thinking.
I am grateful to have created my work at this Forest Art Festival (FAF2024), as a guardian presence for the 6,100 trees planted in the direction the living beings are heading. I also want to express my deep appreciation to everyone in this land for warmly accepting my work and providing immense help.

A-2

Yusuke Asai -Artist
The constellations of the Earth　”Messenger of the Earth King”, 2024
Land Art on upper part of plantation area
Materials: Soil, Cloth　
Size: 25m×15m
Among the three geoglyphs, the only movable one made of fabric is the same size as the community hall’s rooftop. This work was created in collaboration with many Ladakhi artists, using soil from areas such as Matho, Shey, Stok, Tso Moriri, and SECMOL.

A-3

Atsushi Tomatsu -Sculptor
Yak, The Guiding Forest, 2024
Materials: Driftwood, Screws　
The animals’ destination is fertile land. It watches over the still small trees planted in Matho, hoping that they will grow and eventually become a guiding presence and place for the animals and people who visit this land.

A-4

Atsushi Tomatsu and Students of Gov.High School, Matho
Gurdian Creature, The Weaving Tree, 2026
Materials: Driftwood, Screws　
The driftwood carried by the Matho River, shaped by Himalayan glaciers, seems to hold traces of memory and life forms from ancient times to the present. Touching this driftwood, with its power to awaken the imagination, children breathed life into new beings with their own hands. The word “Creature” carries a different resonance from “Beast,” which evokes strength, power, and solemnity. Rather, it suggests a gentler and more mysterious presence of life. It goes beyond the meaning of an animal, referring instead to a being born from the spirit of the earth and the forest, or quietly shaped by nature itself. These guardian creatures, brought into existence by the children, are not only meant to watch over the young trees as they take root and grow, but also to connect and warm the hearts of the people who care for them. It is our hope that they will become companions that nurture a sense of belonging, imagination, and connection between people and the forest.

A-4

Atsushi Tomatsu and Students of Gov.High School, Matho
Gurdian Creature, The Weaving Tree, 2026
Materials: Driftwood, Screws　
The driftwood carried by the Matho River, shaped by Himalayan glaciers, seems to hold traces of memory and life forms from ancient times to the present. Touching this driftwood, with its power to awaken the imagination, children breathed life into new beings with their own hands. The word “Creature” carries a different resonance from “Beast,” which evokes strength, power, and solemnity. Rather, it suggests a gentler and more mysterious presence of life. It goes beyond the meaning of an animal, referring instead to a being born from the spirit of the earth and the forest, or quietly shaped by nature itself. These guardian creatures, brought into existence by the children, are not only meant to watch over the young trees as they take root and grow, but also to connect and warm the hearts of the people who care for them. It is our hope that they will become companions that nurture a sense of belonging, imagination, and connection between people and the forest.