The Tohoku Artist Caravan Brings Art Back to Tsunami-Ravaged Landscapes

by Angela on March 6, 2013

Artist collective TokyoDex is looking for a fresh way to bring aid to the Tohoku region, nearly two years after the devastating 3/11 earthquake and tsunami wiped out much of the region. With physical cleanup efforts nearly finished, the Tohoku Artist Caravan plans to gather artists from around Japan to bring art back into the landscape.

Karakuwa, Kesennuma City, Miyagi in July 2011. photos by TokyoDex

The caravan is set to kickoff in Karakuwa, a small town on the eastern side of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture. “One of the most striking comments we heard when visiting Karakuwa was about the ‘impenetrable gray’ that has pervaded the landscape since the disaster,” says D.H. Rosen, the project’s director. The team will paint murals on buildings and tsunami walls, and the kickoff celebration will feature a taiko ensemble.

Relief volunteers in Karakuwa. photos by TokyoDex

By crowdfunding the project the Tohoku Artist Caravan hopes to get an international audience involved and bring the media spotlight back to Tohoku. An interactive website will allow users to track the caravan in real time as it moves across Japan.