Homeland

2020, 2022

Single channel video installation

– HD video, colour, dried flower (Coreopsis Lanceolata)

7min. 10sec.

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Homeland

Installation view at Tomioka city museum (2023) /Homeland

Homeland

Installation view at Tomioka city museum (2023) /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Video still /Homeland

Homeland

Installation view at Viento Arts Gallery (2020) /Homeland

Homeland

Installation view at Viento Arts Gallery (2020) /Homeland





Homeland is a slideshow composed of snapshots of Lanceleaf tickseed taken by Yamada during 20th May 2020 to 17th July 2020. Imported widely for greening on roadside or riverbanks in the past, the flowers are still often seen on such places as well as in private gardens, despite the Invasive Alien Species Act that bans on growing the plants and carrying, transfer and possession of the plants when they are alive. Since the enforcement of the law was in February 2006 and is not well-known, the flowers are still loved and grown samely before the ban.

Yamada started shooting the work in the first lockdown of Covid-19 measure. Especially in the countryside, people from outside of living areas such as returnees, foreigners and residents of other prefectures, were thought to be associated with Covid and were feared and hated during the lockdown and thereafter. Coinciding with the time, Yamada had come back from the UK and started to stay in Gunma prefecture.

While finding a solace in the invasive plants blending in the hometown during the lockdown, Yamada asks what determines being native through capturing the actuality that Lanceleaf tickseed grows samely with native plants and is loved if there is no labeling of “harmful invasive plants”.

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