We, Sachi Miyachi (an artist who lives in Amsterdam) and Nishiko (an artist who lives in Den Haag) visited the Tsunami stricken area individually; respectively 10 months and a half year after the disaster, to verify that the tragic images on TV were real. In Miyagi prefecture, we were left speechless by the ruined landscapes; local people told us of their experiences and their lives after the disaster. We do not yet know how to respond to their stories. But we are both thankful for their kindness; our trips became valuable experiences because of them.
Wanting to express our gratitude to them, we spoke about our experiences at the disaster area at Hope Step Japan!. Even though our trips were too short to truly know their hardships, it was meaningful to be able to share our experiences with those in the Netherlands for whom the disaster is so far beyond their grasp.
While preparing for the lecture, we came across interesting information about the earthquake and the tsunami. We decided to take this opportunity to make a collaborative art project. We are now gathering more information together.
Repairing earthquake project by Nishiko www.nishiko55.com/eq
Minami-Sanriku 10 months after the disaster. 95% of houses of this district were swept away by the tsunami. (S)
