Phil Akashi
In residence from May 20th, 2015 to November 15th, 2015
Untitled #9
The trace is part of the project Legend of the Dragon / " 龍的傳說". In this project, Phil Akashi explores the Confucian notion of the great unity / "大同", and observes how modern China is embracing diversity as an asset for a harmonious world. For the second chapter of the project, Phil Akashi traveled to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to meet several ethnic minorities such as the Kyrgyz, Tajik and Uyghur and to create some innovative street art pieces in the mountains and in the nature. Located at the extreme west of China and larger than Alaska, Xinjiang is a land of extremes and bounty with a complicated, intriguing history, a complex network of ethnic groups, and a rich artistic, musical, gastronomic heritage. During the journey, Phil met the Uyghur ethnic group in the Taklimakan desert where he spray-painted on traditional Uyghur silk on a caravan of camels. When he came back in the studio in the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, he created an artwork composed of 9 pieces in reference to the Uyghurs who used to be a confederation of 9 nomadic tribes. «The Taklimakan desert was one of the great obstacles in the path of the Silk Road Merchants on their way to the Middle East. It was a nice opportunity to celebrate the region’s textile culture, its people, and its nature. The trading activities along the Silk Road have facilitated the transmission of goods, ideas and culture over many centuries and I am happy to sustain this tradition with my own artistic language»
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