Connecting Tides: Our Journey to Japan
Our Japan adventure begins! After months of planning, our artist residency is becoming reality. This summer, we’ll collect beach plastics in Itoshima to create art and data visualizations that tell environmental stories. What started as a distant dream is now two months away—follow us as we prepare for this creative journey—where science meets art!
We’re thrilled to share some exciting news about our upcoming project, Connecting Tides! In the autumn of 2024, we hatched an idea to pursue an artist residency in Japan. Initially, it seemed like something I would undertake alone as an artist, but as we talked through the possibilities, we realized how perfectly our skills could complement each other to create something truly special.
My art practice transforms beach plastic into works of art, but these washed-up materials aren’t just artistic media—they’re data points with stories to tell. And data is exactly where Bob shines, with his expertise in creating powerful visualizations and artworks that can reveal hidden patterns and meanings. By combining our approaches, we saw an opportunity to create something that would be both visually compelling and environmentally significant.
From Dream to Reality
After crafting our proposal, we began searching for the right location to bring our vision to life. Studio Kura in Itoshima, located in southern Japan, caught our attention with its unique environment and supportive creative community. We were absolutely ecstatic when they accepted our proposal and invited us to come in August 2025!
Photos of Itoshima by Leopold Maitre and Jan Bouken
Since receiving the good news, we’ve been busy with preparations. Bob has requested a sabbatical from work, we’ve been researching logistics, and we’ve been diligently completing grant applications (which has proven to be quite time-intensive). We’ve now booked our tickets and will be departing on July 2nd, giving us ample time to explore Itoshima’s environment and scout suitable beaches for our project before the residency officially begins.
Final preparations
With about two months left before our departure, Bob has created a website where we’ll document our adventures and share our progress. We’re planning to reach out to local experts in Itoshima who can guide us to beaches with significant plastic deposits. We’re also connecting with water specialists here in the Netherlands to learn more about the ocean currents in that region.
There’s still plenty to do, but we’re steadily making progress. We’ve even incorporated daily Duolingo lessons into our routine, hoping to master some basic Japanese phrases before we arrive. We can’t wait to embark on this journey and share our discoveries with you along the way! To keep up with our adventure, sign up for our newsletter below.
