In a Japanese Forest, 14,000 Prescription Lenses Dangle Like Dewdrops

A new piece by Caitlind R.C. Brown and Wayne Garrett transports viewers within a shimmering enclosure while suspended like a rainstorm. From a pair of concentric rings, 14,000 prescription lenses are suspended in 'A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm', the name of the project created by both, in the middle of a Japanese forest. The site-specific piece, which was made for Omachi City's Northern Alps Art Festival, recalls the area's longstanding connection to water.

Creativity Beyond Measure to Adorn Nature With Prescription Lenses

The city endures multiple wet seasons, with significant snowfall in the winter and rainy summers. With natural features including lakes, hot springs, and hydroelectric dams, it is located at the foot of the Japanese mountain range. Towering above the viewer like a shimmering forcefield or suspended rain storm, the piece draws from the powerful relationship between the surrounding region and water – as a source of sustenance, electricity, leisure, and life.

Down view of the project with prescription lenses in between trees — *Intrinsic view of the prescription lenses dangling in the inner part of a Japanese forest*

The installation, using 14,000 prescription lenses was designed in response to Omachi, a shrinking town in the Japanese Alps known for hydroelectric dams, beautiful mountainside lakes, and a rapidly shrinking population.

People visiting the project in Omachi — *People visiting the project and connecting with nature*

View of nature through the lenses — *View of nature at its finest green point through the lenses*

In the past, Brown and Garrett have worked with found and discarded items such as telephones and lightbulbs. This new work, which is situated behind Nishina Shrine on the edge of Lake Kizaki, repurposes spectacles that capture and refract sunlight and extend the cedar forest, drawing visitors' attention to the larger natural environment. The piece encourages viewers to view the terrain (and one another) from a new perspective, looking closely at the ancient and changing landscape.

People in awe seeing the project in the forest

Prescription lenses make a fun picture scene — *Besides connecting with Mother Nature, the project allows people to get creative and take photos like these!*

What You'll Encounter Upon Meeting This Artistic Piece by Caitlind Brown and Wayne Garrett

Visitors enter through a break in the curtain, encountering the lenses close-up, where they appear like falling rain or dew drops suspended between fine chains. A gentle circular path leads each spectator to the artwork's focal point, which could be the rings of a tree or ripples in water. Their bodies distort, fragmented by shifting optics as they pass through layers of lenses. They can relax and take in the scenery while sitting on a circular bench in the middle.

The space has a bench to sit in the middle — *A bench is placed inside so people can sit and observe their surroundings peacefully*

A curtain of prescription lenses betwen nature

'A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm' is a visual work of art that emphasizes basic methods of seeing and is serene and peaceful. By means of levels of concentration, everyone is encouraged to engage in an embodied meditation on both the environment and themselves, changing their viewpoint and gaining a fresh perspective on their surroundings. This curious design placed in the middle of a forest will be on display until November 4th, so if you have the chance, and want to reconnect both with nature and your artistic side, this is your chance.

Green Japanese forest with project in the middle