Strasbourg is the first foreign town where received kaki trees from Nagasaki. The beginning of this planting was Tatsuo Miyajima’s exhibition held at the Cartier foundation French in April of 1996. At the opening party, Miyajima met Ms. Catherine Grout who is an art historian, and talked about the kaki tree project. Ms. Grout was interested in it because she had participated various projects, which relate to city or nature. After having conversation about nuclear-weapons test and nuclear war, Ms. Grout introduced a project about urban design in Strasbourg at June of 1997. Miyajima argued about this with members of executive committee and introduced Ms. Grout’s project to staff of Japanese consulates and Europe consulates. As a result, they got more responses than they expected. But unfortunately, planting a kaki tree did not come off.
After that, many people had involved this project to make it come true. Mr. Michel Krieger, an artist who lives in Strasbourg, heard about the project from Ms. Grout. Then he started to appeal for planting kaki trees in Strasbourg. He said “Strasbourg was the center of war during World War 2 just because this city is on the border between Germany! So we got to have kaki trees in our city,” His passion spread out to the whole city. Then finally, that moved the city government and the art school where planted kaki tree.
April 20th, 1998, the day of planting ceremony, Members of executive committee were welcomed by people in the town that makes them to feel the power of those who worked for the project.
Students of school put posters designed by Mr. Noriyuki Tanaka, a Japanese artist, all over the school for the planting ceremony. It shows their high interest in it.
Students planted Bombed a kaki tree Jr. in the warm atmosphere with being surrounded by many people including Michael.
There was no workshop for planting kaki tree. But it was very impressive that every people in town were interested in the planting ceremony and gathered around to watch it. That was beautiful scenery. We hope student feel something to see the kaki tree and express those by making works in the future.
