MESSAGE

The word “ballast,” which is the origin of the Japanese word barasu (meaning crushed stone), originally referred to a weight used to stabilize ships. Today, it’s also used to secure railroad ties and form solid foundations for structures.
In contrast, nonwoven fabric is a fragile, unstable and tears easily.
Ballast gains its strength through density and accumulation, while nonwoven fabric is light and ephemeral.

In this work, I wrapped each stone individually in nonwoven fabric—moving my hands with care, as if I aimed to separate and isolate them.