RYOJI YAMAUCHI

Countless people's desires are drifting in the city.

While some things like structures and monuments have remained for decades and centuries, others such as advertisments disappear in just a few days. Through wishes and desires, regardless of whether these things have form or not, new things are always being produced while others are disappearing. Thoughts of these various things dance through people's minds, which become a part of the city and remain as memories.

I explore the city, as if I'm an archeologist, gazing intently at ruins, evoking a variety of memories through contact with these traces of urban memories and people's lives. At a glance, globalized cities look like a homogenous urban landscape but if we look deeply, they show us a diversity of culture.Although I think there is not a definite answer, experiencing cultural diversity and human creativity through gazing at cities gives us a new perspective on the world.

This project was done in Bangkok and Ayutthaya, Thailand. Thailand's origin as a nation began with the Sukhothai Kingdom. It was succeeded by the Ayutthaya Kingdom, which is famous for its world heritage site. Then, the short-lived the Thonburi Kingdom gave way to the present Chakri Dynasy and the Rattanakonsin Kingdom.

Just like life, the prosperity dreamed of by people doesn't last forever. But through these ends and changes, people's cultures and histories have kept from dying out.In July, with the heat and humidity hanging in the air, I wandered around, gazing earnestly at the city.

May 19, 2015