ORANDA LOCI by artist duo OTANI NIEUWENHUIZE focuses on the influence of the Dutch on the Genius Loci of Japan.
Shinji Otani and Johan Nieuwenhuize understand places by visually scanning space, capturing fragments and mentally connect the dots. In this way the artist duo get a sense of the so called genius loci, the spirit of the place.
 How can we understand the Japanese cultural landscape on Kyushu, a region of great historical importance to the relationship between Japan and the Netherlands. How do we grasp its landscape or its culture? How can we read its genius loci?

Between 1641 and 1853 the Dutch were the sole Westerners with trade access to Japan. The Dutch brought different kinds of goods to Japan for the first time, like the camera, badminton, billiards, beer, coffee, the piano, tomato or bricks.
ORANDA LOCI shows aspects of the Japanese cultural landscape that were influenced by these Dutch artefacts. Things that are now being experienced as authentic Japanese are in a way Dutch. Would this be where we find common ground, where two cultures meet, understand each other?
With ORANDA LOCI OTANI NIEUWENHUIZE is looking for the Dutch spirit in the Japanese cultural landscape.

ORANDA LOCI is the result of a artist in residency in 2019 in Ukiha. Key members of the town’s community collaborated with OTANI NIEUWENHUIZE on the project.
The project was shown in an exhitbition with site specific photoworks in the streets of Ukiha.

This project is made possible by the Shareholders, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tokyo and Mondriaan Fund.