Whistling Mountains
Video installation, Omachi, Japan, 2024
Commissioned by Northern Alps Art Festival
https://shinano-omachi.jp/en/work/whistling-mountains/
Videos: “Whistling Mountains” (11:33), “Monkey Catcher” (08:08), “Sora’s Second Tail” (07:40)
These shadow animations are based on a series of stories written by Katya Muromtseva during a two-week residency in the mountains of Omachi, Japan. Through conversations with local storytellers and members of the community, the artist became interested in the presence of the fantastic within everyday life and the ways in which folklore emerges from ordinary experiences. Drawing on local legends and regional myths, the stories move beyond traditional folklore toward philosophical reflections on desire, incompleteness, and self-discovery. Their protagonists include a cat searching for a second tail in order to feel whole, a monkey hunter who ultimately captures himself, and a cicada that sacrifices its life and songs to bring happiness to a monster. The animations were presented at Sasayaki Shrine, a former shrine that was transformed into a cinema, creating a setting where local mythology, storytelling, and moving images converged.
Press: https://artfocusnow.com/news/ekaterina-muromtseva-a-russian-whistler-in-japans-northern-alps/
Photo credits: Hirabayashi Takeshi, courtesy of Northern Alps Art Festival
