Artists Place 14,000 Prescription Lenses in a Japanese Forest to Craft an Art Installation Inspired by Rainstorms
### A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm: Stunning Lens Installation in Omachi City
Situated in the core of Japan’s Northern Alps, Omachi City embodies a striking blend of nature’s elements. With heavy snowfall during winter and soaking rains in warmer seasons, the city demonstrates a remarkable relationship with water. The picturesque landscape features mountain-fed lakes, clear rivers, and rejuvenating hot springs, serving as a calming yet formidable reminder of nature’s unrefined beauty. Inspired by this mesmerizing backdrop, Canadian artists Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett have unveiled a captivating art installation that beautifully melds the natural grandeur of Omachi’s surroundings with a contemplative, human element.
Created for the **Northern Alps Arts Festival**, their artwork, titled **A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm**, reinterprets Omachi’s fragile connection with water through a distinct artistic perspective. Made up of **14,000 prescription lenses** suspended within a serene cedar forest, the installation captivates the imagination, inviting observers to dive into a dazzling display that mirrors the environment—and, on a deeper level, the human experience.
### The Lens as a Symbol
The allure of this installation lies in its incorporation of repurposed prescription lenses sourced from Calgary’s **Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre (CLERC)**. The lenses—transparent, fragile, and refractive—are skillfully arranged in concentric formations that evoke both a rainstorm and glistening droplets of dew at dawn. Brown and Garrett explain that these lenses function not just as viewing devices but as instruments for deeper insight.
“Lenses possess an intrinsic language that encourages you to observe, longer and more intently than you might normally,” the pair elaborates. The lens serves as both a metaphorical and tangible filter for our worldview—altering our perceptions of time, space, and even other individuals. The refractive nature compels observers to peer through fragmented yet harmonious reflections, with each lens capturing a miniature landscape: the forest, nearby lakes, and possibly even the viewers themselves.
### Immersive Experience
As visitors enter the installation, they find themselves fully surrounded by hanging lenses. Each lens uniquely reflects and refracts light, generating a kaleidoscope of visuals that alters both the physical body and the perspective. Navigating through this layered curtain of lenses guides visitors along a circular route, gradually pulling them to the core of the installation—a setting that inspires mindfulness not only of art but also of the natural beauty encircling them.
Brown and Garrett describe the surreal impact as “warp[ing], pixelated by shifting optics,” a phenomenon that provides a captivating insight into how individual stories, viewpoints, and natural elements intersect and meld. The confluence of bodies, light, and lenses plays a critical role in the installation’s impact, merging the tangible with a constantly evolving sense of reality that is part human, part landscape.
### Art and Place
The circular arrangement of the installation leads the audience to a central bench where they are invited to rest, reflect, and absorb the interplay of light, lens, and landscape. This artistic retreat lies just moments from the adjacent **Nishina Shrine**, adding a spiritual essence. Surrounded by trees and located near **Lake Kizaki**, this sacred area has a long-standing tradition of serving as a place where individuals feel inspired to pause, meditate, and reconnect with the earth. The closeness of these sites enhances the atmosphere of reverence, embedding the art within Omachi’s rich ancient and natural heritage.
What’s particularly enchanting is the harmony between the installation and its setting. Brown and Garrett appear to have embraced and honored the ethos of Omachi, acknowledging that the triumph of their work stems not only from the place’s inspiration but also from the nurturing and respectful dialogue they engaged in with local stakeholders. “[We sensed] the quality of a thoughtfully conceived context throughout every stage of the project,” they shared, highlighting the **Shrine Keeper**, who recounted stories and bestowed good-luck charms during the installation’s creation.
### Sustainability and Connectivity
Grounded in the artists’ dedication to sustainability, **A Whisper in the Eye of the Storm** is chiefly constructed from repurposed materials. The lenses, which no longer serve the purpose of aiding vision, are granted a new role in the art, repurposed to help attendees “see” nature and their environment in a deeper manner. The recycling of prescription lenses aligns with the artists’ broader principles, illustrating a profound comprehension of the intersection between art, nature, and mindful consumption.
Through this installation, Brown and Garrett convey the powerful links between humanity, nature, and sustainability. Their creation emphasizes the notion that art can be not only aesthetically pleasing but also transformative—initiating vital discussions and cultivating emotional connections among its audience.
### The Power of Art and Human Connection
In a world increasingly influenced by fleeting moments,