板室温泉 大黒屋

Hirofumi Isoya “Shards of Pangaea”
November 2 (Sun) – November 30 (Sun), 2025 | Itamuro Onsen Daikokuya Salon
Itamuro Onsen Daikokuya is pleased to present Shards of Pangaea, a solo exhibition by Hirofumi Isoya, on view from November 2 to November 30, 2025. The exhibition features fourteen new works from the Shards of Pangaea series, together with seven smaller pieces from the Painted Frame series.
The exhibition centers on photographic works taken at Schloss Loosdorf, a castle located in Lower Austria, north of Vienna. Originating in the medieval period and renovated over the centuries, the castle has been owned by the Piatti family since 1834, when it was acquired by Count Friedrich August Piatti. The family traces its roots to northern Italy, with written records dating back to the 11th century. Having once held high positions at the Saxon court, the Piattis were also engaged in the porcelain trade. When they relocated their residence from Dresden to Loosdorf, it is believed that they brought with them their extensive porcelain collection.
The Loosdorf collection encompassed a diverse range of ceramics—Imari ware and Chinese porcelain from Jingdezhen exported to Europe from the 17th century onward, as well as European masterpieces from Meissen, Vienna, and other renowned kilns. These works came to symbolize the East–West exchange surrounding porcelain, often referred to as “white gold.” Near the end of World War II, however, the castle was seized by Soviet troops, and much of the porcelain hidden in its basement was destroyed. After the war, the surviving fragments were gathered into the Scherbenzimmer (“Room of Shards”), where they have since remained, quietly preserving the memory of wartime devastation.
The photographs on view depict these fragments floating in milk—a symbol of life itself. The milk envelops the traces of destruction, transforming into a ritual space that evokes restoration. Its opalescent surface softens the sharp edges of the shards, inviting viewers to imagine the vessels as they once were.
Rather than restoring the fragments to their original form, Isoya seeks to reveal new relationships among what has been divided—attempting a restoration on a spiritual plane. While acknowledging the trace of rupture, he endeavors, here and now, to reconnect the histories and memories embedded within the shards.
The title Pangaea refers to the supercontinent that once united all of Earth’s landmasses. The voyages and trade routes that later reconnected the divided continents mirror the paths by which East Asian porcelain found its way to Europe. The fragments that remain at Schloss Loosdorf—from Japan, China, and Europe—quietly speak of exchange, transmission, and division. Isoya’s act of reconnecting these broken pieces traverses layers of history and material, prompting viewers to envision renewal—a journey toward restoration.