With an undergraduate degree in architecture, Quynh Vantu was employed in an office environment but missed working with her hands in studio arts. Seeking a creative fusion of the two worlds, she entered the Master’s program at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, which has a legacy of makers and history of design. During her studies there, a professor suggested Quynh examine Japanese cultural architecture because her work was reminiscent of its design. “I knew about modern Japanese architecture but wanted to learn more about traditional design,” she explained. “I immediately became drawn to the choreography of Japanese gardens, particularly their tea houses and entryways.”
Inside Outside – Winter
She delved deeper into her interest in the threshold, the “in-between” spaces and the “porch culture” in the U.S., all of which embody an inherent hospitality. “Architecture is an experience and a lens to view the world. It is not only something you look at, but look through and experience the relationship of the body and space.”
This intersection of art and architecture led to Quynh’s six-month JUSFC Creative Artist Artist Residency that began last fall with a dynamic installation in Kamiyama, Japan. Her Kyokai Pavilion (Inside/Outside) Project features a layered entry into a garden space that brings to life the architectural elements where a body moves from the public (outside) to the private (inside).
“In architecture, we deliver a project one time and then there is no follow up. With my installation in Kamiyama, I am able to revisit it in different seasons, see how it is aging, and hear stories about how people are using the space. It has become a social place in the community.”
Quynh (in coveralls) working on stone path layout
Back in 2015, Quynh traveled to Japan in another residency project, where she embarked on an expansive tour of the garden teahouses throughout Japan and residency in Kamiyama on Shikoku, the most rural of Japan’s islands. Kamiyama is also home to the 12th temple along the 88-temple Buddhist pilgrimage tour. Considered the first of the most strenuous temples to reach, Kamiyama is known for a special hospitality that welcomes pilgrims who have endured an arduous journey. It is also home to “Art Mountain,” where artworks are hidden within the forests.
Inside Outside – Spring
“I recognized that, as a traveler, there were not many public spaces to enjoy in Japan,” Quynh explains. “It’s not part of the cultural landscape. I wanted to place domestic hospitality in a public space that would engage the community.”
In the corner of a community center parking lot overlooking a beautiful valley, Quynh envisioned the perfect location for an ongoing garden project that could develop over time. She is grateful to JUSFC for the recent residency that expanded her project.
“It was an amazing experience. To have the opportunity to spend such an extended period of time in Japan was really unique and special. I am a foreigner or outsider in Japan, yet people were truly supportive of and interested in my work. They would leave produce at our doorsteps.
Visitors explore Inside Outside
“I wanted to give back to the community because of their touching acceptance of me,” she shared. “I’ve forged an even closer relationship with Kamiyama, and have been asked to design a gallery space in the community next year.”
With 10 years of residency work, Quynh Vantu has become a true global citizen. Currently finishing her PhD, the JUSFC residency sparked new ideas for how to explore her questions of movement in architecture.
For updates on her work, visit quynhvantu.com or follow her on social media @quynhvantu on Instagram and Twitter and @studioquynhvantu on Facebook. To learn more about our Creative Artist Program, visit jusfc.gov/creative-artists-programs.