Repetition - Book "OURA TENSHUDO CHURCH" 24×30cm movie, mixed media music stand 2014
OURA TENSHUDO CHARCH
This photograph shows a class of junior high school students' field trip to the Oura Tenshudo Church in Nagasaki, with “1 June 1930” written on the back side. The Oura Tenshudo Church was constructed in 1865 in honor of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan. In 1597 when Christianity was forbidden to practice in Japan, twenty six practitioners (including four Spanish, one Portuguese and one Mexican) were seized and executed. Soon after the construction of the church led by a French Catholic priest, many “Hidden Christians” throughout the nation gathered and a statue of the Virgin Mary was sent from France in honor of the martyrs. Nagasaki became a victim of the atomic bomb in Auguest 9, 1945. Fortunately, due to its unique geographical location, the Oura Tenshudo Church was not destroyed. However, the Virgin Mary must have witnessed the devastating flash on that day.