The Black Ship and Gifts is a series of imaginative objects based on the history of the Black Ships in Yokohama, Japan. Created as part of the artist-in-residence programme at BankART, an art space in Yokohama, Japan, in 2019, the project blends historical fact with imagined narratives, reinterpreting the perspectives of 19th-century Japan through a contemporary lens. By exploring how foreign objects and technologies were perceived and reimagined, the work invites viewers to reflect on the ways in which cultural encounters shape our understanding of the world.
Installation at BankART Station
In 1853, the arrival of Commodore Perry and the Black Ships urged Japan to sign the Treaty of Peace and Amity between Japan and the United States, ultimately leading to the country’s opening and the acceleration of its modernisation. Due to a lack of cultural and technological knowledge at the time, the Japanese people applied their imagination to the gifts Perry brought. Their perceptions were shaped by kawaraban (early news sheets) of uncertain accuracy and circulating rumours. This project reconstructs objects that might have been envisioned in this climate of speculation and uncertainty.
Commodore Matthew C. Perry's visit of Kanagawa, near the site of present-day Yokohama on March 8, 1854. Lithography. New York: E. Brown, Jr.
Delivering of the American presents at Yokohama
The work was conceived in 2019, a time when the United States, under the first Trump administration, saw the emergence of terms such as "fake news" and "post-truth." During this period, US-Japan relations became an increasingly prominent topic within Japan, drawing heightened domestic attention due to the political climate shaped by Trump’s presidency. The project also seeks to examine the phenomenon of misinformation today, where the public navigates a complex landscape of media sources, alternative facts, and competing narratives.
The project was developed through research at the Yokohama Archives of History, Perry’s expedition records, and diaries from the period. A key focus was on how the people of Japan imagined the arrival of the Black Ships in an era without modern journalism, relying instead on printed kawaraban and rumours.
The project was developed through research at the Yokohama Archives of History, Perry’s expedition records, and diaries from the period. A key focus was on how the people of Japan imagined the arrival of the Black Ships in an era without modern journalism, relying instead on printed kawaraban and rumours.
Drawing from these historical narratives, the project reconstructs objects inspired by the ways in which foreign artefacts and technologies were reinterpreted through cultural imagination. The forms and materials used in these objects reflect the ambiguity and speculation that surrounded these historical events.
Sketches of idea development process
The Horn of a Qilin
Among the lists of Perry’s gifts to the shogunate, a kawaraban mentioned the fur of a qilin—a mythical creature. This led to the speculation that people at the time might have also imagined a qilin’s horn as part of the tribute. This idea materialised into a sculptural form.
Among the lists of Perry’s gifts to the shogunate, a kawaraban mentioned the fur of a qilin—a mythical creature. This led to the speculation that people at the time might have also imagined a qilin’s horn as part of the tribute. This idea materialised into a sculptural form.
The Steam Locomotive
Perry’s gifts also included a small steam locomotive, a technology unfamiliar to most people in Japan at the time. Unable to grasp the mechanics of steam power, some may have imagined that the locomotive was powered by animals rather than machinery—perhaps dogs running inside to generate movement. This interpretation is reflected in the sculptural form.
Perry’s gifts also included a small steam locomotive, a technology unfamiliar to most people in Japan at the time. Unable to grasp the mechanics of steam power, some may have imagined that the locomotive was powered by animals rather than machinery—perhaps dogs running inside to generate movement. This interpretation is reflected in the sculptural form.
The Telegraph Translator
One of the gifts Perry presented was a telegraph, a device capable of transmitting messages instantly over great distances. This technology astonished the Japanese people of the time. Additionally, a diary from the period recounts an incident in which Perry’s interpreter, Samuel Wells Williams, picked up a clam on the shore, only to hear it "cry out in sorrow" for its offspring, prompting him to return it to the sea. Inspired by these narratives, the project imagines a machine that could translate the voices of living beings and transmit them across distances.
One of the gifts Perry presented was a telegraph, a device capable of transmitting messages instantly over great distances. This technology astonished the Japanese people of the time. Additionally, a diary from the period recounts an incident in which Perry’s interpreter, Samuel Wells Williams, picked up a clam on the shore, only to hear it "cry out in sorrow" for its offspring, prompting him to return it to the sea. Inspired by these narratives, the project imagines a machine that could translate the voices of living beings and transmit them across distances.
The Black Ship
The arrival of the Black Ships in Yokohama not only initiated diplomatic relations between Japan and the United States but also had a profound impact on Japanese society and culture. The work reimagines the Black Ship not merely as a vessel but as a symbol of this cultural exchange and transformation. By shaping the ship as an extension of a landmass, the work visually represents the shifting relationship between the two nations and the enduring influence of their encounter.
The arrival of the Black Ships in Yokohama not only initiated diplomatic relations between Japan and the United States but also had a profound impact on Japanese society and culture. The work reimagines the Black Ship not merely as a vessel but as a symbol of this cultural exchange and transformation. By shaping the ship as an extension of a landmass, the work visually represents the shifting relationship between the two nations and the enduring influence of their encounter.
This project was realised in collaboration with Kuan-hua Chou
