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Akira Higashi uses traditional construction materials such as clay, straw, and wood to create vernacular architectural enclosures based on the dimensions of the human body. Viewers are invited to enter the works and experience the company of one another in isolation from the outside world. These "communication machines" filter out the din of modern society and allow us to appreciate and focus on one another.

Long a student of African mud houses and other indigenous vernacular structures, Higashi was interested to learn of the clay in the vicinity of University of North Carolina – Charlotte used by the Catawba Indians for their pottery. He was given a sample, and quickly realized this type of material would suit his needs well. He gathered sticks, branches, and twigs from the woods surrounding campus, careful to use only fallen material, and began constructing his “class” from these locally available materials.

Higashi is interested in structures and relationships. He is curious about how one person relates to another, and, how people relate to work, nature, and the structures they live in. His work is an attempt to bring our attention to this complex matrix of relationships. One of his discoveries upon coming to America for the first time has been that Americans are very much “individuals,” in stark contrast to Japanese society, where everyone is more homogeneous. He wanted his work in Charlotte to reflect this dichotomy. He also wanted his work to reflect the context in which it is situated. Since a university hosts him, he has created a classroom for the discussion of ideas.

Once inside Higashi’s structure, the viewers are suddenly removed from all familiar frames of reference. In this small chamber, we are forced to act and interact with one another in unfamiliar ways. By throwing us slightly off kilter, the artist hopes that we will pay close attention to the metaphoric aspects of this experience. We are all alone in this world, yet, a variety of people come in and out of our lives with important lessons and wisdom to share.

Higashi is intrigued by the paradoxical nature of inner and outer worlds. Those on the outside of the structure can see the feet of those on the inside. There is a heightened attention to the difference between seeing and being seen. The artist is interested in creating a multi-sided dialogue about people, the spaces we inhabit, and the communications that occur between and among us.

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