A Net of Eels was an exhibition of new work by British artist/writer/cook Jake Tilson and Japanese photographer/cultural commentator Kyoichi Tsuzuki – a playful and evocative exploration of the complex cultural and culinary significance of the eel in Japan and the UK.
Featuring a selection of photographic images, audio works and found objects drawn from historical contexts and everyday popular culture, the project combined Tilson’s highly personal and eclectic approach to his subject (as seen in his celebrated narrative cookbook A Tale of 12 Kitchens, 2006) with Tzusuki’s more anthropological observations (evident in his popular photographic publications Roadside Japan, 1996 and Tokyo Style, 1993).
Inspired by the migratory patterns and the continually transforming life cycle of the eel, A Net of Eels presented a series of light-hearted and engaging encounters with the diverse histories and cultural associations of this extraordinary creature – from Tilson’s soundscapes of the frantic fish market banter in Tokyo and the tranquil waterside sounds of the Thames and the Sumida River, to Kyoichi Tsuzuki’s weird and wonderful photographic depictions of Japan’s numerous Eel Shrines, and Tilson’s cabinet of curiosities presenting everything from canned and stuffed eel, to postage stamps, action figures, architectural models and comics featuring the creature.
The first collaboration between Tilson and Tsuzuki, A Net of Eels merged mutual concerns within the artists’ respective practices spanning publishing, cultural commentary, design and travel, whilst reflecting their almost obsessive, inquisitive documentary approach to the places they visit, resulting in the creation of diverse works that are at once incisive and accessible.
Commissioned by Film and Video Umbrella in association with The Wapping Project as part of the Jerwood Found in Translation series.