element hg ¬ the memory project ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° ° project.baumberg

Minamata ° Minamata ist Symbol von Zerstörung von Umwelt und Sozialstruktur durch ungehindertes Bestreben Einzelner nach Profit- Maximierung mit kapitalistischen Mitteln. Symbol der beschleunigten Industrialisierung Japans nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, bei der menschliches Leben zerstört wurde und bei der die traditionelle Form der Arbeitskultur ohnmächtig gegenüber der agressiv operierenden Kunststoff- Industrie stand.

° Minamata When I came to Japan, I decided to make a research about Minamata and the Minamata desease. First I read about the mercury pollution in the book »Paradise in the sea of sorrows« by Ishimure Michiko. The Minamata desease was a outrageous pollution of the environment by toxical mercury. The mercury was used for the production of plastics in Minamata, a town on the Japanese island Kyushu. The contamination of the environment with the waste of production was affecting humans and animals and many people were dying. Minamata is a symbol of industry*s influence after the war into the society and into the environment. In Minamata traditional forms of life were standing in the opposition to the upcoming industrial interests of large companies.