‘Smoke and mirrors’ (2023) by Yuki Kihara

Single channel video.
Duration: 02mins 31secs

‘Smoke and Mirrors’ (2023) is a video work that juxtaposes two contrasting environments—footage of Tropical Cyclone Gita’s chaotic aftermath in Upolu Island, Sāmoa, filmed in 2018, and gentle smoke emanating from a factory chimney in the Netherlands, captured during the artist’s fellowship at the National Museum of World Cultures in 2019. These geographically distant locations are connected by a shared global ecosystem, though the Netherlands’ excessive carbon emissions contribute significantly to global warming and climate change.

The title, inspired by the Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of “smoke and mirrors” as “intended to make you believe that something is being done or is true, when it is not,” serves as a metaphor. It highlights how foreign aid often obscures the greater climate impacts faced by low- and middle-income countries compared to wealthier nations. This disparity is rooted in a history of imperialism and colonialism, which has devastated biodiversity and deeply affected the livelihoods of people who depend on thriving ecosystems.

The work calls for a decolonized perspective on the natural environment and advocates for equitable exchanges between people and places, emphasizing the interconnectedness of global ecosystems and the need for collective action.