Breaking the Silence III

2025

Mesa Contemporary Arts Center (Mesa, Arizona) 

 

This installation, currently on view at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center (May 23rd, 2025 - January 15th, 2026), confronts the often-silenced topic of suicide prevention.

The work features an 8-foot glass table, meticulously crafted at KT Glassworks, laden with dozens of uniquely shaped clear glass vessels. A continuous drip of water fills and overflows these vessels, creating a soothing, yet insistent sound—like rain on a window or gentle bells—intended to "break the silence" surrounding suicide. This echoes his 2015 installation, Breaking the Silence, where unstable vessels dramatically shattered, but in III, the vessels stand precariously, inviting contemplation.

The installation's serene, darkened environment aims to foster dialogue. A central water basin, constructed from recycled Miura Board (Approximately 10 feet wide by 15 feet long), resembles basalt stone and underscores the installation's meditative quality. The space, a former classroom, retains an atmosphere of learning, aligning with Takizawa's belief that education is crucial in addressing suicide prevention. Statistics highlight the urgency: suicide affects countless lives daily and remains a leading cause of death.