Debris
Written and Directed by John Bolton
“This short film is a portrait of Tofino, BC intertidal artist Pete Clarkson as he crafts his most ambitious and personal project to date: a memorial to the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami. He, like so many of us around the world, was deeply affected by the disaster. Years later, as splintered and mangled timber and other objects started to wash ashore, the disaster hit home again for Clarkson, and the inspiration for his memorial was born. In Clarkson’s caring hands, the remnants from the Tohoku region take on a life of their own as he shapes them into a unique public sculpture. The result is an evocative memorial that is a site of remembrance and contemplation, and an emotional bridge connecting an artist, his community and a people an ocean away.”
National Film Board
Throughout the film, Pete speaks so highly of each piece he shows to the camera. In his workshop and the shed out back, there are hundreds of pieces of art waiting to be put together. Each has such rich history, and you can see how Pete values and respects them. When he talks about using the washed-up debris for the art he says, “if this was us how would we want to be treated how would we want to be remembered”. This piece resonates with me as I too remember the news of the tsunami in Japan and heard about the debris. Some older classes from my high school hiked the west coast train and brought back some pieces to show everyone. This island means living in a zone where natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis are always a concern. It could just as easily be us that gets washed out next, as Clarkson’s son says. We feel safe in our homes, but these things can come out of nowhere. I have great respect for the work that Pete Clarkson does. His art contributes not only to his community but to all those who visit Tofino. It is so easy to forget about the disaster that happened with something different in the news each day but projects like this remind us to take a moment and remember.
This documentary was only 14 minutes long. It was full of beautiful shots of the Tofino beaches and forests. Enjoyed it and hope to visit the memorial myself this summer if it is still there.
Watch Debris on the National Film Board website
