Empty Time Memento Mori 4 by Yoshitoshi Kanemaki, Exhibition view, EMERGENCE ENTITY, PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO. Photo by Paul de Vries
An exhibition titled EMERGENCE ENTITY by acclaimed wood sculptor Yoshitoshi Kanemaki is presently on show at PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO in Shibuya. Kanemaki's subject matter is commonly carvings of human figures in which there are multiple faces of differing expressions. His work explores the multifaceted feelings of modern people.
The concept of "ambivalence" lies at the heart of his sculptures. Through his artwork, Kanemaki seeks to explore the fundamental question: "What does it mean to be human?"
The Search for Self
The feature work of the exhibition is Insight Prism, in which critically acclaimed actress, Anna Yamada, serves as model.
Kanemaki first noticed Yamada in a television commercial. After observing more of her performances, he became intrigued by her remarkable range of expressions. He found her equally at home in roles that exhibited "luminous innocence" and more gritty characters "burdened with profound emotional complexity."
In Insight Prism, Kanemaki addresses a question: What lies at the core of a person capable of inhabiting so many selves? A possible answer, of course, is that Yamada is merely a talented actor. But where, in the act of performance, Kanemaki continues, does one encounter the "true self"?
Insight Prism is about more than just a versatile young actress, as we all move through life by assuming countless roles, Kanemaki reminds. The role playing that is carried out in order to function within a society is essential, he concedes, but at times, it obscures "the very place where our authentic selves reside."
You Too Will Die
Another feature piece is Empty Time Memento Mori 4, inspired by the Latin phrase "memento mori," which translates as "Remember that you must die." The work depicts a beautiful youth and a skeleton. The skeleton represents the quiet approach of mortality.
Kanemaki does not intend for Empty Time Memento Mori 4 to dictate a single interpretation, but that its message should transform according to the viewer's age, gender, nationality, and personal understanding of life and death.
However, he contends that in the present day, marked by war, pandemic and natural disaster, an increased consciousness of life and death is a universal condition of being.
A Multitude of Virtues
The sculpture of Yoshitoshi Kanemaki combines traditional Japanese wood carving, contemporary surrealism, psychological portraiture, and influences from manga, animation and popular culture. His work is typically described as beautiful, strange and emotionally powerful, as it visualizes feelings that are invisible. The exhibition will run until Monday, June 29. Entry is free of charge.
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Author: Paul de Vries
