Recently, two giant guardian dog sculptures and a lying Japanese doll suddenly appeared at the World Heritage Site Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, making visitors curious about where these “guardian gods” came from!
In fact, they are all one of the art exhibits of “ARTIST’S FAIR KYOTO 2022”, a large art festival that brings together renowned contemporary Japanese artists and emerging art talents, held annually in Kyoto. In the past, exhibited works were only displayed at the famous Kyoto Prefectural Kyoto Cultural Museum and Kyoto Shimbun Building, but this year, for the first time, the thousand-year-old Kiyomizu-dera has been transformed into an exhibition venue, successfully blending contemporary art with classical architecture, creating a visual freshness of juxtaposing new and old cultures.
This kokeshi doll lying in Kiyomizu-dera is the large-scale art installation “Hanako” by the art duo Yotta. Since its completion in 2011, “Hanako” has appeared in various art events around the world. This piece is accompanied by a sound installation, with the doll occasionally uttering fragmented doll-like sounds, resembling a lively child. This inflatable installation is meant to ward off illness and suffering. In the midst of the world still under the shadow of the pandemic, the appearance of “Hanako” is particularly meaningful.
The two giant guardian dog sculptures, approximately 3.3 meters tall, called “KOMAINU-Guardian Beasts,” were created in 2019 by artist Kenji Yanobe and 10 students from Kyoto University of the Arts. Yanobe drew inspiration from the long-standing tradition of guardian dogs in Japan, combining post-war culture, values, technology, and a futuristic sci-fi sense to create a new guardian dog image suitable for the 21st century.
This guardian beast is intended to protect the world from conflicts and natural disasters. The work was re-exhibited in front of the main gate of Kyoto University in 2020, praying for the end of the epidemic. And during the art festival, the Russia-Ukraine exhibition continues, with the artist hoping that the war will end soon with the blessings of the guardian dog.
Learn more: ARTISTS’FAIR KYOTO
