Lot 1321: HAJIME EMOTO

HAJIME EMOTO
(B. 1970)
Deme-tai; Evil Beast g-1; Evil Beast h-1; Hitode-uo; Homo Pumilus Gidoronlegio; Hotate-gani; Invidia Miguel; & Superbia Miguel
signed 'H. Emoto' in English (on the reverse of each work); dated '2005; 2006; 2006; 2005; 2010; 2005; 2006; & 2006' (on the reverse of each work, respectively)
eight mixed media sculptures
a: 46.6 x 9.5 x 34.5 cm. (18 3/8 x 3 3/4 x 13 5/8 in.)
b: 25.2 x 10.6 x 42 cm. (10 x 4 1/4 x 16 1/2 in.)
c: 42 x 10.5 x 25.1 cm. (16 1/2 x 4 1/8 x 9 7/8 in.)
d: 39.1 x 10.5 x 46.6 cm. (15 3/8 x 4 1/8 x 18 3/8 in.)
e: 25.2 x 8.6 x 34.4 cm. (9 7/8 x 3 3/8 x 13 1/2 in.)
f: 42 x 10.3 x 32.7 cm. (16 1/2 x 4 1/8 x 12 7/8 in.)
g: 26.8 x 10.6 x 37.4 cm. (10 1/2 x 4 1/8 x 14 7/8 in.)
h: 60.4 x 10.6 x 43.1 cm. (23 3/4 x 4 1/8 x 17 in.) (8)Executed in 2005; 2006; & 2010 (8)

Sendai, Japan, Maruzen, South Sea Natural History, 24 July-4 August 2005 (Deme-tai; Hotate-gani; and Hitode-uo exhibited).
Tokyo, Japan, Aoki Gallery, Seven Deadly Sins, 6-18 February 2006 (Superbia/Miguel; and Invidia Miguel exhibited).
Kyoto, Japan, Kyoto Art Center, Salvationism, 20 July-26 August 2010 (Evil Beast/g-1; and Evil Beast/h-1 exhibited).

Parol-sha, Genjyu Hyohon Saishushiokyo, Japan 2006 (Hitode-uo; Deme-tai; Hotate-gani; and Superbia/Miguel illustrated, pp. 50, 52, 60 & 108).

Beginning with the sculpting of anatomical features, Hajime Emoto invests himself in the exquisite rendering of individual creatures with deceptively realistic characteristics. Emoto builds every aspect of his creatures with 'scientific' accuracy, delicately folding and gluing bone structures, teeth and skulls from paper and then cataloguing his creations with fanciful biological classification. Descriptive details such as a fish's movement, defensive tactics and the edibility of its flesh is described to verify its existence - evidence of Emoto's all encompassing imagination and vision of a parallel universe. Each sculpture is framed in mimicked specimen cases of antiquated biological samplings, befittingly drawing associations with artists such as Goya and Bosch's bizarre and romantic images which Emoto admires.

Each specimen and its distinctive, fleshed out story, although entirely fictitious, appears frightfully and oddly familiar as if it has existed perhaps, in decades or centuries past. Emoto extends his world of mythology and mystery, inviting viewers to re-create the stories of the fabled adventurer; purposely and convincingly blurring the lines between make-believe and reality.