Otomi OTOMI

Nakahashi's art has its source in doubts about the modern Western concept of sculpture, and his sculptures incorporate typical Japanese motifs like potted plants, carp, paper umbrellas, and a Sumo wrestler("Konishiki"). This piece creates a scene representative of Japanese culture, pine branches hanging over a wooden fence. The title identifies it as the famous scene known as "Otomi's pine" in the Kabuki play "Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi". However, the artist is interested in treating typical Japanese things, the ideas and memories shared by members of Japanese society, as systems of signs, thereby exposing the artificiality concealed in them and showing the deformities and ruptures in cultural entities which are ordinarily regarded as entirely natural. The pine needles made of copper wire and the tree branches and fence made of steel are clear references to traditional Japanese culture, but with the use of these materials, the artist skillfully strips the objects of any emotional of lyrical qualities, presenting the familiar fence and pine tree as alien objects.