since the late 1990s, japanese artist tatzu nishi has been creating out-of-scale and out-of-place encounters in public spaces around the world. he has transformed street lights, parked cars and monuments, building new spaces around them and altering their setting. mostly choosing renowned landmarks of various cities, tatzu nishi creates a new room for these iconic sculptures, making them accessible to visitors.

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘engel’ | exterior view of the artwork at the cathedral of basel, switzerland
image © serge hasenböhler (also main image)

 

 

previously, with his ‘the merlion hotel‘, tatzu nishi has transformed singapore’s national monument, the merlion, into a luxurious hotel room, built around this beloved iconic landmark. now, at the cathedral of basel, nishi constructed a room around the angelic sculpture situated on the rooftop — not suitable for visitors that are afraid of heights. some of the artist’s other work is shown below.

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘engel’ | exterior view of the artwork at the cathedral of basel, switzerland
image © serge hasenböhler

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘engel’ | interior view of the artwork
image © serge hasenböhler

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘engel’ | interior view of the artwork
image © serge hasenböhler

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘engel’ | photography of the sculpture before the project
image © serge hasenböhler

 

tatzu nishi villa victoria
tatzu nishi presenting ‘engel’ at the singapore art biennale 2011
image © designboom

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘villa victoria’ – liverpool, UK (2002)
the monument of queen victoria before the project
image © tatsurou bashi

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘villa victoria’ | exterior view of the artwork
image © nick hunt

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘villa victoria’ | interior view of the artwork
image © alistair overbruck

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘villa victoria’ | interior view
image © alistair overbruck

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘villa victoria’ | hotel reception – interior view
image © alistair overbruck

tatzu nishi villa victoria
tatzu nishi
image © designboom

tatzu nishi villa victoria
tatzu nishi discussing the ‘villa victoria’ project
image © designboom

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘untitled’ – hamburg (2009)
image © tatzu nishi

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘untitled’ | exterior view of the artwork
image © carsten gliese

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘untitled’ | interior view of the artwork
image © carsten gliese

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘untitled’ | interior view
image © carsten gliese

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘heroe’ – guatemala city (2010) | exterior view of the artwork
image © tatzu nishi

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘heroe’ – guatemala city (2010) | interior view of the artwork
image © tatzu nishi

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘reihe’ – denken sie sich einmal an meine stelle – berlin (2002)
(left): image © tatsurou bashi
(right): image © carsten gliese

tatzu nishi villa victoria
‘reihe’ – denken sie sich einmal an meine stelle
image © carsten gliese