yasuaki onishi envelops Taro Okamato’s sculptures

 

In an exploration of artistry and perspective, the seen and the unseen, Japanese artist Yasuaki Onishi presents the installation Exist Between. In collaboration with the sculptural works of Taro Okamato, the project places the pieces in a breathing bag to offer a distinctive lens through which to appreciate them. The core of Yasuaki Onishi’s work lies in the utilization of cylindrical polyethylene sheet bags which gradually envelop the sculptures. The bags, slowly and deliberately, expand and deflate as they are orchestrated by the gentle movement of air within, directed by a fan controlled by a timer. The translucent nature of the bags add an element of intrigue — when inflated, the sculpture within gradually becomes vaguely visible, only to be shrouded again when the bag deflates. The sheets cling to the sculptures, revealing their shape.

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all images courtesy of Yasuaki Onishi

 

 

the breathing bags explore the seen and the unseen

 

This rhythmic unveiling and concealing creates a dynamic interplay between the ethereal and the tangible. Within this, artist Yasuaki Onishi infuses an additional layer of symbolism as various brooms are suspended from the ceiling. When the bags inflate, they become engulfed in their embrace. These brooms, inspired by Taro Okamoto’s pet crow, nod to the artist’s connection with the animals he shared his life with, and beyond mere objects, embody the sacred act of sweeping.

 

The Exist Between installation is part of the Transcend Boundaries: The Artists of the Taro Okamoto Award III exhibition, which unfolds at the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art in Kawasaki, Japan. Running from October 14, 2023, to January 14, 2024, it will invite audiences to explore the interplay between presence and absence.

yasuaki onishi collaborates with taro okamotos sculptures 1
Exist Between  on display at Taro Okamoto Museum of Art in Kawasaki, Japan

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Yasuaki Onishi’s installation interacts with the sculptural works of Taro Okamato

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suspended brooms nod to Taro Okamoto’s pet crow and embody the sacred act of sweeping

yasuaki onishi collaborates with taro okamotos sculptures 5
cylindrical polyethylene sheet bags blur boundaries between the seen and the unseen

exist between
the bags expand and deflate as they are directed by a fan controlled by a timer

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the translucent nature of the bags gradually plays with levels of visibility

exist between
part of the Transcend Boundaries: The Artists of the Taro Okamoto Award III exhibition

exist between

 

 

 

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image by Minako Yoshida
image by Minako Yoshida

project info:

 

name: Exist Between
designer: Yasuaki Onishi

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom