Nyukou-Shimeihyou

The Kingdom of Kitai

Nyukou-Shimeihyou (Tunnel Entrance Log: Worker's Tokens), 2017
Mixed Media
24 x 46 x 8 inches/ 61 x 116.8 x 20.3 cm
ULTERIOR Gallery

I made this sculpture based on my father’s memory of the size and colors of an actual tunnel entrance log, which is an important element at real construction sites such as tunnels and dams. When entering the site, each worker flips his/her tag on the board to show who goes into the tunnel and who comes out. This box has an important role in avoiding accidents, and is the worker’s life line. In my entrance log, the tokens present the faces of the protagonists—moles, beavers and groundhogs.