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hand vase
Artworks
Written by Satoshi KOGANEZAWA   
Published: February 12 2009

 copy right(c)2009 AMPG

 copy right(c)2009 AMPG
 copy right(c) 2009 AMPG
 copy right(c) 2009 AMPG
 copy right(c) 2009 AMPG

The hands of a mannequin are placed on a rectangular concrete slab. Each hand, wearing a white glove, holds a cylinder in which flowers are arranged in small amount of water. Azuma envisaged the "hand vase" in 2005. He said he "treated the human hand as a vase" and each hand holds a different flower/plant. The first thing that popped up in my mind on seeing the hands was a Buddha statue.

Every shape and position of Buddha's two hands has a special meaning, called "inzo". Each of Azuma’s artworks comprises an independent single hand, and their shape is not exactly the same as that of Buddha, however, he must have tried to imply a symbolic meaning in the shape of the hands, similar to “inzo”. He uses flowers/plants with eye-friendly colors such as white and green to create a very calm and pure image for us. In addition, the yellow fruits held by the first hand in the exhibition room look like human fingers. This fruit, the main image of this exhibition is called "Buddha's hand", and thus has "Buddha" and "hand" in its name; however, this is not the reason I mention Buddha statues and “inzo” here. The shapes of the hands, wrapping around or picking up flowers/plants, are full of gentleness, and make us aware of an existence beyond knowledge.


Data
Artist: Makoto Azuma
Year: 2009
Genre: Installation
Owner: AMPG
Material: flower, hand vase, concrete
Size: H1300×W320×D320
Note: AMPG 22nd Exhibition (January 9th - 25th, 2009)
Exhibition style: five three-dimensional works, image, concept sheet
Last Updated on November 01 2015
 

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