Motohiko Odani|Public Art to commemorate Rugby World Cup 2019 in Oita

Motohiko Odani
The Lionman, the Public Art by Motohiko Odani to commemorate Rugby World Cup 2019 which was held in Japan has been installed in the heart of the Oita City, Japan.

 

Catharsis emerges at the moment of breaking out of a world of chaos that has no exit in sight. Through a special filter, this sculpture expresses a superhuman figure breaking through a wall of bodies in rugby.

Looking back towards the origins of sculpture, the Lion Man, a figurine created about forty thousand years ago, appears to represent a deity in the likeness of an animal given human form. That concept is augmented here by adding the physique of ancient Olympian athletes as depicted in Greek sculpture, along with the state of ancient sculptures experienced today in museums, where frames hold together fragmented bodies and make up for parts that are missing after deterioration and damage over the years. The concept also incorporates the continuity and the expression of time through motion of Futurist sculpture, while referencing the group sculptures that were produced in large numbers in Japan during modern times. Overall, this work encapsulates the history of sculpture, spanning from the distant past to the present day.

Motohiko Odani

 

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