Small Universe

The universe stretches out above us.

And the universe also dwells within us.

That is why the possibilities are endless.

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Title: Small Universe（#om_46）
Series: Omamori-san

Size: H8×W5×D5（㎝）

Materials: white metal, Japanese cypress

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●Toward Small Sculptures as Amulets
　What can a sculptor offer to people in their everyday lives today? After much reflection, I arrived at the idea of the omamori, or Japanese amulet. In Japan, many omamori take the form of small cloth pouches decorated with written characters or patterns, but amulets around the world take many different forms. Wearing them, touching them, or keeping them close has long been associated with a sense of comfort and reassurance. This impulse also resonates with the origins of sculpture and jewellery.

　As both a sculptor and a researcher, I, Tadahiko Emura, have been involved in numerous tactile art projects. By touching a three-dimensional artwork, we can sense its presence beyond the texture and temperature of its material. We can experience a world with a different kind of depth from the one we perceive visually—a world in which we encounter, for example, a form that fits our hand or one that resonates with our state of mind at a particular moment. To become aware of this presence is also to feel our own existence here and now. With this in mind, I set out to create palm-sized sculptures that would allow people to engage in this experience at their own pace. The result is the Omamori-san series, made through a casting process that I carry out myself.

　I first create a model in clay, make a mould, and pour molten metal into it. Even slight variations in the conditions can produce differences in the resulting form. I then work the metal by hammering, further refining and tightening each form in its own distinctive way. In this process, each sculpture becomes a one-of-a-kind work. All the pieces are mounted on wooden bases. These bases serve not only to secure the sculptures, but also to provide a place for each one to sit. Ideally, an interaction will emerge between the person who holds the sculpture and the work itself, as though they were sitting down together for an unhurried conversation. 　

　I cannot know in advance whether a particular sculpture will feel at home in each person's palm. Yet I believe that, when an unexpected encounter takes place, the sculpture may become an omamori—a personal amulet—for that individual. If my work can bring even a small measure of comfort and reassurance to your everyday life, that would be the greatest joy I could hope for as an artist.