Pink nose XIII

My practice examines the certainty of what we believe we “know,” drawing on information gathered through the senses—things we have seen or touched, as well as presences felt through the body.

In the Pink nose series, I reproduce dogs’ noses through 3D printing and incorporate them into the works. Although the forms originate in the bodies of living creatures, repeated production gradually gives them the appearance of mass-produced, ready-made objects. As the dog’s nose—a specific and intimate form—is transformed through reproduction into something anonymous, it can also become a device that evokes memories of a familiar dog or the sensation of touching one. It exists between a part of the body and an industrial product, between personal memory and an anonymous form.

I work from my studio in Higashimurayama, Tokyo. Depending on the work, I combine a range of techniques and processes, including metalworking, woodworking, fabric manipulation, and 3D printing, carrying out every stage myself.