Welcome(yo-oide-ni-natte!)

“Yo-oide-ni-natte”—in the Okayama dialect, this means “It’s so nice to have you here” (welcome). Whether in the past or today, it’s always a joy when relatives or friends visit my home after a long time, and we can chat about everyday things. I believe the future is bright as long as these happy interactions continue. At the same time, however, there’s a certain tension involved in preparing to welcome them behind the scenes. It’s not a bad kind of tension, though. I think it’s good to have both, these public and private aspects, and that’s precisely why every single encounter is so beautiful. The body of this sculpture is actually made of laminated wood—scattered pieces of wood that were lying around the house. I joined them together with urushi lacquer to form a single shape, and now it sits on a cushion. If possible, I’d like you to place a cushion in front of it and have a chat. Such behind-the-scenes stories are sure to become a source of laughter here.