AMABIE  
2020　Materials: Wood, gofun(shell powder), pigments, gold, lapis lazuli

This Amabie mask is a “face of prayer” that appears in times of disease and unease—
and at the same time, it is an omen of misfortune, a presence suspended between magic and menace.

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The moment she appears, she already stands outside the realm of peace.
Though a symbol of purification, she also embodies the arrival of calamity.

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This mask is not a mere reproduction of folklore.
I sought to give a new face to the being known as Amabie, by layering modern sensibilities, contemporary embodiment, and the ritual power of adornment.

The pearls and lace signify that she is a creature of the sea.
They also echo the kind of spiritual ornamentation found in Noh costumes—symbols of boundary and latent force.

When photographing this mask, I intentionally composed images that “seduce the gaze.”
Because Amabie is not simply a sacred figure to be prayed to—
She is one who presents herself to be seen and spread.

“Copy my image and share it.”
This was Amabie’s message to the world.
In this spirit, the mask also becomes a seer—
one who bears the future power of the face.