Non Solo Kawaii

© Junko Mizuno, Jigoku Dayu (Hell Courtesan) 1, Rising Exhibition

Il 21 settembre è stata inaugurata “Rising”, la nuova mostra personale di Junko Mizuno alla Nucleus Gallery di Alhambra in California.
In “Rising” sono presentati con il suo stile unico e inconfondibile dipinti e disegni divisi in quattro temi che fanno parte della storia e del folclore giapponese: Jigoku Dayu (La Cortigiana dell’Inferno), Ushi no Koku Mairi (Visita al Santuario nell’Ora del Bue), Futakuchi Onna (La Donna con Due Bocche), Onna Bune (Il Peschereccio delle Donne).

“Rising”, the new solo exhibition by Junko Mizuno at Nucleus Gallery, in Alhambra, California, was opened on September 21.
In “Rising” we can watch her artworks, painted with her unique style, divided into four themes that are part of Japanese history and folklore: Jigoku Dayu (Hell Courtesan), Ushi no Koku Mairi (Shrine Visit at the Hour of the Ox), Futakuchi Onna (Two-Mouthed Woman), Onna Bune (Women’s Fishing Boat).

© Junko Mizuno, Jigoku Dayu (Hell Courtesan) 2, Rising Exhibition

© Junko Mizuno, Jigoku Dayu (Hell Courtesan) 3, Rising Exhibition

• Jigoku Dayu (La Cortigiana dell’Inferno / Hell Courtesan)

La leggenda narra di una cortigiana che vede arrivare nel bordello il monaco Zen Ikkyu, pensando non sia un vero monaco lo spia da un paravento e lo vede danzare con degli scheletri, capisce così che non è un uomo comune.

In this story Zen monk Ikkyu enters a brothel, a courtesan see him and thinks that he is a quack monk, so she peers him through a screen and sees him dancing with skeletons, at the end she is convinced that he is no ordinary man.

© Junko Mizuno, Ushi no Koku Mairi 1, Rising Exhibition

© Junko Mizuno, Ushi no Koku Mairi 2, Rising Exhibition

© Junko Mizuno, Ushi no Koku Mairi 3, Rising Exhibition

• Ushi no Koku Mairi (Visita al Santuario nell’Ora del Bue / Shrine Visit at the Hour of the Ox)

Questi dipinti rappresentano un rito di maledizione che si svolge nell’ora del bue, tra l’1 e le 3 di notte, l’ora in cui tradizionalmente in Giappone gli spiriti malvagi tornano nel mondo dei vivi.
La maledizione si svolge conficcando una bambola di paglia, che contenga qualche parte della persona da maledire (capelli, sangue, etc), a un albero sacro (shinboku) utilizzando chiodi e martello.
Il rituale va ripetuto più sere per essere efficace.

These paintings represent curse-ritual which takes place at the hour of the ox, between 1 and 3 a.m., a time when the evil spirits come haunting.
To perform the curse a person should nail a straw doll, which should have some part of the person to curse (hair, blood, etc), to a sacred tree (shinboku) using nails and hammer.
The ritual should be repeated several times in order to be effective.

© Junko Mizuno, Futakuchi Onna (Two-Mouthed Woman) 1, Rising Exhibition

© Junko Mizuno, Futakuchi Onna (Two-Mouthed Woman) 2, Rising Exhibition

© Junko Mizuno, Futakuchi Onna (Two-Mouthed Woman) 3, Rising Exhibition

• Futakuchi Onna (La Donna con Due Bocche / Two-Mouthed Woman)

Futakuchi Onna è uno yōkai, una creatura sovrannaturale, che ha un’insaziabile bocca nella nuca, che se non viene sfamata a sufficienza inizia a lanciare lancinanti grida.

Futakuchi Onna is a yōkai, a supernatural creature, who has an insatiable mouth on the back of the head, which if it is not fed enough, it starts screaming hard.

© Junko Mizuno, Onna Bune (Women’s Fishing Boat) 1, Rising Exhibition

© Junko Mizuno, Onna Bune (Women’s Fishing Boat) 2, Rising Exhibition

© Junko Mizuno, Onna Bune (Women’s Fishing Boat) 3, Rising Exhibition

• Onna Bune (Il Peschereccio delle Donne / Women’s Fishing Boat)

Rising by Junko Mizuno
September 21, 2013 - October 13, 2013
Nucleus Gallery

Link:

• Rising by Junko Mizuno - Nucleus Gallery
• Junko Mizuno

Angela & Laura

Ravina the Witch? by Junko Mizuno at Nucleus Gallery

Venus Cake ♥ Food Obsession Seen by Junko Mizuno

Triad: The Witch, The Nurse, The Wrestler by Junko Mizuno

Junko Mizuno at The Cotton Candy Machine Gallery

• Ravina the Witch? by Junko Mizuno at Nucleus Gallery
• Junko Mizuno at The Cotton Candy Machine Gallery
• Ambrosial Affair by Junko Mizuno at Narwhal Contemporary Gallery
• Triad: The Witch, The Nurse, The Wrestler by Junko Mizuno
• Takarabune, the Treasure Ship and the 7 Lucky Gods: Junko Mizuno at Nucleus Gallery

Tags: dark, fairytale, Japan, Japanese Drops, pin-up, sexy