Kaikai Kiki Gallery

D09 / Tokyo / Japan

+81 03-6823-6039
info@kaikaikiki.co.jp
https://gallery-kaikaikiki.com

At the center of “The Obedient People” is Japanese giant salamander Monster Byron, Shoko Nakazawa's signature character. Born out of the amphibian salamander as its starting point, this monster was originally introduced as a three-dimensional indie sofubi (soft vinyl,) figure and found its way into the hands of fans. Since 2021, when she presented her first oil paintings in the group exhibition Healing x Healing at Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Byron has come to figure as the protagonist of her paintings as well.

In this work, Byron is painted in colors that seem to resonate with the sky in the background. While its contours are clearly defined, the body is given roundness and volume. The sculptural sensibility Nakazawa developed through personally handling every stage of sofubi production, from design to model making, is carried directly onto the two-dimensional surface.

Depicted in the composition is a softly distorted pocket watch hanging from a chain. The image of hard metal bending under the pull of gravity, is a light homage to Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory.