yasuaki onishi presents penetrating bowl installation in kyoto, japan

yasuaki onishi presents penetrating bowl installation in kyoto, japan
all images courtesy of yasuaki onishi

‘penetrating bowl’ is a site-specific installation by yasuaki onishi presented at the kyoto university of art and design, geijytu-kan. placed alongside onishi’s work, are japanese pots from the jomon period, dating back approximately 3,000-to-6,000 years. the piece is composed of thousands of filament thin ropes hung from the ceiling that are tied together to create semi-abstract shapes vaguely resembling the earthenwares.

‘penetrating bowl’

at the bottom of each form, a polyethylene sheet was attached to provide a solid base. adhesive was then dripped down the vertical strands, then blasted with liquified urea to incite a crystallization process. ‘penetrating bowl’ functions as a semi-transparent backdrop, creating glimpses of history that takes viewers back 6,000 years. ‘their incompleteness,’ states onishi, ‘allows time and space to penetrate the shapes, where our senses and imagination bring them to life. these pieces transform beyond human control, providing viewers a widened breadth of interpretation.’

detail of strands 

polyethylene sheet base 

looking through the installation 

visitors at ‘penetrating bowl’ 

close up 

jomon pottery showcased 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: nick brink | designboom