Samsara (Past Life of Mari Tayama)
Collection:UAL Art Collection
Date: 2011
Artist: Mari Tayama (Japanese)
Dimensions:
29 objects in varying dimensions: 7 cm, 9 cm, 15 cm, 22 cm, 55 cm
Medium: Photograph collage on MDF glazed with Alkyd resin
Object number: UAC 729
See Also
DescriptionMari Tayama studied BA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins. She says:
‘Throughout the three year Fine Art degree course at university, I have developed studio work that mainly has a connection, both visually and conceptually, with animals. The reason why I choose animals for the main theme of my work is because of my personal interest and some melancholic experience from my childhood. I am originally from the countryside and my family had a lot of domestic pets around the house. Therefore I always played with animals, insects and reptiles in my childhood.
Also I got the idea of my work from my religious brief about Buddhism. In Buddhism they preach about equality of life and there is no difference between any lives. When I started creating those works, I travelled to India to study about religion. And I have been influenced by Buddhist philosophy, which advocates equality of value of life between human and animal.
I have always been aware of how animals are treated in a modern society. During my research time, I found that most of people tend to think that animals are subhuman creatures and most of them have various preconceived ideas of animal. Therefore, for this reason I try to change audience’s idea of animals by creating the collages.
There are symbolic aspects to my photo collage.
I use animals as religious icons as saints or angels. Especially in eastern culture, animals are worshipped as deities in some society. In the Japanese religion, Shinto, there are many kinds of deities that are hybrids of human-animal. I presume I have not distinguished animals from human beings because of my cultural background. Also in India, there seems to have many kinds of human-animal hybrid deities.
For the style of display, I follow style of Tibetan Mandala that is traditional Buddhist painting. Therefore, each circular canvas is positioned as a Mandala.
Coming to the UK and experience of living abroad made me realise that I come from an Asian country. Studying British contemporary art has helped me to realize how western and eastern cultures are very original and different. They are both very respectful. It is joy to make understanding of both culture and religions for my artwork.’
‘Throughout the three year Fine Art degree course at university, I have developed studio work that mainly has a connection, both visually and conceptually, with animals. The reason why I choose animals for the main theme of my work is because of my personal interest and some melancholic experience from my childhood. I am originally from the countryside and my family had a lot of domestic pets around the house. Therefore I always played with animals, insects and reptiles in my childhood.
Also I got the idea of my work from my religious brief about Buddhism. In Buddhism they preach about equality of life and there is no difference between any lives. When I started creating those works, I travelled to India to study about religion. And I have been influenced by Buddhist philosophy, which advocates equality of value of life between human and animal.
I have always been aware of how animals are treated in a modern society. During my research time, I found that most of people tend to think that animals are subhuman creatures and most of them have various preconceived ideas of animal. Therefore, for this reason I try to change audience’s idea of animals by creating the collages.
There are symbolic aspects to my photo collage.
I use animals as religious icons as saints or angels. Especially in eastern culture, animals are worshipped as deities in some society. In the Japanese religion, Shinto, there are many kinds of deities that are hybrids of human-animal. I presume I have not distinguished animals from human beings because of my cultural background. Also in India, there seems to have many kinds of human-animal hybrid deities.
For the style of display, I follow style of Tibetan Mandala that is traditional Buddhist painting. Therefore, each circular canvas is positioned as a Mandala.
Coming to the UK and experience of living abroad made me realise that I come from an Asian country. Studying British contemporary art has helped me to realize how western and eastern cultures are very original and different. They are both very respectful. It is joy to make understanding of both culture and religions for my artwork.’