KOMAINU－Guardian Beasts－ [2019]
Protectors of the World
KOMAINU—Guardian Beasts— is a sculptural work based on the motif of the komainu (a pair of lion-shaped guardian dogs) to protect the world from today’s deteriorating global environment, division and conflict within humanity, and international disputes. The metallic design of its bodies, made of FRP and covered with stainless steel, shows a new komainu suitable for the 21st century.
Komainu was imported to Japan from the ancient Orient via China and the Korean peninsula and initially represented lions protecting Buddha and the gods. In Japan, the komainu became a pair of l ion-dogs referred to as “a-un”: one of the lion-dogs, called the komainu, has horns and a closed mouth (in a “un” shape), and the other lion-dog, called the shishi (lion), h as an open mouth (in an “a” shape). They are spirit animals like dragons and the qilin.
In 2017, Kenji Yanobe proposed erecting a giant komainu next to the large torii gate of the Heian Shrine in front of Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art at a talk event held on the occasion of the museum’s reopening. In 2019, he carried out this idea when he was commissioned to create an exhibition for the Ninai-dō Hall at Enryaku-Ji Temple on Mount Hiei.
The temple was built to watch over the city of Heian-kyō (now called Kyoto) and has long nurtured the spiritual culture of Japan. In particular, Ninai-dō hall has two halls in the same shape connected by a corridor, the Jogyo-dō Hall in the West Pagoda area, which enshrines Amida Nyorai, and the Hokke-dō hall, which enshrines Fugen Bosatsu. These have been places for ascetic practice for centuries.
Moreover, confinement for 90 days in the halls has been conducted for more than 1000 years. During his visit to the temple, Yanobe was inspired by the monks praying, and he was left with a feeling of reverence. He then cloistered himself at ULTRA FACTORY to create KOMAINU—Guardian Beasts— with ten Kyoto University of the Arts students. The final komainu and the shishi were exhibited in front of each hall.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the whole world. At the end of March, Yanobe exhibited KOMAINU—Guardian Beasts— in front of the main gate of the Kyoto University of the Arts with the hopes that the rampant plague would abate. The work watched over the people from its perch at the foot of Mount Uryu, where one could get a complete view of the city of Kyoto, and the pair of komainu became the talk of the town. For the Fukushima Biennale 2020, he collaborated with students to produce an AR version of KOMAINU—Guardian Beasts—. The guardian beasts also appeared at the biennale venue in Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture, when the audience held up their smartphones. Once again, they became sacred animals that moved between reality and fantasy to watch over people.
