PCN Art Brut Series No. 19, Artwork Description.

Abstract

Among themes in Japanese art is what we call “Hyakkiyakko” or Monsters Haunting at Night, which depicts demons and ghosts that roam around at night. Ukai's work is a modern version of Hyakkiyakko, so to speak. The human figures do not live in the modern era, as they wear topknots; they lived in Japan more than 150 years ago, before the Edo period. Among the people are dinosaurs, animals, insects, and cartoon characters. What appears to be dinosaurs are smaller than humans, so they look more like dolls. Some of them have animal faces, but you can tell that they are toys by looking at their bodies. These dolls and toys are given a sense of life in this vibrant piece. What is intriguing is the presentation of “movement”. In the case of this work, the movement to the left diagonally downward is formed mainly by the posture of human figures. At the same time, however, while directing their body along the downward left axis, some are gazing at the upper left or upper right. Also, you see some even moving in a rightward direction, as if to resist the overall flow. The intricate interplay of postures and gazes of creatures in a wide range of sizes and types contribute to the charm of this piece. The artist Ukai, born in 1995 and now living in Shiga Prefecture, has been a member of Atelier Yamanami, a welfare facility for artists with intellectual disabilities and autism, since 2014. In 2020, his work titled “Yokai” (meaning “monster” in Japanese), created in 2019, was acquired by the American Folk Art Museum, which is known for its excellent collection of self-taught art.