Mechanical fragility: Dolls by Yotsuya Simon – gallery

Japanese artist Yotsuya Simon dedicated almost his entire life to studies on human body. I don’t have to mention that Japanese surrealism, jazz music and seeing Hijikata Tatsumi’s Butoh performance have influenced Yotsuya Simon‘s aesthetics and body of work.

Bodies of his dolls are tangible and fragile, open and humorous, yet very strong in expressiveness.  Probably the most intriguing sets of contemporary angels I have ever saw.

Mechanical Girl 1, detail by Yotsuya Simon, 1983 (c)

Left: Mechanical Girl 1,Yotsuya Simon, 1983 (c)
Right: Anges Melanges, Anges Deranges, Yotsuya Simon, 1990 (c)

Left: Mechanical Doll 1, Yotsuya Simon, 2000 (c)
Right: Mechanical Doll 2, Yotsuya Simon, 2000 (c)

Anatomical Boy, detail, Yotsuya Simon, 1983 (c)

Anatomical Boy, detail, Yotsuya Simon, 1983 (c)

Left: Eve of the Future and Past 5, Yotsuya Simon, 1973 (c)
Right: Eve of the Future and Past 6, Yotsuya Simon, 1983 (c)

Left: Indiscreet Doll 6, Yotsuya Simon, 1975 (c)
Right: Indiscreet Doll 8, Yotsuya Simon, 1975 (c)

Girl 9, Yotsuya Simon, 1984 (c)

German Boy, Yotsuya Simon, 1972 (c)

Pygmalionisme, Narcissisme, Yotsuya Simon, 1998 (c)

Wood-framed Girl 3, Yotsuya Simon, 2000 (c)

Mechanical Doll 1,  Yotsuya Simon, 2000 (c)
Photo by Kenshiro (c)

Amour present 1,  Yotsuya Simon, 1995 (c)

Amour present 2,  Yotsuya Simon, 1995 (c)

(Source: via Olga Drenda‘s shared link)