SHIKISAISHA GALLERY is pleased to present Mitsuko Taira’s solo exhibition, “An Old Dog Dreams,” opening on Saturday, November 7.
From an early age, Taira has formed deep bonds with many living beings, exchanging tenderness and comfort with creatures that have no language of their own. She has long reflected these reciprocal relationships through her own worldview. Wood, the material she encountered at university, likewise demands a two-way exchange rather than a one-sided act of making. The mutual relationships Taira has experienced take form in her work as quiet, contemplative animal sculptures.
Within the details of her sculptures, one can also sense smaller fluctuations that echo the larger currents of nature. The delicate eyelashes and the undulating rhythms that appear in each strand of fur extend our thoughts toward the complex relationships that shape human life and society. In her world, animals sometimes close their eyes and take on expressions of repose, as though embracing something precious. Within these gestures lie enduring threads that connect the distant past to the present.
Just as the wolf—one of the artist’s most important motifs—has, across time, come to live beside us in the many forms of the dog, Taira’s sculptures resonate gently with the deepest reaches of the viewer’s heart.
Artist Statement
“Young people will see visions, and old people will dream dreams.”
This is a passage from the Bible.
It has been almost a year since my dearest companion, who had gradually grown old, fell into a deep and final sleep.
This exhibition, “An Old Dog Dream,” began with that deeply personal experience.
The dog as I see it.
The world as seen by the dog.
Dreams—visions that can never truly be known by anyone else.
This exhibition is an expression of the world that lies between us.
Mitsuko Taira
SHIKISAISHA GALLERY is pleased to present Mitsuko Taira’s solo exhibition, “An Old Dog Dreams,” opening on Saturday, November 7.
From an early age, Taira has formed deep bonds with many living beings, exchanging tenderness and comfort with creatures that have no language of their own. She has long reflected these reciprocal relationships through her own worldview. Wood, the material she encountered at university, likewise demands a two-way exchange rather than a one-sided act of making. The mutual relationships Taira has experienced take form in her work as quiet, contemplative animal sculptures.
Within the details of her sculptures, one can also sense smaller fluctuations that echo the larger currents of nature. The delicate eyelashes and the undulating rhythms that appear in each strand of fur extend our thoughts toward the complex relationships that shape human life and society. In her world, animals sometimes close their eyes and take on expressions of repose, as though embracing something precious. Within these gestures lie enduring threads that connect the distant past to the present.
Just as the wolf—one of the artist’s most important motifs—has, across time, come to live beside us in the many forms of the dog, Taira’s sculptures resonate gently with the deepest reaches of the viewer’s heart.
Artist Statement
“Young people will see visions, and old people will dream dreams.”
This is a passage from the Bible.
It has been almost a year since my dearest companion, who had gradually grown old, fell into a deep and final sleep.
This exhibition, “An Old Dog Dream,” began with that deeply personal experience.
The dog as I see it.
The world as seen by the dog.
Dreams—visions that can never truly be known by anyone else.
This exhibition is an expression of the world that lies between us.
Mitsuko Taira
Mitsuko Taira
Mitsuko Taira
Born in Azumino, Nagano in 1996.
Completed her MFA at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Her work explores a quiet and contemplative world through wooden sculptures of living beings.
Drawing inspiration from the Bible, poetry, and folklore,
she creates poetic scenes that evoke moments from imagined narratives.
Her delicate attention to texture—suggesting soft fur and warmth—
reflects a deep sensitivity and affection toward living creatures.
Mitsuko Taira
Born in Azumino, Nagano in 1996.
Completed her MFA at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Her work explores a quiet and contemplative world through wooden sculptures of living beings.
Drawing inspiration from the Bible, poetry, and folklore,
she creates poetic scenes that evoke moments from imagined narratives.
Her delicate attention to texture—suggesting soft fur and warmth—
reflects a deep sensitivity and affection toward living creatures.
