PCN Art Brut Series No. 42, Artwork Description

Try to picture this. This mechanical doll actually moves. In its right hand is a skewer with a round piece of food (takoyaki, a popular comfort food from Osaka) that detaches from the skewer upon entering its mouth. The takoyaki then passes through the doll's left arm and rolls out onto the plate held by its left hand. By the time the takoyaki reaches the plate, the right hand promptly lowers to catch it on the skewer. It is then raised up to the mouth again. This process continues in an endless loop. Simultaneously, a red object resembling a goldfish moves in circles around the chair. The creator, Takeshi Tominaga, was born in Osaka Prefecture in 1948. After graduating from junior high school and working various jobs, he has been residing in an area of Osaka known as Kamagasaki since 2013. This area once served as a source for day laborers who were sent to construction sites from the 1960s to the early 1990s, during Japan's rapid economic growth and bubble economy. However, since the 2000s, this neighborhood has transformed into a place where several people, unable to find work, are living on the streets. In response to this, NPOs and other organizations have intervened to provide support. One such initiative is a community education program called ‘Kamagasaki University of the Arts,’ which is open to all and offers a variety of courses, including haiku workshops. Tominaga began making mechanical dolls around 2014. He picked up a photography book at the library that featured Western mechanical dolls and decided to try his hand at making one himself. He uses empty beer cans to make his dolls. It can sometimes take six months to make a single doll due to the arduous process of cutting aluminum and stretching it out flat. It is basically an electric-powered device, and recently he has also installed motion sensors that activate the doll's movement when someone stands in front of it. Tominaga's mechanical dolls eat takoyaki and perform various other actions, including cutting the stomach (seppuku) and pouring beer; there is also a married couple pushing a cart. What is common to all of them is the blend of humor and poignancy they evoke in their inability to move from their position while endlessly repeating simple actions. In addition, the inexpensiveness of the materials further amplifies the sense of poignancy. During a TV program interview, Tominaga remarked, ‘I do not want to look gloomy in front of people. It will make others sad too. I am always smiling on the outside. But inside, I am crying. There is no fixed line for happiness. I will decide that for myself.’ Artist: TAKESHI TOMINAGA Title: TAKOYAKI TARO Date of Creation: 2022 Size: 27 × 27 × 47 cm Medium: Aluminum cans, wire, and others Photo: TOMONOTSU MUSEUM Cover Design: Yoji Hirano