村上隆さんのインスタグラム写真 - (村上隆Instagram)「These images show my large sculptures Oval Buddha and Mr. Pointy. Let me explain the context starting with my previous posts. Around 752 CE, when the Great Buddha of Nara was completed, the island country of Japan was voraciously importing continental Chinese culture, Buddhism. Along with it the country inadvertently imported the powerful plague, smallpox, against which the only remedy available was to pray to the divine; the enormous Buddhist icon was thus constructed. It was a tremendous undertaking with the production cost of US$4.34 billion in today’s currency, spanning over two political regimes. Ever since I watched the effects of the tsunami during the 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake live, I have had a number of realizations as to the whole concept of religious art. The tsunami killed 15,000 instantaneously. I was made aware anew of the history of our earthquake-ridden country that rests over four tectonic plates, where a huge number of lives have been lost at a time at the mercy of powerful force of nature. In this island country, a massive number of people die due to the nature’s activity rather than due to wars or terrorism. I came to understand that living under tremendous fear of nature, the Japanese have nurtured our peculiar religious views over time, coming to believe in myriad gods. Oval Buddha Gold Installation at “MURAKAMI VERSAILLES”, 2010 The exhibition at Versailles Palace was produced by @galerieperrotin Reversed Double Helix Installation at Rockefeller Center, NY, 2003 Tongari-kun Installation at “MURAKAMI VERSAILLES”, 2010 translation: @tabi_the_fat」4月3日 5時36分