Shinkichi Tajiri

Private Collection, Sweden
Sale Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen, 27 September 1995, lot 193
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Venice, XXXI Biennale Internazionale d'Arte, June - October 1962, no. 467

This work is in very good condition. There is some surface dirt. There are some rests of white spots of the cast and orange of the molar brick.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"Despite the labour intensity of the "molar brick" technique, approximately fifty of these sculptures were executed between 1957 and 1964. Most of them allude to an attitude of contemplation. They include titles such as Column for Meditation, Relic from an Ossuary, Totem, Tower of Babel and Obiit (he has died). Tajiri draws his inspiration from the theme of death and the ancestry cult, which is an important part of the Japanese religion, Shintoism."  
(from: Hestia Bavelaar and Els Barents, Shinkichi Tajiri, beeldhouwer-sculptor, Ghent 1990, p. 53.