Jinmenju, 2020
Jinmenju Tree is a work created for the Briefly in Transit Sculpture Trail which took place in Stephens House and Gardens in London, curated by Rebekah Dean. The title of the project made me think of bodies briefly in transit between life and death through decay, and the ecological importance of accepting and embracing this circle. Through research I came upon the Jinmenju Tree a yokai (supernatural story) originating from China. According to the lore, these trees live on the mountain valleys, bearing fruits like human heads, who don’t speak just smile or laugh and when they laugh too much they fall off. The work comprises of paper-mache fruit and a poem by an unknown author.
Jinmenju Tree
In mountain valleys,
its flowers just like human heads,
without a word,
they merely just smile away,
smile until petals fall,
just like that.
