His first new work in five years. A culmination of his career as an artist.

Ura. is a wool modeling artist who creates animal-themed works that soothe the viewer's emotions, such as a comfortable huddled Asian small-clawed otter and a Boston terrier with a look of relief like a baby in its mother's arms. Born in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, Ura studied dress design at Kuwasawa Design School and set out to become a shoemaker. However, despite having an image in mind, he was unable to make the shoes he wanted, and he went through a period of anguish to the point where just looking at a shoe advertisement made him feel nauseous. When he was wondering whether to continue with shoemaking, he visited a wool modeling workshop as a change of pace.

Animals that appear as symbols in the imagination

Until then, he had been unable to see the path to the finished product he had envisioned when making shoes, but with wool modeling, his hands moved on their own and he was able to create the shape he had imagined. He had thought to himself, "I have to become a person who makes things," and in the 10 years he had been making things, it was the first time he had felt liberated, he says, and he was so happy that tears came to his eyes while working.

Shortly after I started making wool sculptures, I was invited by a friend, a bag maker, to plan a two-person exhibition. I wanted an animal to act as a mentor and help calm my fear of exhibiting my own creations, which were nothing at all, so I created a large sheep.

Ura. layers colors on compressed and hardened wool, and uses needles to entangle the fibers of the wool to create animal shapes. She says that the image that comes to her mind is naturally shaped by her hands without any preliminary sketches, and takes on the right size.

"When I was a child, I was so shy that if there was a big hole, I wanted to go into it and live forever, and I thought that a life where I could perform in front of people was impossible." The animals, symbols of her imagination, take her out, without pulling her into the hole.

The artwork has sparked interactions between people, and Ura. and the animals have begun traveling to various places, including an exhibition at the Beppu Kita Elevated Shopping Arcade in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, and taking part in Kinokuni Trainart, which fills the carriages and stations of the JR Kinokuni Line in Wakayama Prefecture with art.

Finding the "joy of living" in differences

Since then, she has taken a break from her work as an artist to give birth and raise her child, but this is her first new work in five years. The title "Delight" was chosen to evoke the joy of being able to create something again, and the Buddhist term "joyful land," which represents the first step in training. The number of works on display, a total of 72, including over 50 older works, is a true joy, and a sign of her intention to take a new step as an artist. This exhibition can be said to be the culmination of her 13 years of work as an artist, starting with her first work, the sheep.

During the hiatus, Ura. had considered giving up on being an artist. After receiving an offer from YUGEN Gallery, Ura. was inspired by the image of a hibernating fox dancing and celebrating with him, as he was touched by the fact that the animals had remembered him. This is the theme of his new work, "Awakening." In addition to the fox, the four animals, including a rabbit, fully express the original joy he felt at being born as a wool artist, and the enjoyment of "the joy and pleasure of living," which is the theme of his work as an artist.

The other new piece, "Ice Cream," is a work that uses the Bichon Frise dog "Maru-chan" as an ice cream. Both the melting Maru-chan and the non-melting Maru-chan stand around the venue, spending their time as they please. Ura. herself prefers rock-hard ice cream, while her daughter prefers gooey, melted ice cream shakes. This work focuses on the differences between people, and the fact that what makes us happy and what tastes good varies from person to person.

Unexploited creativity

Wool sculptures are often made and sold as miscellaneous goods. Ura. says that it was "difficult for me to make them." Even though they are the same animal, each has a different personality, and she strongly wishes to "accept this with open mind," finding joy in living in differences.

The animals breathed life into by Ura. welcome everyone, and their eyes focus on the importance of living peacefully, doing what you're good at, without being exploited by anyone, in today's society where we are caught up in cutthroat competition and our future is uncertain.

She herself had been trying to shut herself off from making things, but after visiting a workshop, it became clear to her that making things was something she "had to do" in her life. This shows us that the society we live in is also open to chance, and that creativity that leads to a better society can be realized. And it can also arise unconsciously. The animals that we encounter on our walks rejoice in this possibility, and fully affirm our pride without dividing it from anything.