MASKS
Virtual video archive of contemporary fairy tales and folklore of the past.
ALMA DI ISLA
Audiovisual work by Lyubov Matyunina & Konstantin Guz
Aruba, 2019
Camera: Konstantin Guz, Lyubov Matyunina
Art Direction/Editing/Costumes: Lyubov Matyunina
Sound recording/Composing/Post-production: Konstantin Guz
YOKAI
Yōkai is the proper word for any kind of supernatural monsters in Japanese Folklore. They range from malevolent, mischevious tricksters to creatures that bring fortune and luck to those they encounter. Their appearance ranges from animalistic to that of a regular Human, from the inanimate objects to strange shapes that can't be described.
HYAKUME
THOUSAND EYE YOKAI
As its name suggests, hyakume is covered from head to foot with countless blinking, yellow eyes. Underneath those eyes is a fleshy body, roughly man-sized. With its eyes closed, it resembles a pink lump of flesh and is nearly indistinguishable from the nuppeppō (which lives in a similar habitat).
Produced by Lyubov Matyunina using vintage kimono.
Studio Kura art residency
Japan 201
DONOTSURA
Dōnotsura’s body appears much like that of a human’s, except that it is missing everything from the neck up. Its extremely large facial features are prominently displayed on its torso, just as its name implies.
Produced by Lyubov Matyunina using vintage kimono and MAKUMO textile.
Studio Kura art residency
Japan 2019
PLASTIC BAG YOKAI
During my stay in Japan, I noticed how much packaging is used for grocery and shopping.
I was collecting plastic bags for 3 weeks and after create a new contemporary Yokai - Plastic Yokai.
This creature has a body since plastic pollution estimated at 6,300 million metric tonnes, scientists calculated that around 12 percent of all plastic waste has been incinerated, while roughly 79 percent has found its way into landfills or become litter.
Produced by Lyubov Matyunina.
Studio Kura art residency
Japan 201
YOKAI EDITION
Japan-inspired hand-printed fashion collection
Lyubov Matyunina went to Japan and research into the Yokai* culture. Her research transformed into this very special collection. Each item is hand-printed using a block printing technique which makes each print unique and individual. Slow fashion as it is! Each print has a different intensity and not perfect, as according to Japanese philosophy wabi-sabi, acceptance of transience and imperfection.
Artist dye t-shirts and bleach by herself.
Each item is hand-printed and unique!
*Yokai are a class of supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons in Japanese folklore.
“Dream is the personalized myth,
the myth the depersonalized dream”
Look around; on the wall, you can see a mask.
Take it.
Sit on the chair and wear the mask.
Recall the most fascinating dream you ever had.
Tell us your dream; tell it as you leaving through it again with all the details and emotions. Tell it loud.
When you finish your dream story stand up and take off the mask.
You don't need it anymore.
Put the mask on the wall.
Instruction for performance by Lyubov Matyunina
especially for Act! at Q18 in Cologne, curated by Julia Katharina Thiemann