Working primarily in plaster, Japanese artist Taiji Taomote produces surreal sculptures inspired by skeletal motifs. Death Visceration, one of his most unique works of skull art, exhibits both the artist’s wild imagination and his awe-inspiring realist approach.
Designed in the style of a traditional bust, Death Visceration features the beautifully sculpted head of a woman. While her gaze is relaxed and her expression is calm, the female figure’s face is shockingly split open, revealing a lifelike skull that appears to burst from her skin.
On top of its eye-catching iconography, the sculpture’s unique dimensionality sets it apart from other contemporary skull art. Curiously, Taomote has opted to give the figure 2 noses. Though anatomically peculiar, this fascinating facial structure allows the sculpture to be properly viewed from any angle. Whether observed from the left or right, the face will appear to be intact. When seen from the front or back, however, its split face and strange, seam-like crack are visible.
Until July 30, 2017, this jaw-dropping piece will be on view at Ohio’s Akron Art Museum as a part of the dreamlike exhibition, Gross Anatomies.
Death Visceration, a surreal sculpture by Taiji Taomote, depicts a figure whose head is split to reveal her skull.
It’s easy to miss the surreal split when viewed from the sides.
But there’s definitely no missing it from the front.
Photo: joseph.d.w
In addition to this thought-provoking sculpture, Taomote has created other skull art pieces that are similar in style.
Photo: Sumally
Photo: Sumally
Photo: Sumally
Taiji Taomote: Website
All images via Hieronymus Objects unless otherwise stated.
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