Mari Shimizu is an artist from Amakusa in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, who creates hollowed-out ball-joint dolls. Each doll is unique in that the contents of their eviscerated torsos reveal different elements of horror and fantasy. In a statement provided to Illusion, Shimizu explains how “We hide our hearts from our families and friends in order to build a relationship with society, such as with a company or a school. Japanese people hide their hearts in particular. Therefore, I’m expressing what’s inside a person’s heart, whether it’s anxiety or a paradise.” Some dolls have vampire children bursting out of them; others contain idyllic scenes, such as a young woman on a white horse (recalling the myth of Lady Godiva). Others resemble cabinets of curiosities, or even famous paintings. Disturbing and beautiful, Shimizu’s sculptures shockingly remind us how our bodies are containers for complex inner worlds.
Images © Mari Shimizu Via Dangerous Minds