Akio OHMORI

As a member of a new generation of Japanese sculptors, Akio Ohmori held a solo exhibition in 2011, with dogs and cats in animal shelters as his main theme to discuss the topic of animal euthanasia. By sculpting the sheltered animals, he expresses reflections by society about the meaning of life inside these shelters. Ohmori’s work was based on the Kumamoto Municipal Animal Care Center, which employed a “zero euthanization” policy that gained widespread recognition. With his sculpture imbued with the animals’ power of life, combined with Japanese traditional wood sculpture craftsmanship and lacquerworks, the thoughts of the animals are expressed completely in detail. Akio Ohmori’s working mindset is to combine the art of sculpture into everyday lives. Not only is he talented in portraying subtle expressions of animals, he is also able to use implicit, hidden and metaphoric means of expression to reflect the relationship between individuals, society, and culture. Furthermore, he also reflects upon the relationships of family, city, history and more. He hopes that his works can make a call for examination about environmental issues, while also express his concerns about society, and bring arts closer to everyday life.