VHM4K2019, 2019

Kojun  

Gloss finish urushi lacquer over ABS thermoplastic viewer / Black film diffuser

Kojun is a self-taught multimédia American artist born in 1977 based in Tokyo, Japan since 1999. Kojun project started in 2010 explores the experiences of beauty glimpsed in everyday life. The artist name Kojun is written using characters conveying the idea of illuminating & enriching the soul. Realized in a variety of media, the pieces created by Kojun are meant to serve as “tools for the heart”, objects for contemplation as markers on the path to Illumination.

Hekikan Viewing Machines and Image Collection Reels:

In Zen Buddhism, the term heki-kan (literally “wall-viewing”) refers to the act of meditation – freeing yourself from distractions and focusing your mind to re-discover your original heart. The Hekikan Viewing Machines engage the viewer with 7 Kojun images, presenting each alone in a black void focusing the mind into an isolated meditative experience of the work. Each piece is unique, created using a View-Master® toy refinished by Kojun working with traditional craftsmen in materials including urushi lacquer, gold and silver leaf, Japanese washi paper, and other precious materials.

The result is sculptural objects through which we can experience the sacred beauty of the everyday in a meditative ritual helping us to re-discover the innocent childlike state of our original hearts. Each signed and numbered viewer comes with the customer’s choice of three 7-image reels and is presented in a traditional kiri-bako paulownia wood display box. Customers can also select their choice of viewer finish and reel images.