Procession Spin

Rotation, Not Timeline

Otomo approaches the piece as public art closer to entertainment than declaration — something meant to be encountered casually, enjoyed without preparation, and absorbed through movement. Rather than presenting a single linear image, the mural is organized around rotation and procession. Forms circulate across the surface, allowing the composition to shift depending on distance, angle, and the pace of people passing by.

That sense of circulation is reinforced materially. Spanning roughly 7 meters wide and 2.4 meters high, the work is constructed from 164 ceramic tiles, four bronze elements, and nearly 290 distinct glazes. The density of surface variation resists a single reading, instead encouraging repeated encounters. Ancient and historical references — from early Japanese forms through later visual traditions — are not quoted directly but recomposed through collage, creating continuity across time rather than hierarchy.

“I've shaped the flow of art — from the Jōmon period to the present and beyond — into a single form. The thoughts and prayers people wished to express by era are passing down while changing form. From that sequence, I'm lining up the fragments that have drawn me in and remain in my heart. Many hands have worked on, the colors emerge, it gradually rose up as a three-dimensional form.

From here on, the work belongs to the viewer. When you happen to stop by, approach and retreat as you please, I would be happy if something resonates within you.”

— Katsuhiro Otomo

The production itself reflects this long view. Realized over multiple years in collaboration with seven artisans from CREARE Atami-Yugawara Studio, under the Japan Traffic Culture Association with support from Tokyo Metro, the mural treats clay, glaze, and bronze as carriers of accumulated experience — reference gathered through animation, film, and historical art, then reassembled through lived practice rather than concept alone.