WHITESTONE

카트0
FOLLOW
Tokyo Twilight Labyrinth, MIKI KATOH, 2024Acrylic gouache, Canvas91.0 × 72.7 cm This is the mysterious entrance of Shinbashi, where at twilight the gates to another realm open. Come, let us share a drink—but be warned, what sits beside you may not be human. You do not know who I am.A fast-asleep drunken dragon drops a glowing orb—an all-powerful treasure granting any wish. Once stolen by a wicked dragon, it is now my secret prize, reclaimed in silence. The foolish dragon cries, wailing for its missing orb. So then, what shall I wish for?At the twilight hour, a mysterious alley appears in Shinbashi. This fantastical tale about a jewel dropped by a drunken dragon draws inspiration from the legend of “Tama-Orihime” of Sanuki, reimagined in modern Tokyo.Set in Shinbashi, a city steeped in intoxication and desire, the story is told from the perspective of a mysterious narrator encountering beings beyond humans.At the heart of this piece is the power held within the orb, and the question of what one truly wishes for upon possessing it—a reflection on human vulnerability and strength.Blending myth with modernity, the work becomes a prayer and beacon of hope for navigating a chaotic age.

Tokyo Twilight Labyrinth

가토 미키

로그인
로그인하여 작품의 가격을 확인
로그인 / 회원가입
2024
Acrylic gouache, Canvas
91.0 × 72.7 cm

This is the mysterious entrance of Shinbashi, where at twilight the gates to another realm open. Come, let us share a drink—but be warned, what sits beside you may not be human. You do not know who I am.
A fast-asleep drunken dragon drops a glowing orb—an all-powerful treasure granting any wish. Once stolen by a wicked dragon, it is now my secret prize, reclaimed in silence. The foolish dragon cries, wailing for its missing orb. So then, what shall I wish for?

At the twilight hour, a mysterious alley appears in Shinbashi. This fantastical tale about a jewel dropped by a drunken dragon draws inspiration from the legend of “Tama-Orihime” of Sanuki, reimagined in modern Tokyo.
Set in Shinbashi, a city steeped in intoxication and desire, the story is told from the perspective of a mysterious narrator encountering beings beyond humans.
At the heart of this piece is the power held within the orb, and the question of what one truly wishes for upon possessing it—a reflection on human vulnerability and strength.
Blending myth with modernity, the work becomes a prayer and beacon of hope for navigating a chaotic age.
※판매 가격은 회원가입 이후 보실 수 있습니다.
Tokyo Twilight Labyrinth, MIKI KATOH, 2024Acrylic gouache, Canvas91.0 × 72.7 cm This is the mysterious entrance of Shinbashi, where at twilight the gates to another realm open. Come, let us share a drink—but be warned, what sits beside you may not be human. You do not know who I am.A fast-asleep drunken dragon drops a glowing orb—an all-powerful treasure granting any wish. Once stolen by a wicked dragon, it is now my secret prize, reclaimed in silence. The foolish dragon cries, wailing for its missing orb. So then, what shall I wish for?At the twilight hour, a mysterious alley appears in Shinbashi. This fantastical tale about a jewel dropped by a drunken dragon draws inspiration from the legend of “Tama-Orihime” of Sanuki, reimagined in modern Tokyo.Set in Shinbashi, a city steeped in intoxication and desire, the story is told from the perspective of a mysterious narrator encountering beings beyond humans.At the heart of this piece is the power held within the orb, and the question of what one truly wishes for upon possessing it—a reflection on human vulnerability and strength.Blending myth with modernity, the work becomes a prayer and beacon of hope for navigating a chaotic age.

RELATED WORKS

Blessing Wind, MIKI KATOH, 2024Gouache, Watson paper, Wood panel116.7 × 72.7 cm A woman opens a window to escape the heat of a night banquet—moonlight and a sky full of stars rush in. A bat escapes through the frame, flitting joyfully, as a phoenix descends from the ceiling bearing news of an auspicious event. And what of the future we’ve yet to see...?This piece was created for the 2024 exhibition “Showa Modern × Hyakudan Kaidan: Tokyo Modern Girl Life,” held at Hotel Gajoen Tokyo.The hotel is a renowned wedding venue, and the “Hyakudan Kaidan” (Hundred Steps Staircase), preserved for nearly 90 years, retains an atmosphere as if time has stood still—a realm beyond the ordinary. This inspired a work filled with fantasy and auspicious symbolism.The piece expresses celebration and hope for a yet unseen future.The character “凮” in the title uses an alternate form of the kanji for “wind,” incorporating the character for “hundred”—a visual tribute to the Hyakudan Kaidan. Similarly, the kanji for “祝” is written in traditional form, reflecting both the setting and the spirit of the work.
Blessing Wind
가토 미키
Price: Private
A Thousand Years Prayer, MIKI KATOH, 2020＋2024Acrylic gouache, Canvas97.3 × 162.0 cm Even after a thousand years and countless changing eras, the wishes born from humanity remain the same. Past, present, and future—all prayers converge here.We are the divine foxes of Fushimi, messengers who grant desires.Depicted in the work are Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, and the white foxes who have long received and guarded prayers. Founded 1,300 years ago, the shrine’s red torii gates line the mountain paths, layered with wishes conveyed through ema plaques and guardian statues.The foxes, having lived over a millennium, now possess two tails and wear sacred flaming jewels. One has transformed into a woman, clad in flowing garments of the Nara period, emerging under the night sky of Mt. Inari.If you look closely, the light trails of highways and the lines of torii seem to merge—blurring the boundary between our world and another.This work holds a multitude of wishes: for prosperity, for good fortune, for protection. The overlapping hopes of countless people through time have formed into this prayerful image.
A Thousand Years Prayer
가토 미키
Price: Private
SAIKA2 UKONKOU, MIKI KATOH, 2024Gouache, Natural mineral pigments, Dyed mud pigment, Watson paper, Wood panel22.8 × 16.0 cm “Saika” is a series that celebrates the joy of color.Though composed with the same structure, subtle differences in color and pattern shift the impression—inviting the viewer to explore their personal preferences.The “large-head portraits” (ōkubi-e) of the Edo period were hugely popular for depicting beloved actors and courtesans in dramatic close-ups. Techniques like kirazuri, which added shimmering mica to pigments, enhanced the viewer’s enjoyment.Similarly, the “Saika” series presents vivid bust portraits of women in gouache, allowing close observation of their expressions. The vibrant patterns serve as accents within a space, while the mineral pigments used in the background offer a uniquely shimmering texture—an experience only possible when seen in person.These works transform traditional Japanese beauty into contemporary art. That is the essence of “Saika.”This particular piece, titled *Ukonkō*, takes its name from the word for “tulip.”
SAIKA2 UKONKOU
가토 미키
Price: Private
SAIKA3 YURIROKUSHO, MIKI KATOH, 2024Gouache, Natural mineral pigments, Dyed mud pigment, Watson paper, Wood panel22.8 × 16.0 cm “Saika” is a series that celebrates the joy of color.Though composed with the same structure, subtle differences in color and pattern shift the impression—inviting the viewer to explore their personal preferences.The “large-head portraits” (ōkubi-e) of the Edo period were hugely popular for depicting beloved actors and courtesans in dramatic close-ups. Techniques like kirazuri, which added shimmering mica to pigments, enhanced the viewer’s enjoyment.Similarly, the “Saika” series presents vivid bust portraits of women in gouache, allowing close observation of their expressions. The vibrant patterns serve as accents within a space, while the mineral pigments used in the background offer a uniquely shimmering texture—an experience only possible when seen in person.These works transform traditional Japanese beauty into contemporary art. That is the essence of “Saika.”This piece, *Saika No.3 Yurirokushō*, features lilies. The name comes from the pale blue used in the background, which evokes the color of rokusho pigment.
SAIKA3 YURIROKUSHO
가토 미키
Price: Private
Spiled Cherry Blossoms, MIKI KATOH, 2024Acrylic gouache, Canvas53.0 × 41.0 cm Even as a faint starlight twinkles in the twilight sky, and a soft glow flickers in the twilight city below, I continue to wait. I no longer know what I am waiting for.Petals drift like rafts on the river’s surface, dissolving into the unreliable light and carrying my breath toward the sea. Countless lights shimmer. Even as eternity flows by.Since the Edo period, cherry blossoms have bloomed magnificently along the Sumida River, a tradition that continues today.This work was inspired by Utagawa Hiroshige’s ukiyo-e, “Masaki, Grove of the Water God, and the Sumida River,” aiming to harmonize and fuse the famed Edo location with contemporary art.The Grove of the Water God is still cherished today as the Sumida River Shrine, conveying the cycle of life through the vast flow of time.Through the beauty of things that fade and cherry blossoms that continue to bloom in memory, this piece expresses a hope that connects past, present, and future.
Spiled Cherry Blossoms
가토 미키
Price: Private
Soaring KIRIN, MIKI KATOH, 2025Acrylic gouache, Canvas112.0 × 145.5 cm The kirin, with a high-pitched gallop, soars across past, present, and future. Every principle has its “beginning” and “end.” With each “end” invites a new, unknown “beginning.”Now is the time—hold onto your convictions and rise skyward.The winged kirin resides at Nihonbashi, the origin point of all roads in Japan. Its wings symbolize the wish to spread forth from here across the nation.Nihonbashi has long been a crossroads where people, goods, and culture intersect from the Edo period to the present day. The elms and pines once marking distance along highways now adorn pillars, evoking travel and the passage of time.As redevelopment opens up the skies above, the artist sees every end as a new beginning and imbues this work with the will to soar into the future with steadfast belief.
Soaring KIRIN
가토 미키
Price: Private
SAIKA6 Blue Rose, MIKI KATOH, 2024Gouache, Natural mineral pigments, Dyed mud pigment, Watson paper, Wood panel22.8 × 16.0 cm “Saika” is a series that celebrates the joy of color.Though composed with the same structure, subtle differences in color and pattern shift the impression—inviting the viewer to explore their personal preferences.The “large-head portraits” (ōkubi-e) of the Edo period were hugely popular for depicting beloved actors and courtesans in dramatic close-ups. Techniques like kirazuri, which added shimmering mica to pigments, enhanced the viewer’s enjoyment.Similarly, the “Saika” series presents vivid bust portraits of women in gouache, allowing close observation of their expressions. The vibrant patterns serve as accents within a space, while the mineral pigments used in the background offer a uniquely shimmering texture—an experience only possible when seen in person.These works transform traditional Japanese beauty into contemporary art. That is the essence of “Saika.”In this piece, *Saika No.6 Blue Rose*, a woman with a straight bob hairstyle dons a kimono adorned with vivid blue roses. She appears both graceful and strong.
SAIKA6 Blue Rose
가토 미키
Price: Private
See all artworks
Back
Works Inquiry
Tokyo Twilight Labyrinth
Tokyo Twilight Labyrinth
가토 미키
Code: 1130111033
Privacy PolicyFAQ
도움이 필요하신가요?
작품에 관심이 있으시면 저희가 도와드리겠습니다.

뉴스레터 구독하기

최신 전시회 정보나 구독자 전용 혜택을 이메일로 받아보실 수 있습니다.


이메일 주소를 제출하면 확인 이메일을 받게 됩니다. 받은 이메일에 있는 링크를 클릭하여 등록을 완료해 주세요.