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Holley Bakich - Amaterasu Omi-kami
Category: Wall Hanging.
Beads were sewn directly onto velvet backed by interfacing. In most places, the beads were sewn on in “lazy stitch” fashion, four beads for each stitch. To create smooth curves, however, fewer beads were used. The face is leather, with applied details and set-in doll eyes.
I was born in Cincinnati, OH in 1969. I've lived in Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri and currently El Paso, TX. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia where I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture. I've been married to Michael E. Bakich, an astronomer and author, for nearly three years.
While living in Kansas City, MO right after college, I was a guard at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Since there was a lot of time to kill during the weekdays when there were not many Museum visitors, I spent a great deal of time looking at the artwork--a great education in itself! I was especially taken with the Native American exhibits and most especially their beadwork. I studied those pieces on display for many hours and finally put it to use copying a beaded vest from the collection. Since doing that was so much fun, I decided to bead a piece of original artwork.
My sculptures generally deal with myths and folklore of the world and they're usually in the form of a box or shrine. I try to use materials in the pieces that pertain to the culture being depicted. So, when I decided to do a Native American myth about Grandmother Spider, it seemed appropriate to bead the entire outside of the box. Thus was born my abiding love of beadwork.
I also love beads because, unlike paint, they stay true to their color and are very sparkly, shiny and lively. They also give a great texture to artwork. So, when I next decided to do a pair of voodoo flags, beads seemed the proper medium for the same reason that sequins are used in Haitian flags: they catch the light and impart a sense that the figure being depicted is moving and alive. Those two pieces, "Erzulie Danthor" and "Erzulie Frieda," I recently sold to a couple in California. I've also sold a beaded piece depicting Otohime, a Japanese ocean "goddess" that was similar in style to my piece for the Miyuki Delica Challenge. The most recent series of beaded pieces I finished are nine wall hangings of the planets of our solar system and the god or goddess for whom they're named.
The Entry
I have always been interested in Japanese art and culture. My style of beadwork--appliqued onto velvet with strong black outlines--lends itself very well to Japanese-style art, since that's the way Japanese woodblock prints look. So, that's why the piece is very flat-looking with the heavy outlines and solid colors and patterns filling in the other areas. I set "Amaterasu Omi-kami" up like a Japanese scroll painting, There is interfacing inside with red felt backing. Amaterasu's face is a 3-dimensional piece made of stuffed leather. She has doll eyes, which make her look more convincing, set into the leather. I still have Amaterasu hanging up at home; she's not sold yet.
The Myth
The story of Amaterasu Omi-kami is a pervasive one in Japanese culture. She's traditionally believed to be the mother of the man who founded Japan. In fact, the Japanese flag (the one before the war with the red rays coming out of the central circle), is a depiction of her, since she is their Shinto sun goddess. Just about any book on Japanese culture mentions her in some way.
My piece, "Amaterasu Omi-kami" depicts the crowning moment in the most prevalent story of the goddess. When she was born to Isanami and Isanagi, the creator deities, they decided that her beauty was so radiant that she should live in heaven and light up the sky. Her brother, Susanoo, was the god of the winds. And, like the wind, he was very tempestuous. One day he came to visit Amaterasu in heaven. He caused so much commotion and trouble that it drove Amaterasu to distraction. Finally, he threw a flayed horse into the weaving room of her attendants. This so scared one of the ladies that she pricked herself on the weaving needle and died. For Amaterasu this was the last straw. In desperation she went into a cave and rolled a gigantic boulder over the door. The world was plunged into darkness. The other gods knew that they had to get her out of there, so, as a ploy, they began a wild party outside the cave. They hung many jewels and mirrors (which are sacred to the Shinto religion) from the trees outside. Finally, she called out, "What's going on out there?" They replied that they'd found a goddess more lovely than she was. This, naturally, piqued her interest and she peeked out a little. When she saw her radiance reflected in the jewels and mirrors, she leaned out even farther. This was the opportunity the other gods needed and they dragged her out. My piece depicts the moment that she's rising back to heaven. Her kimono shows the colors of a sunrise.
Some interpret this story as a explanation of an eclipse of the Sun. Others believe it is a fertility story and an explanation of the seasons. Uzume’s dance can be seen as a fertility dance where seeds are planted before the Sun returns to the world in the spring.
This piece of artwork depicts Amaterasu at the moment that she is rising back into heaven. The rays of her brilliance fan out around her head (which is where the depiction of the rising Sun on the Japanese flag originated). Her outer kimono depicts the dawn in pink flames at the bottom, rising into the light blue morning sky at the shoulders. The next kimono layer depicts the dark purple starry sky through which the Sun travels. And the final layer closest to her skin is brilliant orange, alluding to the fires of the Sun. Her purple obi sash has the round shinto symbol of the tomoyc, the circle of life. This symbol is also found on her hair sticks. On her head, she wears the golden gohei, which is the shinto symbol of divinity. In the background one can see the cave from which she has emerged, with the shimenawa across it. The cave is also topped with a torii gate that has become a perch for a rooster. Torii gates are sacred to shinto. The three “doors” at the top represent the three crowings of the rooster that symbolically purify those who enter. The rooster also crowed right before Amaterasu emerged from the cave. In the foreground can be seen symbols of spring—flowers and a butterfly. And, hanging in the tree outside the cave is an eight-sided mirror, which is also a symbol of shintoism.
d) Current Projects
Right now I'm working on a series of 10 sculptures about famous sideshow freaks from history. The first is the Great Lentini, a three-legged man who lived in the early and middle part of this century. The figure of Francesco Lentini is made of leather, with detailed hand-sewn clothing. I have a picture page of this piece at www.dzn.com/~universe/index.html He will be on a wooden platform made up of decorative pieces of wood and a turned spindle. I'm working on that part of the sculpture now.
I welcome emails. My address is holleybak.no.spam@yahoo.com.