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piole Kabuto

piole Kabuto is an abstract sculpture made from polished stainless steel. It is made from many curved scales that fit together in a way reminiscent of the roof tiles at Himeji Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site that can be seen from the rooftop the sculpture sits upon. The effect is to marry the modern materials and clean aesthetic of the piole shopping center with forms and construction methods used in Himeji Castle and the traditional architecture of the region. The form is inspired by Samurai helmets (Kabuto) and the Kuwagata beetle that inspired these helmets.

The shape of the sculpture invites visitors to take a seat or lift their children for photographs. At night, visitors can control the color of two optical projectors that cast sharp shadows of them sitting on the sculpture onto the large white walls of the mall where they are visible from up to one mile away.

Date:

2014

Location:

Rooftop of piole shopping center in Himeji, Japan

Dimensions:

7' x 3' x 9'

Media:

stainless steel, visitor controlled LED lighting, custom optics

Commissioning Agency: 

piole, Japan Railway Co., Ltd.

Artist:

Joseph O'Connell

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Creative Machines Inc.

4141 E. Irvington Rd.

Tucson, Arizona 85714

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Our Creative Machines shop is located on the ancestral lands of the Tohono O'odham Nation. We are nestled in the heart of Tucson, Arizona, a vibrant, culture-rich city, both presently and historically. This land was home to some of the earliest people in North America, the Hohokam, and we honor and respectfully acknowledge the indigenous nations that have stewarded this land since time immemorial. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the Tohono O’odham and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT

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