十悪 [Ju-aku]
The “Ten Sins” Project
This recent series of photographs entitled 十悪 [Ju-aku] or "Ten Sins" explores the Japanese idea of "Bon-nou" ( 煩悩 ) which translates to “worldly desires, evil passions, and appetites of the flesh”.
Created upon a concept from mindful movement artist & visionary Mai Sato (former artist @ Cirque du Soleil), and with Japanese calligraphy artist Ai Kishimoto, this new photographic body of work examines 10 of the acts we commit against ourselves & others, using our thoughts, bodies, and words.
These acts are: greed, anger, envy, flattery, duplicity, blame, lies, taking or suppressing a life, stealing, and lust.
These words of "Bon-Nou" are painted by Ai Kishimoto, in her unique form of emotionally inspired Japanese ‘Kanji’ characters, on the right side of the body. In the art of “Face Reading” the Right side of our body is the exterior side of ourselves which we show to the world, while the Left side is left unpainted, as this represents our hidden personal side, and our innermost private thoughts and feelings.
All of these thoughts and actions are depicted as an inextricable part of the human experience, and as such, we can never fully separate ourselves from them. However, when allowing these to become unbalanced (by either losing control over them, or ignoring or suppressing them) we can cause ourselves, and others, great suffering.
The purpose of this artwork, is to remind the viewers to consider and practice opening themselves in a mindful way to allow these types of feelings and desires to arise, and to pass, while neither embracing nor resisting them. By simply recognizing and appreciating that they exist in all of us, we may minimize and heal our own suffering, and we may better understand and accept others who suffer as well.
From a quote in the book titled “101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think”, author Brianna Wiest states:
“…healing is really just letting yourself feel. It is unearthing your traumas and embarrassments and losses and allowing yourself the emotions that you could not have in the moment that you were having those experiences. It’s letting yourself filter and process what you had to suppress at the time to keep going, maybe even to survive.”
Photography: Matt Beard
Concept and Creative Direction: Mai Sato
Body Calligraphy Art: Ai Kishimoto
Models: Mai Sato and Ai Kishimoto
Hair/Makeup: Christine Puhl (Nguyen)
Studio: The Studio / Jewely Bennett
Face Reading Research & Guidance: Patrician McCarthy
