Satoshi Araki is a Japanese artist who creates photo realistic dioramas of a variety of shapes and sizes. His dioramas are extremely detailed, from the rust on a car to the litter on a street, the level of realism in each of his artworks forces viewers to really examine his works. Some of Araki's best works are those where he creates the effects of ageing in the scenes he creates.
The level of detail in these models are astonishing, the way the rust has broken the paint and the dirt on the windows create the sense of a hauntological presence. Something that once was, the past inside the presence. It's almost nostalgic, seeing two vehicles that were popular during the 1950's and 60's, but instead of being "alive" and on the road, they are both sat underneath a tree rusting away.
This model is slightly different to the other ones he creates - a lot of his models are buildings, or rusting cars. But, this one shows something unique.
A tank surrounded by sunflowers - danger and beauty, fear and happiness.
Sunflowers symbolise adoration, loyalty and longevity. Much of the meaning of sunflowers stems from its namesake, the sun itself. The flowers are unique in that they have the ability to provide energy in the form of nourishment and vibrancy—attributes which mirror the sun and the energy provided by its heat and light.
Sunflowers are known for being “happy” flowers, making them the perfect gift to bring joy to someone’s day.
Whereas, a tank is an armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat. It's the complete opposite of a sunflower. Tanks are feared, and don't bring joy to those who see one on the battlefield.
The contrast between the two objects is what makes the diorama interesting and powerful. But, if you look closely, you can see that the tank isn't working anymore. The tracks are broken (the wheel) and a small white bird sits on the end of the turret/muzzle.
Life now surrounds something that once caused death.
Fear is surrounded by something that brings happiness.
Danger is surrounded by beauty.
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