NENDO-MICHI of JIN KATAGIRI ~NIPPON local the soul of clay~ vol.9

#Clay #iPhone #Japan #KATAGIRIJIN #Miyazaki #Moai #NENDO-MICHI #Tokyo 2021.05.25

Miyazaki Prefecture 「Mo iPhone」

Mo iPhone by THATISGOOD2020 on Sketchfab

Legal amount : height × width × Length = 195×105×75(mm)
Materials: Styrofoam, Sculpey, epoxy putty, hinges, doll eyes

　Since I bought a new iPhone, I decided to make an iPhone case for the first time in two years.
So far,
Starting with 『SaiPhone』（iPhone 3G）
『KaoPhone4』（iPhone 4）
『Froggy 2011』 (iPhone 4S. iPhone version of “Froggy” that I made on Galapagos)
『TaiPhone5』（iPhone 5）
『KareiPhone 6 Plus』（iPhone 6 Plus. Fish flounder called Karei. (Often misidentified as flounder called Hirame.)
『Oniphone 6 Plus』（iPhone 6 Plus）
※This was made for the filming of the movie “TOO YOUNG TO DIE!” There is also “OniPad 2”.
『iPhone 7-Hoshikin Kamemushi』（iPhone 7 Plus。It’s “nana hoshi” after the number seven.）
『earPhone』（iPhone 8）
『eyePhone』（iPhone XS Max)
I’ve been working on this project almost every time I change models. And this time, I’ve made my tenth one! So (I didn’t know this until I recorded it here…), “Mo iPhone” in full swing!

Above Photos：Naoto Otsubo/Kodansha Ltd.

　“The Moai statues”. Everyone knows about the mysterious megalithic sculptures on Easter Island in the Republic of Chile, and the pun with the iPhone is perfect!　　I had actually had the idea of the “Moai iPhone” for a while, but it was so famous that I hesitated to make it.
There are actually flat silicone Moai iPhone cases for sale…. There are also tissue cases and various other goods…. But! I’ve made one!　This is because as I researched the moai, I found out about their unexpected connection to Japan!
　Most of the moai statues on Easter Island had fallen down in the 20th century due to wars and earthquakes. It is said that Japanese crane manufacturers were the ones who restored them. As a result of this exchange, the city of Nichinan in Miyazaki Prefecture has a line of seven moai statues that have been completely restored with the permission of the Presbyterian Church of Easter Island!!　It’s also written “Beloved” in Japanese!！
So this work can be considered a local work of art in Miyazaki Prefecture!　There are also moai statues in Minamisanriku City made by an active moai sculptor from Easter Island, and there are moai statues all over Japan, from Kyushu in the south to Hokkaido in the north!　I didn’t know that Japanese people love moai statues. I didn’t know that…

　The iPhone I bought is the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
　As I’ve been using a large iPhone since the 6 Plus, I tend to have a large case. To be honest, it’s embarrassing. But it’s a moai. It’s a world where being big has value!
I made the face as long as I could. Since the design of the sides of the iPhone 12 has returned to a flat surface (since the iPhone 5), it’s easy to frame in. I decided on the overall silhouette using Styrofoam, stuck it on the iPhone case, and then put epoxy putty and Sculpey on top of it. To put it bluntly, it was completed in no time. The surface is a silicone rubber stamping strategy with a mold of a rough wall. The surface of the sculpey becomes rocky in an interesting way!　

　The problem is that the camera part of the iPhone 12 Pro Max is too big. This time, I’m going to use a system where I put a lid on it and open it up when I take a picture. At first, I put the hinges on the top, but the edge of the clay would inevitably cover the camera and the lid would close immediately, so I changed to a side connection. I added a stopper to prevent the lid from snapping open. The inside was carved with a carving knife to give the impression of a mysterious super ancient civilization.

　Also, in the space where the styrofoam was removed to reduce weight (mainly on the back of the chin and forehead), I used a bit of a luthier (the kind that dentists use to shave teeth) to spin it around and around to give it the bio-metallic feel of a super-ancient civilization. On the back of the forehead, I added a small room that would hold lip balm. When I tried it out after completion, it was too small to hold lip balm. (I think finger chocolates would fit in there.)

　I asked Mr. Izawa, the prototype maker who always reproduces the prototype of iPhone cases, to reproduce some of them in gray resin. Having several moai lined up in a row really adds to the moai atmosphere.

　For painting, there are two types of painting: Washing (a method of applying paint by soaking up the paint in the gaps. The overall tone is softened. ), and dry brushing (wipe off so little paint on the brush that only the surface is covered with paint. It makes the paint more evenly distributed.) As I repeat this process with various colors, the rocky texture will gradually come out. I added some moss to the surface. But as with the previous Iwate Nambu tetsubin, there was no end to the fun. I painted the inside to look like metal. Also, I heard that the moai statues originally had eyes, so I made it possible to choose whether they had eyes or not.

Jin Katagiri
Born November 27, 1973 / Born in Saitama Prefecture / Graduated from Tama Art University
Active in the stage, movies, radio, etc., mainly in TV dramas series. Major appearances in recent years include “99.9% -Criminal Lawyer-” (TBS), “Your Turn to Kill” (NTV), and “NHK Morning drama series Yell” (NHK).
In addition to acting, he also creates clay, and from 2016 to 2018 he held a national tour at the “Jin Katagiri Absurdity Clay Art Exhibit Giri Ten.” In 2019, he is holding his first overseas solo exhibition in Taiwan.

【About Miyazaki Prefecture】

Miyazaki Prefecture is located in the southeastern part of the Kyushu region. Thanks to the warm Kuroshio Current in the Pacific Ocean, the prefecture is warm and has some of the top sunshine hours and sunny days in Japan.A variety of agricultural products are grown in this mild climate. Among them, cucumbers, Hyuga-natsu, and kumquats have the largest shipment volume in Japan. The city also has the largest shipment of broilers (chickens) in Japan. Speaking of chickens, “Jidokko-yaki” (grilled chicken with salt and pepper) and “Chicken Namban” are famous local delicacies.

　And the specialty citrus of Miyazaki Prefecture is Hyuga Natsu. It is said to be one of the rarest citrus fruits in the world, and its color, pulp, aroma, and taste are all unique and different from other citrus fruits. The way to eat it is also distinctive. It is said to be eaten by peeling off a thin layer of the surface peel like peeling an apple, and then eating the white fluffy peel between the peel and the fruit together. If you visit Miyazaki Prefecture, be sure to try them.

　When I visited the Miyazaki Prefectural Office, I saw a phoenix, a palm tree native to Canary Island in Africa. I was very impressed by the tropical atmosphere of the warm climate. The phoenix is a prefectural tree, and as I went around the prefecture, I saw it growing in many places. Especially when I saw them lined up along the coast, I felt as if I were in a tropical beach resort.

About the symbolic character of Miyazaki Prefecture, “Miyazaki Ken”

These characters were created as a symbol of Miyazaki’s appeal.
He wears a headdress made of Miyazaki’s specialties such as Hyuga Natsu, Jidori chicken, and Phoenix.
Kaa-kun has a generous personality and is an enthusiastic eater. He loves delicious Miyazaki.
Mu-chan is a little bit playful and full of curiosity. She loves Miyazaki and all the fun things to do.
Hii-kun is always positive and strong. He loves Miyazaki, a place full of nature.
It’s so cute to see the three of them playing with each other while promoting Miyazaki Prefecture.

References : Miyazaki City Homepage (https://www.city.miyazaki.miyazaki.jp/)
Miyazaki Prefecture Symbol character Miyazaki-ken × Miyazaki Ouendan Official Site(All Japanese)
(https://ouendan.kanko-miyazaki.jp/)
Photos provided by Miyazaki Prefecture Tourism Association

Afterwords

When I saw the Mo iPhone, I had a flash of inspiration: “Oh, let’s take a picture at the Moyai statue in Shibuya! When I saw the Mo iPhone, I had a flash of inspiration: “Oh, let’s take a picture at the Moyai statue in Shibuya! I also find it interesting that when Katagiri-san’s works are placed in everyday life, they have a strong presence and fit in with the scenery.
One day, I would like to make a “collection of works -NENDO-MICHI of JIN KATAGIRI Nippon local the soul of clay-” and photograph them alongside the seven moai statues in Nichinan!