Flying Star Toys has donated 6 Biscuit Bunnies for the charity exhibition Cancer Sell for Cancer Research and The Florence Nightingale Hospice, Aylesbury, Bucks, UK.
Cancer Sell will be held on the 31st July 2008 at 98 Leonard Street, London, EC1V 9AY. 6pm - 11pm. FREE ENTRY
You can see images of the exhibition in the Cancer Sell Flickr group
This frightening looking creature is actually a Japanese temple guardian. A lion (shishi) protector, a type of offering called Koma-inu, that once stood guard in the inner sanctum of a temple before the Buddha. Why does such a being exist at the entrance to the holy place?
This highly detailed 15th century Medieval, English stained glass panel shows a dragon or fish man swallowing sinners. He wears a collar because he is really a servant of God in the underworld. He holds a trident sceptre showing his authority within this dark and fiery world. Most notable is his belly or torso showing the fierce face of his digestion which will process the course nature from the souls of those he has caught up. Is it simply retribution or is its purpose refinement?
This dark, mysterious face might be frightening to some, but it is a beautiful black faced Okina (old man) - a Japanese Noh mask of a character called Kokushikijo. I found this image on the website nohmask21 he makes me very happy. An Okina dance is traditionally performed at the beginning of a Noh program. To understand why that might be what follows are some quotes from the Fushikaden (The Flowering Spirit) by Zeami, the renowned 14-15th century Japanese Noh actor and playwright.
C. G. Jung writes in Psychology and Alchemy, "The dread resistance which every natural human being experiences when it comes to delving too deeply into himself is, at bottom, the fear of the journey to Hades." (page 336) The hero has "volunteered to die in order to beget a new and fruitful life in that region of the psyche which has hitherto lain fallow in the dark unconsciousness, under the shadow of death." (page 334) You can see how scared the hero Hercules is in the picture above! The Way is not with out trails.
Moloko+, a Russian internet graphic design magazine, asked if I'd like Flying Star Toys to be featured in issue 6 - "Yes!" I said. I just received an email telling me that it is now available for download in both English and Russian versions. The image above is the section on Flying Star Toys. I must admit I should have done a lot more editing before I pressed the send button, so I'm really hoping you don't squint and try to read it in the photo ;-P
"I really do think a strong Russian Caravan is better that a pot of Queen Anna on a cold morning," said one blue meringue Biscuit Bunny to the other.
