Shimabuku's playful art blurs boundaries between living and non-living at Museion Bolzano

A major retrospective of Japanese artist Shimabuku (born 1969 in Kobe) opens at Museion in Bolzano, featuring works that blur boundaries between living and non-living entities. The exhibition includes iconic pieces such as "Io volante" (Flying I), where the artist transforms into a kite; "Viaggio per l'Europa con sopracciglio rasato" (Journey Through Europe with Shaved Eyebrow); and "Simbiosi (giacinto e pesce rosso e nero)" (Symbiosis: Hyacinth and Goldfish), where water sustains both flower and fish. Shimabuku explores animal-human connections, notably through octopuses and his experiment with snow monkeys in Texas. Two site-specific interventions were created for the show: one incorporates fragments of old South Tyrolean buildings, and "Bed Piace," inspired by Yoko Ono and John Lennon's "Bed-In," uses local valley soil. The artist describes his work as "a love song" emerging from moments of wonder and dialogue with the environment.