Yabusame

The image in the painting portrays a yabusame archer, a traditional figure from feudal Japan. Yabusame was not only a test of samurai skill and discipline, but also a spiritual ritual dedicated to Shinto deities, performed to pray for peace, prosperity, and protection. In this artwork, the archer rides forward at full speed, holding not just his bow, but also a baby in his arms.
This unusual and striking combination seems to reinterpret the meaning of yabusame: no longer just a martial display or sacred offering, but an act of guardianship. The archer is not aiming at a wooden target — he is shielding a life. This transforms the image into something deeply human, merging strength with tenderness, and tradition with the future.
 
300 x 200 cm
oil on linen
2024