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Title

Kagura mask of a fox (tenko)

2015

Artist

Kitazawa Hideta

Japan

1968 –

Alternate image of Kagura mask of a fox (tenko) by Kitazawa Hideta

  • Details

    Alternative title
    Fox spirit
    Place where the work was made
    Tokyo → Japan
    Date
    2015
    Media category
    Sculpture
    Materials used
    paulownia (kiri), paint; carving
    Dimensions
    22.0 x 14.0 x 14.0 cm
    Credit
    Roger Pietri Fund 2019
    Location
    South Building, lower level 1, Asian Lantern galleries
    Accession number
    161.2019
    Copyright
    © Kitazawa Hideta

    Reproduction requests

    Artist information
    Kitazawa Hideta

    Works in the collection

    5

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  • About

    Tenko celestial foxes are considered to be more than 1000 years old. With nine tails, extraordinary vision and the ability to foresee the future, they are the most supremely powerful of all Japan’s magical foxes (kitsune). Tenko masks are often combined with long tousled wigs in red or white for sacred Shinto kagura dance performances.

    This mask was worn by Sydney-based dancer Yoke Shin in the contemporary nō play 'Oppenheimer' when it was performed at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney in 2015.

  • Exhibition history

    Shown in 2 exhibitions

    • Japan Supernatural, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 02 Nov 2019–08 Mar 2020

    • Elemental, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 30 Jul 2022–2024

  • Provenance

    Kitazawa Hideta, 2015-Oct 2019, Japan, purchased by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Oct 2019.

Other works by Kitazawa Hideta

See all 5 works