Kijin from Sergio Calvo Miniatures/Hirelings of Asura
Please Read:
This piece requires a little bit of explanation, especially being showcased over the net. The entire piece is meant to essentially be the personal journal of an unnamed explorer contracted to explore the depths of Japan’s infamous Aokigahara forest, or the “Sea of Trees”, in search of a hidden knowledge within (represented in the form a shinto shrine, marked by the Torii arch in the background). Legends surrounding the forest and tales of it being haunted by spirits and demons have abounded for centuries so I wanted to expand on that. Each slip of parchment on the base corresponds to a “recovered” page out of his log book, with each excerpt detailing a key point along his expedition. The final journal entry is the scene with the Oni itself, the unfortunate author’s final vision before meeting his untimely demise.
The intention here was not only to create a narrative and a story to this work, but also to provide a layer of interactivity between the viewer and the miniature not commonly seen in this art. The journal excerpts are intentionally slightly out of order, so it is up to the reader to piece together the story chronologically for themselves, as well as actually lift up some of the parchments to read the one beneath it.
With that context given, I hope you guys enjoy it. Please let me know what you think. I put my all into this one, but I think it is my best work to date- hope you do too!
