In Milky Way – Breath, artist Mihoko Ogaki takes the mystery of the night sky and combines it with sculptures of the human body. Each figure is formed out of plastic and then embedded with bright LEDs, which shine through thousands of little holes and illuminate the surrounding walls. The results are a bright starry sky, projected outward from the dying figures.
The series of work represents both life and death. In a bright room, the dying bodies appear morbid and in pain, but, when the lights go off, the suffering seems to disappear into a delightful, twinkling display. One review states, “Ogaki takes the emotions of our human condition and gives them a physical presence.” The sparkling figures create an environment of tranquility, in which viewers are encouraged to calmly, and without distress, contemplate the human condition of life and death.
