Invited to participate by the Hong Kong/Shanghai-based planning firm Sage House, we installed Yanobe Kenji’s SHIP’S CAT (Sailor) on the rooftop park of Joy City Changfeng, Shanghai. Code-a-Machine facilitated communication between the Japan-based artist Yanobe Kenji and the Shanghai team, overseeing coordination with the architect, proposing the placement, designing the glass railing, and supporting the pop-up store for the opening ceremony. 

Located in Shanghai, home to the world’s “busiest port,” Sky Park is a publicly accessible rooftop exercise field at Joy City Changfeng, Shanghai, where visitors and locals can enjoy sports in an open space rare within the urban environment. In the corner of its running track, we installed Yanobe Kenji’s SHIP’S CAT (Sailor). Cats, the motif of the artwork, historically guarded ships from rats, expanded their habitat by traveling with sailors, and served as comforting companions on board.

Based on Sage House’s plan, Masui from Code-a-Machine oversaw the installation process, also acting as the artist’s ‘eye’ on-site in his absence.

YANOBE Kenji

Born in Osaka, 1965. He graduated from Kyoto City University of Art, M.A, Fine Sculpture in 1991. From the beginning of 1990, he made mechanical sculptures with real functions on the theme of “Survival in the contemporary society”. The origin of his creation is from the former-site of the Osaka Expo “The Ruins of the Future”, he spent in the playground in early childhood.

His works are politically charged but in a humorous way, and have received a good reputation from both inside and outside Japan.

In 1997, he started Atom Suit Project in which he visited Chernobyl after the Nuclear Power Plant Accident, wearing his radiation protection suit that detected radiation. Marking the beginning of the 21st century, he changed the theme of creation to “Revival”. Creating gigantic sculptures such as giant robot of ventriloquism puppet Torayan protecting children and Lucky Dragon ship carrying a dragon with motif “Daigo Fukuryu Maru”, magnificent performance using fire and water.

After the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, he created Sun Child as a symbol of hope, which traveled around the world. In 2017, he started the SHIP’S CAT series, which travels and carries fortune. He has explored various creative activities which went beyond the border of contemporary art.

Currently, he is a professor at Kyoto University of the Arts and the director of ULTRA FACTORY.