2018 marks the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and France, as well as the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Meji period, when Japan opened up to the West. As part of the Japonisms 2018: souls in harmony cultural season, Throne will be displayed under the Pyramid of the Musée du Louvre.
This monumental work by Japanese artist Kohei Nawa is entirely covered with gold leaf, and blends Japanese cultural tradition with cutting-edge technology.
Nawa drew his inspiration from the shapes and origins of floats used in Eastern religious festivals. He made the work using a combination of the latest 3D modelling systems and the gold leaf gilding technique, echoing ancient Egypt and the collections of the Musée du Louvre. With this work, Nawa predicts that rapid advances in computer science and artificial intelligence could, in the long term, replace power and authority as the principal instruments of political and economic influence.
The dialogue between the Louvre’s classical architecture, Pei’s pyramid and Nawa’s sculpture is absolutely stunning
