ARTISTS

Respond

PRACTICE

In Japanese mythology there are things called Yokai, or supernatural spirits, that can bring good fortune to anyone who sees them. There is a Japanese legend dating back to the 1800’s that has been resurfacing across social media recently because of its link to preventing epidemics. It is called an Amabie, and it is a three-legged mermaid or merman with long hair and a beak. Practice sketching this Yokai in your new journal a few times in different ways.

PROJECT

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With the outbreak of COVID-19, artists have been re-imagining this Yokai and flooding different social media platforms with their art. It is said that in the case of an epidemic, the legend states that people are supposed to draw the Amabie and share it with everyone who is ill. In response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Twitter and Instagram are full of illustrations, pencil drawings, and wool sculptures of this mysterious figure. 

For your first project, I would like YOU to reimagine this Yokai in a unique way. It could be a drawing, a painting, a collage, a sculpture, a gif or a digital drawing. The only limit is your imagination! You can also share it on your own social media and join the global arts community too, don’t forget to hashtag it:

#amabieAMSA #amabie # yokaiamabe