‘Empire of Vegetarian’ now on display
A fascinating artwork entitled Empire of Vegetarian by Fumi, a Japanese artist based in South Yorkshire, is now on display on the first floor of the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies. Fumi’s speciality is miniature works of art, reminiscent of the Japanese art of netsuke (ornately sculpted objects which started being developed in the 17th Century). In Empire of Vegetarian, Fumi put together over 170 tiny representations of meals, drinks and snacks that she had prepared for her English partner before he passed away.
The artwork is on loan to St Antony’s until October 2025. The owner, P. Ellis, who previously worked as Counsellor at the British Embassy in Tokyo, explained: ‘This work is an intimate representation of that most fundamental of connections, eating together…When I first saw Empire of Vegetarian I was transfixed. In a space covering only 54 x 44cm, were vivid memories of Japan, represented by a work that embodies the qualities of Japan’s culture with its precision, attention to detail, and craft…this unique piece is symbolic of how food can bring us together, a romantic ode to an Anglo-Japanese relationship, and a representation of so many different facets of Japanese culture.”
Visit Empire of Vegetarian on the first floor of the Nissan Institute until October 2025.