The popular proverb “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” is often portrayed with three monkeys sitting next to each other. However, what if those smart little monkeys also worked together to protect one another from evil? That’s the idea behind local artist Tom Tsuchiya’s “Embrace No Evil,” which will be on display this fall at the Court Street Plaza as part of Cincinnati’s light and art festival, Blink. The sculpture will feature the three monkeys hugging, with the Japanese translation of the proverb “Mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru” spelled out at its base.
The man in charge of creating the famous, cantilevered “Pete Rose” statue outside of Great American Ballpark is Tsuchiya. His most recent creation is a part of the “Embrace No Evil” series; his first creation was constructed from repurposed materials. It is on public display at Cincinnati Zoo and Music Hall, where it is a part of an augmented reality experience during the Cincinnati Opera’s “Madame Butterfly” performance.
- Instead, “Embrace No Evil” will be constructed out of semi-translucent fiberglass and equipped with an inside LED light system.
Tsuchiya described it as “basically a big shell” to The Enquirer. This sculpture, in contrast to the previous one in the series, is made to withstand the weather outside. It will play the music in addition to the ambient light during Blink. Tsuchiya is collaborating with this brother to write a unique composition for the celebration.
