It is a kappa and a girl with with a GEE-TAR. He is very unkempt, his toenails are long and he appears to be living in a giant vagina.
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I don't really understand this picture.
It is a kappa and a girl with with a GEE-TAR. He is very unkempt, his toenails are long and he appears to be living in a giant vagina.
May 8 2006, 05:23:21 UTC 6 years ago
if no context, i chalk it up to simply: JAPAN
May 8 2006, 05:59:28 UTC 6 years ago
May 8 2006, 06:01:57 UTC 6 years ago
May 8 2006, 05:42:24 UTC 6 years ago
Are you sure that isn't Robin Williams?
Kidding. But don't monsters act as aphrodisiacs?May 8 2006, 06:31:31 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Are you sure that isn't Robin Williams?
THEY DO TO MEAHUMANAHUMANA
oh god
May 8 2006, 19:29:28 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Are you sure that isn't Robin Williams?
Tengu, you never cease to amuse me.May 8 2006, 20:57:18 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Are you sure that isn't Robin Williams?
has nothing to do with anything, but just had to remark on the shin icon.May 8 2006, 06:20:17 UTC 6 years ago
May 8 2006, 10:26:06 UTC 6 years ago
May 8 2006, 14:33:02 UTC 6 years ago
May 9 2006, 22:32:00 UTC 6 years ago
May 9 2006, 01:32:58 UTC 6 years ago
Anonymous
July 19 2006, 01:38:42 UTC 5 years ago
Kappa Photo you don't understand
ChuckolaThe photo shows BENZAITEN, the Goddess of the Sea, and patroness of music, the fine arts (dancing, acting, visual), and good fortune in general. By tradition, she is often shown playing a biwa (Japanese mandolin). Her temples and shrines are almost invariably in the neighborhood of water -- the sea, a river, or a pond. She is often represented as a beautiful woman with the power to assume the form of a serpent, or shown seated on a dragon or serpent and playing a lute. In fact, the snake is almost always associated with Benzaiten, who was originally a Hindu deity (Sarasvati) who represented learning, music and poetry. Since the Kamakura era, statues and paintings of Benzaiten have often depicted her naked.
WHY IS THE KAPPA HERE? Well, that is not so easily explained. The Kappa is not typically associated with Benzaiten. But there is one potential answer -- the Kappa is a "Suijin" (water kami, water deity) in Shinto mythology. Suijin are found in lakes, ponds, springs, wells, and irrigation waterways. They are often depicted as a snake, a dragon, an eel, a fish, a turtle, or a kappa.
This association with water is probably what the artist is trying to achieve -- both Benzaiten and the Kappa are spirits who are closely associated with water. Perhaps the artist wants to show the beautiful and ugly side of the spirit world, that a deity can come in both dark/light forms, bad/good forms, etc.
For many more details, please see:
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/be
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ka
bye now
July 22 2006, 05:58:14 UTC 5 years ago
Re: Kappa Photo you don't understand
Thanks for the info. I'm still curious about the vagina motif but that was very interesting!Anonymous
August 21 2006, 00:35:52 UTC 5 years ago
Re: Kappa Photo you don't understand
I've added another comment. Also, could you tell me the "source" for the Benzaiten & Kappa statues? From a book? Date of artwork, etc.It would be greatly appreciated, as I would like to use the photo on the following page:
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/be
bye now
mark
August 25 2006, 08:23:04 UTC 5 years ago
Re: Kappa Photo you don't understand
I appreciated all your replies!http://www.piebooks.com/search/detail.p
This is a link to the book that I got the picture from. I have it but can't read it. I just bought it for the artwork.
Anonymous
August 17 2006, 10:13:27 UTC 5 years ago
Re: Benzaiten-Kappa Photo - Vaginal Cave
The two are sitting at the entrance to a cave (another common motif associated with Benzaiten). It may or may not be symbolic of a vagina. But the close association of Benzaiten with the snake (see below text), especially the imagery of the snake shedding its skin, may indicate the idea of rebirth and renewal. And what better motif than the female sexual organ.SNAKE CONNECTION. On days of importance to the serpent in Japan, one can find many festivals at the numerous Japanese shrines and temples dedicated to Benzaiten (Benten), in which votive pictures with serpents drawn on them are offered. It is also said that putting a cast-off snake skin in your purse/wallet will bring you wealth and property. Finally, during the Kamakura Period, artists for the first time began to create “naked” sculptures of Buddhist and Shinto deities. The object of their artistic talents was often Benzaiten, although other deities, like Jizo Bosatsu, were also sculpted in the nude.
For many more details, please see:
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/be
Anonymous
October 28 2007, 04:00:10 UTC 4 years ago
Re: Kappa Photo you don't understand
I am from Kerala, India. Indian mythology has the goddess of wisdom, dance, music and all arts in general. She is Saraswathi or Bharathi. She carries a veena (a kind of string instrument) on her lap.October 30 2007, 00:00:45 UTC 4 years ago
Re: Kappa Photo you don't understand
Thanks!Anonymous
February 19 2007, 16:54:25 UTC 5 years ago