Sato Raimu to Lecture on Ball-Jointed Dolls
At Asahi Culture Center Shinjuku, Sato Raimu will lead a lecture on ball-jointed dolls titled The World of Ball-Jointed Dolls: An Artistic Anatomy of the Doll.
A ball-jointed doll is a figure whose elbows, knees, and other joints are formed as spheres, its parts strung together with elastic or thread so that it can be freely posed. Made from materials such as porcelain, stone clay, or urethane resin, it is inorganic yet carries the sense of a living thing, holding within it a hollowness that seems to rest between life and death. That ambivalence lies at the heart of the form.
SATO Raimu, Untitled, 2026, Stone powder clay, modeling paste, oil paint, and hair, 1000 × 250 × 150 mm, ©2026 SATO Raimu, Courtesy of the Artist and aaploit
The lecture traces the culture of the ball-jointed doll as it has developed in its own distinct way in Japan, approaching it through both its history and its structure. Sato, who studies artistic anatomy, will go on to discuss the anatomical considerations that inform the artist's own modeling, drawing on works from the artist's practice. Those attending in person will be able to study the works themselves at first hand.
The session is a lecture — no advance preparation is required. Anyone with an interest in dolls, sculptural work, the depiction of the human body, or artistic anatomy is welcome, as are those already working in the field.
Date: Saturday, 12 September 2026, 10:30–12:00 (single session) Venue: Asahi Culture Center Shinjuku — attend in person or online (Zoom Webinar); online participants have access to an archive recording for two weeks.
Registration is available on the official website.