Shinto Religion and Kami
Kami and the Spirit of Objects
This installation takes its initial inspiration from Japan’s Kofukuji Temple in Isumi that ceremonially commemorates the lives of obsolete Aibo robot dogs, who receive blessings from priests and wear tags that explain their family history. As the robot dog’s soul returns to their owner, the mechanism transforms from companion to machine. The illusion of companionship achieved through AI and hand held devices mimic the attachment in relationships between sentient beings, such as family members or pets. This new connection requires similar ceremonial practices, as years of companionship inevitably lead to loss of function, damage, obsolescence, an ending of an intimate personal relationship that requires closure. Every emotional attachment to an inanimate object deserves some commemoration, especially in the final stage. This process may be a ceremony that releases the Kami or spirit of that object back to nature.
