Watermelon Sculpture, Playfulness and Ownership

I found out about the art of watermelon sculpture, practiced by Japanese artist Takashi Itoh, from several many bloggers (see this, for example) who had somehow thought it to be the anonymous work of a Chinese artist. It is sadly all too easy for bloggers to consider accuracy less important than enthusiasm. Since the images of Mr. Itoh's work were made so readily available on this site, it is easy to understand how the error was propagated. Easy to understand, but difficult to forgive.

As an "artist of the playful," whose art is in the form of games and silly things to do and think about, I have had to wrestle with this particular angel for many years. Since it became my calling to try to make living in this world a little more fun, I have found this struggle a very tough one, the angel remarkably cunning. I love knowing that I have somehow contributed to making someone's life a little more enjoyable, even for a few minutes. And yet, without acknowledgment, without recognition or support, I find it more and more difficult to sustain my efforts.

Mr. Itoh's work is important to me and to my cause. It is another manifestation of playfulness - an example to us all of the transformative powers of the patently ludicrous, of the inextricable connections between play and art, fun and spirit. Watermelon art! Ridiculously glorious! That his accomplishments can stand on their own, as anonymous testimonials, beyond person and national origin, is, in a way, a great achievement. And yet, I can't help feeling that such a noteworthy success is not at all what he had hoped for. Not at all what he deserves.