Her little temple

Andrey Ostashov • Series "2020"
Bronze, granite. 40?36, h=140 cm

This version is ideal for an exhibition catalog or an academic review, using specific terminology for the armor and the symbolic elements.
The figure is depicted with knees bent, supported by the soles of her feet; drapery covers the lower body while leaving the knees exposed. She wears fabric gloves with long sleeves that hang forward. Her posture is relaxed and her eyes are closed, as if she is in a state of meditation and profound balance.
Her head is adorned with a traditional Japanese kabuto helmet, featuring fukikaeshi (side guards) and decorative studs that are mirrored in her neck ornament. In place of a traditional crest, a toy bear sits atop the helmet. The fragile female figure supports a "temple" above her—an object resembling a primitive totem. It is decorated with ornaments and sun symbols, crowned by an element similar to a lotus flower.
Upon closer inspection, an open eye is rendered at the very top in an intentionally crude style, serving as either a symbol of enlightenment or a totemic mark. This composition acts as an allegory for the human inner world—complex and requiring constant reflection to avoid being shattered by the external factors from which the sturdy helmet provides protection.