“Untitled #921 (Hikari and Kenzaburo),” 1997-98, is a hair sculpture shaped around taxidermy and a plaster statuary figure. Since 2000, the sculpture has been part of the Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries collection at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. This work was originally shown in “Fairy Tales,” an exhibition on animals—particularly birds—and fantasy (i.e. Alice in Wonderland, made darker). It traveled domestically and internationally between the late ‘90s and early 2000s. In 1999, the “Fairy Tales” exhibition traveled to @butlergallery in Kilkenny, Ireland. Two years later, in 2001, “Untitled #921 (Hikari and Kenzaburo),” 1997-98, was on view at Wright State University in “Fairy Tales, Sculpture and Related Photographs.” From late 2001 to early 2002, this piece, along with others, was on view at the @fristartmuseum in Nashville, Tennessee. The work draws great inspiration from the Nobel Prize Winning novelist, Kenzaburō Ōe and his brilliant book “A Personal Matter.” Listening to the acceptance speech Ōe gave after being awarded the Nobel Prize in 1994, it was clear just how much his autistic and disabled son, Hikari has been an inspiration and source of pride for him. Moved by his speech and his books, I made a sculpture to honor them both. For additional information on works included in museum public collections, please visit the new Public Collections page on our website (link in bio). #petahcoyne #contemporaryart #sculpture #womenartists #wrightstateuniversity #robertandelainesteingalleries #butlergallery #fristartmuseum #kenzaburōōe #hikariōe