Sonoran Yokai is a collaborative project with local Tucson-based artist Kayla Ballesteros. Our creatures are reimagined versions of Yokai (a broad term for ghosts, spirits, tricksters, and other supernatural beings) from Japanese folklore, applying similar imagery to myths from the Sonoran Desert.
Yokai serve as metaphors for exploring the complexity of human emotions and experiences. Each Yokai embodies a different aspect of human nature, societal fears, and cultural beliefs. Sonoran imagery that we explored include a desert-tortoise version of the Kappa that embodies the spirit of monsoons, a combination of traditional Japanese Kitsune and Coyote as trickster spirits. Other imagery we are interested in exploring are sugar skulls as playful demons, the jackalope as a benevolent specter, and saguaros as familial guardians. We made reference to the ghost La Llarona, said to inhabit Hotel Congress and Fox Theater, and El Tiradito, and juxtapose her with Rokurokubi, a demon who can stretch her neck to unnatural lengths. By bringing these mythical beings to life in the context of the Sonoran Desert, we invite viewers to reflect on their own relationship with the folklore of their homelands and the way that cultural practices spread and adapt in an increasingly connected world. By placing these sculptures in local areas of interest and documenting them, we will mimic chance sightings from the perspective of wanderers. The experience parallels that of the central character within these myths. Sudden unexpected monsters may completely change the course of your evening, if you’re not careful!
These sculptures were on display at the Tucson Hop Shop in October, 2024 and 4th Avenue’s &Gallery. We also had an impromptu photo session at the Raging Sage.
The Trickster
The Lady of Keys
Spirit of Monsoons
Aubrey Behrens 