Next Call for Art Submissions! - Heikegani (Samurai Crabs)

Heikegami - Samurai Crabs

 

These are the rad crabs  popular with Kuniyoshi that feature the face of a samurai on their shells. Really cool little guys. They are a product of the Gempei war, a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto Clans. During the battle of Dan- no-ura Yoshitsune and his chief retainer Benkei defeat the Taira clan. These crabs are believed to be the reincarnated spirits of the defeated Heike warriors, who,  following their leader Tomomori, jumped into the ocean to their deaths in shame from their defeat. Their fierce spirits however would not surrender and instead infused into the crabs living in the bay. Because these crab hold the spirit of their ancestors Japanese people do not eat then, so now they are quite common in that area.

• Deadline for submissions October 31st, 2013
• Submissions WILL NOT be returned so if you want to keep yours please send a HIGH QUALITY digital scan of at least 400dpi. Do not send photos. Email or dropbox to gominekobooks@yahoo.com
• Submissions sent in will be auctioned off online and the money donated to the Support The Underground Crew - a group of underground bikers, musicians and artists that spend one weekend a month biking supplies in and donating their time to help out some of the villages in Tohoku the government deemed too small to resuscitate.
• Post to: Gomineko Books/ 3-13-29 Imagawa/ Suginami-ku, Tokyo/ 167-0035 Japan
• Please send a written statement giving Gomineko the right to publish your piece in any future publication and if you send the original, written permission to include it in the online auction.
• You may send as many submissions in as you'd like but I print one per artist (per motif). There is no guarantee that your piece will be selected but please know that we definitely appreciate the time and energy spent on each piece.              .
• Questions can be emailed to Crystal at gominekobooks@yahoo.com