ANAÏS LÓPEZ NL 1981
‘the Turtle and the Monk’ is a rich multilayered project by the Dutch visual artist and photographer Anaïs López which follows the true fairy tale of her search for the golden turtle Kami, the goddess of the Kamo river. A layered story about mourning, the human urge to control nature and the magic of imagination.
In October 2016, photographer Anaïs López traveled to Japan. In a late stage of pregnancy and deeply affected by the loss of her sister, López went in search of solace and reflection. She decides that Kyoto, the former capital with a rich past, was the best place to be at that moment. During a walk along the Kamo river, she saw a golden turtle in the middle of the river with a stick in its mouth. As soon as she heard the click of Anaïs’s camera, the turtle dove into the water and disappeared under a rock.
When she returned to the Netherlands, López continued to dream about the golden turtle, which she called kami (the Japanese word for god). Why did Kami show itself to her? This encounter marked the beginning of years-long quest. López traveled back to Japan several times and met special people, each of whom showed her a different path. What began as a chance encounter grew into a layered story about grief, control, nature, greed and daring to let go.
When visiting the gallery or the fair, look out for the book. It comes in a few formats the largest comes in its own flight case. The book unfolds in a Kamishibai, as if the story that is recorded in the publication could be told to viewers
Now on view at the gallery: #76 Takako Kido – Skinship Till 3 May 2026
John Devos
johndevos.photo (a) gmail.com
