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The following photographic-rich article features Takeshi Yamada’s participation in the “Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids” exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, New York in 2007 and 2008. Yamada was featured in a documentary film, art performances, art demonstration, and art lecture about the exhibition events. This manuscript was produced by Dr. Eriko N. Bond, noted art critic and book author in New York City, as told by Yamada.

Takeshi Yamada at

“Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids”

American Museum of Natural History

New York, New York

“Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids” Exhibition

Exhibition Preview & reception: May 22, 2007

Exhibition for general public: May 26, 2007 – January 6, 2008

Art performance by Takeshi Yamada: May 22, 2007

Art demonstration, Art Performance & Exhibition by Takeshi Yamada: June 24

Lecture, Art Performance & Exhibition by Takeshi Yamada: July 10, 2007

Part 1

Takeshi Yamada and his Sea Rabbit (Seara) at the exhibition preview and reception

held at the American Museum of Natural History on May 22, 2007. (Photograph by Eriko N. Bond)

“Mythic Creatures” exhibition at American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History in New York, New York is one of the world’s preeminent institutions for scientific research and education, with collections of more than 32 million specimens and artifacts. “Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids” is one of the many special exhibitions produced by the AMNH.

The front main entrance of the American Museum of Natural History in New York, New York displaying the banner for the “Mythic Creatures” exhibition.

(Photograph by Takeshi Yamada)

Here is a brief description of the exhibition by Mindy Weisberger (Assistant Director of Video Production, Exhibitions): For thousands of years, mythical beasts have roamed the world in legends and early naturalists’ accounts, in works of fine art, architecture and decorative arts, and in our collective imaginations. Mythical Creatures celebrates these fantastic creatures: dragons, unicorns, griffins, sea serpents, mermaids and more in the past and the present, from China to Australia, Europe, Central America and beyond. Although these creatures are fictitious, they provide us with some very real insights. Fantastic beasts convey lessons about cultures, myths and the genesis of stories. They provide insights into natural history as well, as many beasts are chimeras, composites of living animals. These creatures are a powerful way for us to examine where myths and reality intersect. Throughout the exhibition, spectacular cultural objects introduce us to a world of amazing creatures and bring to light surprising similarities among beasts in different cultures. Live animals, taxidermy and fossils reveal real-world inspirations for these creatures of the imagination. Hands-on exhibits engage visitors of all ages, while media programs create immersive environments and bring these beasts to life before our eyes.
With one theater situated in each of the exhibit’s realms (Water, Land and Air), three video presentations examine mythic creatures as the products of human imagination and inextricably linked to human societies and cultures. The videos will share a similar structure, interweaving on-camera interviews with b-roll, though each will address examples of creatures specific to that
realm. Through a series of interviews, the videos will explore the complex relationship between humans and mythic creatures, what compels us to create them, what variety of roles they play in different civilizations throughout human history, why they inspire the imagination to this day, and what they continue to reveal to us about ourselves.

Above: the back and front of the exhibition flyer. The creature shown on the left is a small ivory carving

of the very popular and powerful ancient Japanese mythic creature called Karasu-tengu. Below: the exhibition card.

Takeshi Yamada was contacted by AMNH because he was widely recognized as one of the most prominent artists who creates numerous mythic creatures in the style of “creative taxidermy”, “freak taxidermy”, “rogue taxidermy” or “sideshow gaffs of curiosities” in New York. A film crew was sent to videotape Yamada in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York where he lives. The film was to be shown at the traveling exhibition of AMNH to inform, educate and inspire people about the fascinating world of mythic creatures historically featured as gaffs at sideshows and rogue taxidermy specimens at cabinets of curiosities. The mythic creatures such as mermaids, dragons, unicorns, Mongolian death worms, chupacabras, and giant sea serpents which Yamada created for sideshow companies, amusement parks, universities, museums, and private collectors are featured as a backdrop in the film. Yamada’s sea rabbit (“Seara”) and its mythology in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York is also highlighted in the film. In this film, Yamada’s sea rabbit is recognized as if she is a mythic creature of today in the Coney Island area of New York City.

A Sideshow at the “real” Natural History Museum?

Takeshi Yamada does not consider the midways as the only (or even a major) place for running sideshows in today’s unique and distinctive geopolitical, social and cultural environment in America. In fact, it is widely recognized that one of the greatest contributions of Yamada’s in the “carny” business has been his successful expansion of the very meaning of the American circus sideshow. He brought rogue taxidermy, and new sideshow to the higher educational/cultural institutions which have not been reached before on a regular basis.

In this specific case, Yamada considers the “Mythic Creatures show” at the American Museum of Natural History as a “traveling grind-show style Dime Museum Sideshow”. Here is a list of reasons behind Yamada’s statement.

A) The American Museum of Natural History has main shows such as the dinosaur exhibit and the mineral shows, and regular shows. The “Mythic Creatures” show is not a main show, and it is in fact officially called “special exhibition” which means a ‘non’ main show - which literally means a sideshow.

B) AMNH has permanent shows which do not move; the “Mythic Creatures show” is a non-permanent show (June 24, 2007 - January 6, 2008), that is scheduled to travel to other museums in America and other countries (Sydney, Australia). This is also like a common traveling sideshow.

C) AMNH is a natural history museum, and displays the natural specimens as normal shows. The “Mythic Creatures show” displays man-made monsters and fictional-animals as the main attraction, and is a completely abnormal show to be held at any normal, natural history museum.

D) AMNH is a natural history museum which exhibits traditional taxidermy artworks. The “Mythic Creatures show” displays freak taxidermy artworks, creative taxidermy artworks, curiosity taxidermy artworks, novelty taxidermy artworks, and rogue taxidermy artworks such as mummified Fiji mermaids, life-sized and life-like models of Bigfoot, unicorns, dragons and other mythic animals.

E) Takeshi Yamada and his rogue taxidermy artworks and sideshow gaffs featured in the “Mythic Creatures show” (in the film documentary display) seem to naturally blend into the attractions on display at the exhibition.

F) Yamada said that his sea rabbit “Seara” seemed to enjoy more the company of the Fiji mermaids, dragons, unicorns, Bigfoot, and other monsters on display at the “Mythic Creatures show” than the rest of the attractions on display at the museum - except the majestic displays of fossilized dinosaur remains.

G) According to Yamada, his sea rabbit said “the ‘Mythic Creatures’ is a great “sideshow”, and he has always trusted her judgments.

(Continue to Part 2)

E-mail: yamada108@aol.com

Special thanks to American Museum of Natural History, Ellen Silbermann, Lauren D. Travis, Maremi Kakushina, Abraham Morris, Dr. Eriko N. Bond.

Proofreading by Theresa Baker

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