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The following photograph-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 on 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

Part 4

Takeshi Yamada onstage during his public lecture at the American Museum of Natural History. The 32 foot

long Giant Sea Serpent can be seen on the back table, and 30 of Yamada’s rogue taxidermy artworks

and curiosity specimens were on display on the tables in the foreground. (Photo credit Ellen Silbermann)

Yamada’s Art Lecture on July 10, 2007

On July 10, 2007, Takeshi Yamada delivered a public art lecture and showcased his mini sideshow art exhibition on the occasion of the Mythic Creatures exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York. Over two dozen taxidermy artworks of mythic creatures, gaffs and curiosity specimens/artifacts were exhibited at his lecture hall.

Promotional color poster created by Takeshi Yamada and Dr. Eriko N. Bond

(Photo credit Leslie Van Stelten, 2006)

Museum Calendar Summer 2007, page 10

The event flyer prepared by American Museum of Natural History

The event ticket for Takeshi Yamada’s art lecture.

Yamada, with his 18 inch Giant Nuclear Radiation Stag Beetle of the Bikini Atoll in hand,

lectures about the true terror of nuclear radiation during his public dissertation at the

American Museum of Natural History. (Photo credit Ellen Silbermann)

Over 300 images of Yamada’s mythic creatures and rogue taxidermy artworks were projected on the large screen on the stage seen behind him. While up on stage, with his curiosity object in hand, Yamada spoke on various subjects associated with the Mythic Creatures exhibition for nearly 90 minutes. He also undertook a Question and Answer session for the audience. Here is a short list of some of the topics Yamada discussed in his lecture by using actual artifacts, specimens, artworks that he brought to the event:

History and culture of Coney Island
The sideshow as a unique and distinctive modern American pop art.
History and culture of Cabinet of Curiosities.
The culture, mythology and religions of mermaids in Asian countries
Facts and fantasies of the mermaid
Real Dragons of the past an present
Art and history of the taxidermy
Art of the historical and the contemporary “rogue taxidermy”
Einstein’s insight about the subject matter of the “mysterious”
Shakespeare’s insight on sideshow and human curiosities
Leonardo da Vinci’s weapons of the mass destructions and mass murder
Yamada’s new theory of the real 32-feet long Giant sea serpent
Difference objectives of the science and the religion.
Transformation of the nature of the science.
The past six global warmings of this planet
The current seventh global warming of this planet
The current global warming happening on other planets (without any humans or SUV’s) in our solar system
Extinct creatures and monsters on this planet
The story of the Sea Rabbit of Coney Island
Previous Extinction Level Events and Natural Selection of species
Strategies to increase the survival rate of the human species
The psychology and importance of having the mythology as a human being

Exhibition #1

32-foot long giant sea serpent

Exhibition #2

Two-headed six-fingered alchemist (two-headed self portrait), painting
Coney Island Mermaid World (artifact of 1911 Dreamland Fire), painting
Coney Island Mermaid World (artifact of 1911 Dreamland Fire), painting

Exhibition #3

Dragon skull, large
Pointed-tailed dragon
Folk-tailed dragon
Fiji mermaid, 4 feet
Surf merman, large
Prehistoric giant horseshoe crab, Limulus phoenix, 3 foot
Prehistoric giant horseshoe crab, limulus giganteus, 3 foot
Sea rabbit, “Seara”
Sea rabbit, “Stripes”
Sea gerbil
Sea raccoon
Chupacabra snail
Hairy trout
Nuclear radiation giant stag beetle of Bikini Atoll, 18 inch
Horseshoe crab mask, red
Horse shoe crab, big
Marsh Dragon, 3 foot
Giant killer sea cucumber
Sea elephant tusk
Arrowhead giant lizard
Ribcage squid
Medical book (RAMBAs in Hyperkeratotic Disorders) with Yamada’s mermaid on the cover
Giant killer Klingon worm, 7 foot
Giant alligator clam, 3 foot
Giant carnivorous snail

After his lecture, Yamada entertained the guests with his mini art exhibition in the auditorium for another half an hour.

Note:

The photographs used to promote the art lecture by Takeshi Yamada were originally taken by Leslie Van Stelten, a noted photo journalist in New York City. One of her photographs taken on the shooting day was used for a full-page coverage of Takeshi Yamada, who was interviewed by Silke Tudor for the Village Voice Newspaper, dated November 14, 2006 in New York City.

http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0646,tudor,75027,15.html

Takeshi Yamada being attacked by 7-foot giant killer Klingon Worm and 3-foot prehistoric

giant horseshoe crab at the Coney Island Creek. (Photo credit Leslie Van Stelten, 2006)

Mythic Creatures DVD:

A DVD entitled “Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids” was produced by the American Museum of Natural History in 2007 on the occasion of this exhibition at the museum. Shown at three locations in the exhibition gallery, the DVD was run continuously during the exhibition.

Reference:

After January 6, 2008, "Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids" exhibition will travel successively to Chicago's Field Museum, the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney, and Atlanta's Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Before moving to New York City, Yamada had lived in downtown Chicago for 13 years. The Chicago’s Field Museum is one of his favorite museums in downtown Chicago. He is planning to visit Chicago on the occasion of the Mythic Creature’s opening reception next year.

For more information about the Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids exhibition, see following official website of the American Museum of Natural History.

website. www.amnh.org/mythic

END

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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