In 1189, shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo made a victorious return to this site (where this exhibition was held) after overthrowing the Fujiwara clan of Oshu-Hiraizumi, and is said to have stuck his bow into the ground to find water. The image of Yoritomo’s bow used in Maruyama’s work symbolizes his lust for power as well as his craving for water. These two elements can be seen as universal human desires.
She also created many figures of passing-by phantom soldiers who perished in battles that have unceasingly occurred from ancient times.

Maruyama’s two works were shown at two different exhibitions, held during the same period. In both works, she happened to focus on the two “fated enemies.” Thus, via a single historical fact, she viewed the conqueror and the conquered from both perspectives.

The other work [Human History of Conflicts]