MITSUTA HARUO (B. 1980)

Despites its grotesque appearance, the centipede is often associated with good luck and success in business as its many limbs imply the idea of “countless customers”. Also regarded as a messenger of the Shinto gods, it was favored by merchants and often used in noren (shop curtain) design, like those depicted in the notable Edo period screens Rakuchu rakugai zu (Scenes In and Around the Capital).