Matsuri 1
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Matsuri 1 *
MATSURI 1
Boisterous men gather, chant, and try to stay warm in the cold night for the ‘Naked Man Festival’ held in the mountains of Urasa, Japan. This is one of many festivals I witnessed during my time spent living in this part of the world and through these paintings I aim to cover the thrill of being alive for such special events.
Naked Man Festival
Held anually at Bishamondo Temple, men strip down to white Fundoshi (loincloths) and sandals to plunge into freezing waters to be among many worshiping the god Bishamon throughout the snowy night.
Elizabeth Boccabello is a 23 year old oil painter focusing on depicting scenes from festivals she has experienced traveling around the world. While each festival is rooted in a different culture, her paintings focus on the universal energy of human connection that festivals inspire. This drive to capture moments of gathering stems from her upbringing in a small West Virginia town, where she often felt a lack of community and third spaces for communal connection.
In her work, Elizabeth aims to document these fleeting moments of celebration and human interaction in a way photography cannot—imbuing each scene with an emotional depth unique to oil painting. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from West Virginia University, and her most recent series, painted during a year spent in Japan, explores the country’s rich festival traditions.
Currently based in West Virginia, Elizabeth continues to seek out new festivals and experiences as she travels, always searching for fresh inspiration to fuel her work.
