Artist: Yasushi Hori
Title: Sun Bort
Location: Madinati, Egypt
Date: 2009
Material: Stone
Technique: Direct stone carving
Concept & Theme
Sun Bort is a monumental stone sculpture created by Japanese sculptor Yasushi Hori in Madinati, Egypt, in 2009. The work is characterized by a strong horizontal composition, resembling a large vessel or boat suspended above a series of abstract structural forms.
The central form evokes the image of a boat carrying the sun, creating a connection with the ancient Egyptian concept of the solar boat. In Egyptian mythology, the sun god Ra was believed to travel across the sky in a sacred boat, carrying the sun from east to west each day and continuing its journey through the underworld at night.
Hori interprets this ancient symbolic idea through a contemporary sculptural language. Instead of reproducing a traditional Egyptian boat, he reduces the form into simple geometric planes, sweeping curves and supporting elements, allowing the viewer to perceive both a vessel and an abstract architectural structure.
The upper mass has a broad, gently curved silhouette, while its irregular upper edge preserves the rough character of the stone. Beneath it, several angled and curved forms appear to support the floating volume. This creates an interesting tension between weight and lightness: although the sculpture is carved from a massive block of stone, its composition gives the impression that the upper form is hovering above the ground.
The contrast between the smoothly carved white surfaces and areas retaining rough stone texture is particularly important. Hori does not completely eliminate evidence of the carving process; instead, traces of the original material remain visible and become part of the visual language of the work.
The sculpture can also be interpreted as a dialogue between ancient Egyptian symbolism and contemporary Japanese sculptural thinking. The sun, boat and journey are universal images of movement, transformation and renewal, while the restrained geometry gives the work a distinctly modern character.
Its placement in Madinati further strengthens the relationship between sculpture and landscape. Rather than functioning solely as an isolated object, the work becomes a landmark within its surrounding environment, using its large horizontal silhouette to establish a visual relationship with the horizon.
Overall, Sun Bort demonstrates Yasushi Hori’s ability to transform a culturally familiar symbol into an abstract, monumental stone composition. The work combines the permanence of stone with the symbolic idea of movement, creating a sculpture that suggests a journey across the sky, through time and between different cultural traditions.
