Ancient Cherry blossom Tree, "Takizakura" 三春滝桜

Waterfall Sakura of Miharu　「三春滝桜 」

My friend in Japan, Mr. Yonezawa sent me a photo of ancient cherry blossom tree, "Taki- zakura" or "Waterfall Cherry blossom" of Miharu city in Fukushima prefecture. This tree is considered one of the three great cherry blossom trees of Japan, and is believed to be 1,600 years old. When this tree was seedling, I believe Japan was still going through a prehistorical period, and in West, Rome was being ravaged by goths, Ostrogoths and Visigoths.

Mr. Yonezawa tells me that when he visited this tree, Japan was going through unusually cold spring- snowing while the tree was in full blossom! Mr. Yonezawa tells me its been 46 years since this situation has occurred here. Well, rain, sun or snow, I hope the Tree live through many years to come.

By the way two other great cherry blossom trees are "Jindai Cherryblossom" of Yamanashi Prefecture and "Usuzumi Cherry blossom" of Gifu Prefecture. As you can see from photos, Japanese go all out to see famous trees. I don't know whether this indicate unusual reverence of Japanese for natural wonders or that Japanese loves to go where crowds go- probably combination of both (laugh- sorry, a bit cynic here). Cynicism aside, great ancient trees do posses for me a sense of great spirituality, that I would probably push everyone aside to get to front of the crowd (laugh).

I posted this photo here because the theme of my blog is "Tree of Life''. I am very happy to receive photos of great trees so if you have one and you know my address, I would love to have them and post it here.

上の写真は福島県の三春桜で北海道の友人、米澤氏が東北に桜見物に行って撮ったものですが、この時は春なのに雪が降り、満開の時雪が降ったのは４６年ぶりだそうです。米澤氏によるとこの大木は日本三大桜の一つで芽がでてから１，６００年の年月がたっているそうです。これからも雪、雨、日に負けず、長年生きてほしいですね。

私のブローグのテーマが生命の樹なので、このような大木の写真などが送ってくると非常に嬉しいです。他にも大木を見つけたら、写真を送ってくださったら光栄です。

Junpei "Paul' Hashiguchi's "Ｎaive" Ｐaintings ポール橋口のシンプルな絵

One of my former student sent me photos of recent exhibition of Junpei Hashiguchi: his friends call him Paul. Paul graduated from Dohto University in 2005, majoring in silk screen print. While Paul exhibited prints, its his paintings I would like to present here. Unlike his prints and unlike works of most painters in Japan which shows technical virtuosity, these works look quite naive. Yet these works reminisce me early works of Mattise ( nude figures) and Chagall ( elongated figure). Paul's works do not have great inventiveness, rhythmic lines and color composition of these masters, but to me they possess simple charm and warmth that's delight.

After graduation Paul worked for while on drama joining a group of Thespians. He even performed in international drama festival in Edinburgh with them. I remember helping out a little translating a short play for this festival and found that some Japanese words such as 'chindonya' are almost impossible to translate cause their are no equivalent in English. Chindonya is a clownish advertisement group that dress in traditional Japanese clothes announcing such things as opening of new store while playing musical instruments.

I told this story because for some reason his painting seem to me at home with world of this play and his seemingly easy going character which I like alot.

In my last year at teaching in Japan, 1908, I notice several Freshman painting in similar simple style as that of Paul that caught me by surprise. I couldn't say then this was one of going directions of Japanese painting. I regret not seeing how these students develop since.

最近、私の教え子から、橋本 Ｈａｓｈｉｍｏ’ポール”潤平君の展覧会の写真が送ってきた。彼は２００５年、道都大学のデザイン学科を卒業した学生で、シルクプリントを学んだ生徒だ。 この展覧会では専門のプリントの作品も展示したようだが、ここでは彼の絵画の作品について述べたい。日本でよく見る、技術的に優れた作品とは違い、ナイブ に見える作品が結構私には魅力に感じる。ヌードで外に転んでいる絵や体が伸びた人の絵など若いころのシャガールやマチースの絵を私に思わす。もちろん、彼 らのような優れた色彩や線のセンスなどは見せないが、言葉で言えないチャームと温かみを感じさせるところが魅力。

卒業後、ポールは演劇の ほうに力を入れていたようで、仲間とスコットランドのエジンバラ市の国際演劇の祭りにまで参加したようだ。その時私も少し彼らたちの短い演劇の英訳を手 伝った。「チンドンヤ」など英語で訳できないような言葉などあり、英訳の難しさを改めておしえられる。ポールの絵を観ていると何故かこのときの劇の世界と 彼の絵が同じ、マーイペースのポールの性格・世界と合併しているように私には感じた。

日本で最後に教えた年、２００８年に入学した一年生 の中に何人かポールの絵に似たような’ナイブなスタイルで描いた学生たちがいて少しびっくりした。’これがこれからの日本の絵の方向性の一つかと思った。 それからの彼らたちの様子が見えなかったことが少し残念だ。

"Plum Tree 'Flew' into My Yard" 「内の庭に梅軒が飛んできた」

Week after I wrote about flying plum tree of Michizane, a plum tree 'flew' to my yard. Well one of the tree on the other side of my fence that my neighbor told me is a plum tree fell down over my fence and a cable line. The property that tree is rooted belongs to the city, and they still have not cut it down. I cut some of the branches off right away to cut down the load on the fence and cable, and photos you see here are those taken when I cut most of the branches off that were on my side of the fence. But its funny coincidence that plum tree fell down to my yard when I just wrote about it. I was also thinking about finding branches for the show after the next one in December, and well I got the branches! Thinking positively, I see this as a divine blessing.

On a similar line, on Easter Sunday, the crown on my upper molar came off. This must have been a ' divine admonishment' for week before at Blackfish gallery meeting, my friend Bob Dozono's crown came off from his teeth, and I made a mistake of laughing over at this... at someone's misfortune. My conclusion is someone up there is defintely watching.

Broken branch from the city property falling over my fence and cable line. You can see that I cut off some of the branches off the fence and on my trees.
町の土地に植えてある梅の木が私の家のフェンスケーブルとイチョウ、かえでの木の上に落ちた。重みを軽くするため私がいくつかの枝を切った。そのあとが見える。

The branches I cut off I laid on the yard of my house. Later I cut off some of the good branches for my sculptural usage and threw back the rest to the city property as advised by my wise (cunning?) neighbor.

沢山切った枝を内の中庭の芝生に置いた。あとで好きな部分を彫刻ように切り、のこりをkinjyo 近状のアドバイスを聞き、の町の土地のほうに置いた。

菅原道真の「飛び梅」の話について書いたあと、私の庭に梅ノ木が'飛んできた’。実は、私の庭の向こうのポートランド市が持っている土地に植えてある梅の木が折れ、私の庭のほうに落ちてきた。内のフェンスとケーブルに引っかかっている状態だ。今でもまだこの状態だがいずれ、町が処理するらしい。フェンスやケーブルに重みを少なくするため、すぐ私は枝を沢山切った。ここに見せている写真は半分以上切ったあととった写真だ。

でも不思議だ。道真の話を書いたとたん、こんなことがおきて。ちょうど１２月の個展が終わったら作品に使う枝がなくなるの、枝をさがしていたので、思いながらの天の恵みと前向きに思っているところだ。

Branches pressing over my fence. Initially before I cut down, many more smaller branches cover the fence.
枝が木の壁を抑えている。この写真は枝を沢山切ったあとだが、その前は壁は枝と葉っぱでうずまっていた。

Since the branch broke off from the trunk, it looks as though only half the tree still stands.

枝は木の幹から割れているので木が半分しか残っていないように見える。

Nissan S-15- Converted Model Car by K. Tomoshige

Those who Models I : Tomoshige Kouji 「プラモデル出身の彫刻家たち Ｉ： 友重好司

Tomoshige Kouji, is one of many students who joined my sculpture class with experience as a plastic model maker. Several of them takes model making seriously, and go on to become a professional or semiprofessional at modelmaking or related commercial art field.

Kouji makes various types of models, some are original figures and others are conversions. These he exhibits and sales through his homepage.

Lately, Kouji sent me photos of his recent works. Unfortunately some of them did not come through the mail, but these two conversion car models came through.

多くの私の道都大学でのゼミ生はプラモデル経験者で卒業後も真剣にプラモデルを作っている。中ではプラモデルなどホビー系の仕事をしている卒業生もいる。友重好司君もこの仲間、卒業後、オリジナルなフィガーやプラモデルなどの車を改造し、インターネットなどで展示したり、販売している。最近かれからいくつかの イメージが送ってきて、そのうちあけられたのが上の二つ写真に紹介した車のプラモデルだ。

Nissan S-15 Sylvia

Tomoshige works for the security company that uses this Niissan car.
He thought it might be 'cool' to have it converted as a sports custom so he did it here.

トモシゲ君が働いている警備会社の車をスポーツカスタムにしたモデル。「警備会社がこんなぶっとんだ車を使っていたら面白いなと思ってバリバ リのスポーツカスタムにしました」と彼は述べた。

Toyota AE86 Tourino

This model is a result of collaborating 'East Side' series with 'Head Letter D'(? Here I 'm translating Japanese words directly.)

「東方シリーズと頭文字Ｄを勝手にコラボさせた一発ネタです」と友重君は言っていた。

Kouji Tomoshige working on a thesis project.
ゼミ室で卒業制作の作業をしている友重君

For a graduate work, Tomoshige combined his plastic model making experience, his increase experience with clay work from modeling in sculpture classes, and his desire to make social and political statement through his art into several diorama works that depict various demons and spirits admonishing people who he felt have done injustice. These include US naval base in Okinawa, people who litter the environment and kids who litter and desurface these.

*I have lost the original title of these works so I have given substitute title that I believe come close.,

Though the statement that Tomoshige makes in these works are sometimes rather simple for me, the visual part of his works are very interesting and original. I like these type of works where students (or artists) utilize their background to come up with quite unique art. Also I must note that social/political/ religious comment through visual art is quite rare in Japan.

卒業制作では友重君はプラモデルの経験の他、授業でつよめた粘土の扱いと、社会や政治にたいしてのコメントを生かした作品を制作した。マイナス的な存在に対して怒った妖怪などをいくつかのジオラマの形にして描いた。これらは落書き少年らや、沖縄の米軍や　リストラする会社などだ。

もっと長く人生を経験した大人の私から見たら、学生のころの好司君が作品をとおして言いたいことは
ところどころ単純に見えるが、しかし作品そのものはオリジナルでとても面白い。それぞれ学生（プロも）が自分の個性のあるバックグランドからあみだした美術はとても独特でおもしろく、これらはそのいい例だ。

＊オリジナルの作品の題が見つからないので、近い題をつけてある。

Myth of Mosern Day Demons and Spirits

近代妖怪やスピリツーなどの神話

This is a photo of "Dohto University thesis exhibition, where Kouji has displayed several diorama works and drawings that depict modern day demons and spirits that admonish negative elements of mankind.

Wrath of Spirits of Okinawa
近代沖縄のスピリツとおばけ

Spirits and demons destroying the US naval base in Okinawa. Stationing of US naval base is unpopular among Japanese. However, after making this piece, Tomoshige begin to see the viewpoint of other side; that is the necessity of having US troops there.
沖縄米軍記事をおそう妖怪たち

Spirit of Disposal
ごみの妖怪

This is a detail of diorama that stars demon made of disposals that protects forest from those that secretly tries to dispose illegally in the forest.
この作品ではごみの妖怪が森を秘密にごみを捨てる違反者たちから守っているところ。　

Isao Umeda and Norwich and Surroundings 「イサオ君とイギリスのノリッジ周辺」

Meeting Michelangelo and Friends in Italy 「イタリアでミケランジェロとの出会いーイサオ君」

One of my former student, Isao Umeda went to Norwich, England this year to further his study in art. Recently, Isao sent me photos of Norwich surrounding where he lives; and of his trip to Italy. Photos of Italy trip consist mostly of works by Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael. With these Italian photos I will present as photo images with my brief explanation. with Norwich photos, I will present as a short slide show.

今年、私の教え子の梅田イサオ君（道都大学２００４卒）が美術をさらに深めるため、イギリスに移住した。最近イサオ君から彼が住んでいるノリッジ市とそ の辺りの写真とイタリアの旅の写真が送ってきました。イタリアの写真はミケランジェロの作品が主で他、画家のラファエルと彫刻家のドナチェロの作品なども あります。ノリッジの写真はスライドとし（上）、イタリアの写真（下）は私の短い説明つきで
写真のイメージで紹介します。

City of Florence

フィレンツェの町

Maddalena by Donatello
ドナチェロのマダレナ

Donatello along with Michelangelo was two leading sculptors of Renaissance Italy. There are some figurative sculptors who consider him above Michelangelo in that Donatello provides the best solution to what each different theme asks; that i,s Donatello sculpts according to the theme of work instead of imprinting artistic style on the work as is with Michelangelo. But what a style!

ミケランジェロとともにイタリアルネサンスを代表する彫刻家、ドナチェロの作品。彫刻家の中ではミケランジェロよりドナチェロのほうが優れていると思う人たちがけっこういる。彼らに言わせるとドナチェロは彫刻のテーマに合わせて作品を制作するのが非常に優れている。これにたいし、ミケランジェロはすごい技術力をもっているが、違うテーマでも自分のスタイルを押し付けて作成する。でもすごいスタイルだ！

Julius's Tomb with Moses. Michelangelo's forty year project (intermittently)

ユリウスの墓ミケランジェロの４０年かけて（休みながら）制作した作品

Isao in front of sculpture of Moses
モーゼの彫刻の前に立っているイサオ君

"Florentine Pieta"
フィレンツェのピエター


One of the last sculpture piece by Michelangelo. Supported by Nicodemus and two Marys, the face Nicodemus is said to be that of old Michelangelo.

晩年のミケランジェロの作品。後ろのニコデマス（又はジョセフかも）とす二人のメリーに支えられているキリストの彫刻像。ニコデマスの顔はミケランジェロの顔をモデルにしたと言われている。

"Pieta"

ピエター

Work of very young Michelangelo. One of my favorite classical sculpture, speaking from little experience, its amazing how anyone can carve something so intricate from something hard as Carrara marble.

若きミケランジェロの作品で私の大好きなクラシック彫刻の一つである。学生のころからの少しの経験からで言うけれど、硬いカララの大理石からこのような複雑な作品が彫れるなんて信じられないほどの技術力をミケランジェロはもっていたようだ。

"The School of Athes" by Raphael

ラファエルのスクール・オフ・アテネ

The central piece of Vatican frescoes. This fresco is consider by many to be Raphael's greatest work. It shows Raphael's balanced perfection at its best.

バチカンフレスコの中心作品です。この作品は多くの専門家たちからラファエルの名作品と思われ、彼の完璧のバランス構成を表しています。

Isao dining with friends in Italy(?)

友人たちとイタリア（？）で食事している梅田力君

Flying Plum Tree of Michizane 「大宰府天満宮の飛び梅」

"Flying Plum Tree" in Dasaifu Tenmangu Shrine (photo by Shingo Yonezawa)

大宰府天満宮神社にある飛梅　（写真米澤慎吾氏より）

Friend of mine in Hokkaido Japan, Shingo Yonezawa, upon seeing my post on Michizane exhibition at Blackfish Gallery, sent me a photo of Michizane shrine at Dasaifu with plum tree.
This plum tree is believed to be the famous "flying plum tree" that appears in one of legends that surrounds Michizane. A historical buff, Mr. Yonezawa enjoys travelling to historical places, and one of these happened to be Dasaifu Tenmangu Shrine in Dasaifu where Michizane was supposed to have resided during the exile. According to the legend, Michizane with deep longing wrote poem about how he missed seeing the plum trees in Kyoto. In his poem, Michizane asked East wind to blow in the plum tree that might forget the spring without the owner's (Michizane) presence. Upon reading the poem, it is said the plum tree flew overnight to his yard from Kyoto.

Michizane stories, it seems show story- loving as well as supersticious aspect of Japanese.

I thank Mr. Yonezawa for photos and interesting stories of Sugawarano Michizane.

ブッラクフィシュの菅原道真展についての記事を北海道の友人、米澤慎吾氏が読み、太宰府天満宮神社にある飛び梅の写真を送ってくれた。歴史に興味深い米澤氏は歴史の場所をたどってよく旅にでるが、その一つの旅に大宰府を訪れたらしい。

伝説によると、都がこいしい道真は「東風こち吹かば　思い梅の花　あるじ無きとて春忘れそ」と詠んだ時一晩で京都から大宰府に飛んできたらしい。

菅原道真についての話や写真、米澤氏に感謝します。