REVIEW: Exhibition 'Kaii Higashiyama' PART 3(final)

PREVIOUS: REVIEW: Exhibition 'Kaii Higashiyama' PART 2

    "Ever since 'awakening to the secret of landscape' after the war, Kaii had come to a resolution and began working without any bewilderment. Work went well, his reputation grew, one after another large-scale individual exhibition was put on, books on his paintings and writings were published, and was asked to give lectures and exhibitions at art galleries. Despite being so busy, Kaii was a perfectionist who paid attention to a single speck of dirt on the picture. He was also concerned about public opinion so that his mind was constantly tense with not a momentous of rest. In those days, after a frantically busy day on the go, on his way home, he would stop by at Shoko Kawasaki's house to take a bath and enjoy a meal cooked by Shoko's wife. Relaxing for a short time there may have been the only chance he had to stretch his arms and legs and feel at rest. However, he became all the more conscious of the conflict of leading his life as an artist while being involved with the society. His worries about overcoming this grew. It was at such a time that he was approached about producing the fusuma panels for Toshodaiji. This was his greatest luck. From then on, for ten years, he turned down all other commissions and devoted himself to these fusuma panels for the temple. He continued his work concentrating on the sole point that he wished to express his gratitude to Ganjin, the priest from Tang period China who came to Japan undaunted by several unsuccessful voyages over the years to convey genuine Buddhist disciplines. This was also the period during which both Kaii's spiritual and physical vitality were replete. As an artist, he could not have been luckier." —Suzuhiko Kawasaki 川崎鈴彦 (Nihonga painter, Kaii's brother-in-law), translated by Kikuko Ogawa 小川紀久子, from the catalogue of the exhibition

REVIEW: Exhibition 'Kaii Higashiyama' PART 2

Afterglow

Afterglow 残照 1947, colour on paper, 151.5 x 212.0 cm, framed. The artist 東山魁夷 finished this picture two years after he was called up and joined the army and trained to dash himself at the enemy's tank holding a bomb. The picture has a simple but exquisite composition, subtle and intricate colours created by multi-layered pigments. It took me a while to escape from the gravity of the picture. And so Section II: Conversation with Nature begins.

Nihonga in the Time of the Anti-Nationalism after WWII

    "Once the war came to an end, as a reaction to the extreme nationalism before the war, a trend to negate traditional culture arose. This surge advanced on the world of nihonga, too and there were even cries that nihonga would cease to exist. Amidst such circumstances, many artists made a variety of attempts, but Kaii Higashiyama was rather cautious. He did not react to radical opinions and new theories of painting unless he himself was convinced. He was more interested in and keen about what was fresh amidst the flow of time. He was probably the sort of person who wanted to probe thoroughly into what the society was really calling for." ––Masaaki Ozaki 尾崎正明, translated by Kikuko Ogawa 小川紀久子, from the catalogue of the exhibition

Autumn Shade

Autumn Shade 秋翳 1958, 160.0 x 167.6 cm, colour on paper, framed. This is my most favourite piece from the period of the establishment of Higashiyama style. At around this period, Higashiyama appears to have started experiments with textures. Jikuso 軸装, or Hanging Scroll/Handscroll, was the traditional way of displaying pictures in Japan, then Frame allowed Japanese-style painting to try the thick coats of pigment. It can be said that the examples by the outstanding artist are quite beneficial materials. Toward the next, Section III: The atmosphere of the Ancient Cities.

REVIEW: Exhibition 'Kaii Higashiyama: Nature, Men and Towns'

"I left home shortly after noon, but now it is 15:58, on the taxi, hoping to arrive there as soon as possible. The museum will close at 17:00. Probably approximately only 50 minutes left. What can I do now?" 

What I can do now is to praise the artist.


My Visit / Outline of the Exhibition

As I said before, I was looking forward to the exhibition a lot and had prepared an advance ticket — a two-times ticket for the two-terms exhibition — and attended twice. For some reasons, I visited the museum in the late afternoon of the final day of each term. It was a close shave. I almost missed them both actually.


The exhibition was held in the feature-exhibition gallery at the third floor(the second floor in English) of the Kyūshū National Museum 九州国立博物館 last summer in the midst of the Heisei-period major repair of Mieidō 御影堂 of Tōshōdai-ji 唐招提寺. They took the opportunity to have his largest painting work that was dedicated to the temple as a special feature exhibit.

It was the most splendid, spiritual, satisfying exhibition that I've ever seen, because of the power of the artist 東山魁夷, in the first place, of course, and also the enthusiastic ambitious elaborate arrangements which are based on a deep appreciation of art. Curated by Masaaki Ozaki 尾崎正明. I loved it, including the comments on paintings, and the pictorial catalogue. The book was excellent, full of properly photographed and printed his artworks. I have considered finishing this post only by saying "Just read the book". However, this is my blog, and that's nothing adventurous. Then, shall we have a close look at the exhibition and his life?


Into the Gallery

"Huge", that was my first impression. Section I: Seeking the Way (The Prewar Period); soon after the entrance into the gallery, the large canvases had a great impact. His early works were not yet sophisticated but quite energetic, and indicated young painter's ambitions. In fact, his painting works were all bigger than I thought. His tendency toward abstraction left cute impressions on the canvases, and small copies on books or the internet don't tell us about the size, details, matière, texture. They reminded me of the Aura of a work of art right after I ended the first season of this blogging adventure. In this Information Age, I am interested in something that cannot be reproduced. Life is Time. Experience cannot be reproduced and is made with Time. Higashiyama's artworks are truly worth experiencing. From his early works to the last, the retrospective exhibition traces the path that the artist had taken in chronological order except the works for Tōshōdai-ji temple.


His Early Years

Kaii Higashiyama was born in Yokohama in 1908 (Meiji 41). Since near the end of Edo — the abolition of "Sakoku" the National Isolation (1854), the change of the political system, modernisation and westernisation, wars — around this time, Japan was in turbulent times, and the successive dynamic changes of this country lasted actually until the 1990s.

Kaii Higashiyama, Nature, Me and Others

A feature exhibition at Kyushu National Museum 九州国立博物館; 'Kaii Higashiyama: Nature, Men and Towns 東山魁夷 自然と人、そして町'


Exhibition / Artist

This is a large-scale exhibition and, consequently, divided into two periods. The former exhibition; 16 July - 7 August / the latter exhibition; 9 August - 28 August. I am interested in the both of exhibitions and have purchased a two-times ticket, intend to visit twice after I finished this blogging journey and had a cup of tea. It's already 6th August, wow, it appears this weekend is the last chance.

Kaii Higashiyama(1908 - 1999), a prominent Japanese artist, lived through Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa, Heisei periods, and his last work was finished in 1999, the year the 90-year-old artist died. His view of nature and painting skills are outstanding. His works feel poetic, that's why I like them.

REVIEW: 'Onmyoji'

Introduction of the films about Heian part 3

Today is the time of Super Heroes. The last decade was an age of Super Hero films. Actually, there is a super hero of the Heian period. There is a film series about him.

Super Hero

His name is Abe no Seimei 安倍晴明, a powerful Onmyoji. Seimei sees what we cannot see, he make Shikigami(sort of lower-class Spirits) serve him, he finds out curses behind unusual things, he chants charms and performs rituals and break them, he practices the art of Onmyō-dō that transcends human knowledge. 

Because he knows what we do not know, he is proficient in Onmyō-dō, he is a gifted Onmyoji.

REVIEW: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

Introduction of the films about Heian part 2

A short review of 'The Tale of the Princess Kaguya かぐや姫の物語' as a long appendix to the previous post REVIEW: 'The Tale of Genji'.

Film / Director

The film is based on the classic work of the Heian period, 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter 竹取物語', and the plot is basically the same as the original.

Directed by Isao Takahata 高畑勲 belonging to Studio Ghibli, the Mochi director, and my Mochi brother. He has the same type of personal qualities as me. I have sympathy for his philosophy of nature and life. His conclusion is obvious; Mochi. It's everywhere in his works. O-Kiyo おキヨ of 'Pom Poko 平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ' is my ideal girl. 

And again he made this film Mochi, this is Mochi film expect the grown-up Princess and Mikado the Emperor. The Emperor is portrayed as the symbol of Money, Power, Vanity. The Emperor's chin and outfit are designed to be the complete opposite quality of Mochi. Maybe Takahata needed to face this motif as a Mochi director before he ends his career.

Heian Max: Furyū Road

The Heian period, from the 8th century to the 12th century, between Nara and Kamakura period, named after the capital city Heian-kyō, which is now known as Kyoto. Heian 平安, literally "tranquillity and peace", was eventually a relatively peaceful and stable period, and that made possible the birth of Wayō and the prosperity of Japanese literature.

Let me introduce my viewpoint on the period this time.

Wayō(Japanese style beauty) / Karayō(Chinese style beauty)

Everything is connected, more or less. However, if there are particular examples of the influence on Japanese culture, that would be China and the U.S. China is the father, the U.S. is the stepfather. Mother? It's the earth--God bless Mother Nature, she's a single woman too--of course. In the 8th century, Japan entered an era of the prosperity of its own art, there was a movement away from Karayō then. Wayō 和様 is a contrast to Karayō 唐様. These terms are normally used in the field of calligraphy but occasionally also in general art. The environment develops human mind, and it's a great inspiration. China gave us great gifts, but our natural environments are very different from each other. 

Upper: Chinese / Lower: Japanese

So when our ancestors looked closely at their environment, when they tried to portray what they really felt in everyday life, Wayō had begun as a matter of course, although it progressed gradually and they were wavering between two styles, philosophies. For instance, they say that Sukemasa Fujiwara(944-998) the Saseki 佐跡 described their contradictory feelings at that time as follows, "漢詩だけでは、また和歌だけでは、何かさびしくものたりない、こうして漢詩における自己充足感の減退と、和歌における未成熟の意識と、こういう方向のすきま、空虚を満たすものとして、和漢をならべたてるという傾向が生まれてくる"

Kanamoji / Brush Calligraphy

When Japanese people were still having communications only orally in ancient times, Chinese character was introduced into Japan. In the Nara period, in the 8th century, people started to describe oral Japanese language by Chinese character. In the early Heian period, in the early 9th century, those Chinese characters were redesigned and simplified by men. And by the end of the 9th century, the movement toward Japanese style progressed, those Chinese characters were again redesigned and developed into Kanamoji by women.

A not shady invitation

Hello,

I am looking for someone to share in an adventure. Oh, you look starving for an adventure. Well, now, this is a fine chance!

The adventure has already begun, actually. I am on the way to the Hans Zimmer show in Europe. 


HOW THIS JOURNEY BEGAN 

On 14th February 2016, I said, "I'm sorry to be late, I've been pressed with an urgent work for days. Here you are, happy Valentine's Day!" and she, Anna Scott, said, "Forget about me, just have an adventure. You can go the distance" and I thought, "Oh, man, I don't have a clue in my head, what I'm gonna do with this" I also said, "I don't wanna get in trouble now", so the voice came, "You must go see Hans Zimmer live concert and write about it on a blog." 


I was once on Twitter and gathering information there, but social media didn't fit me so that I kept my distance from it since last year. That is because I noticed his tour this very late, even though I'm a big fan of Hans Zimmer.

The tour has already begun in early April. I don't know what I can do until the end of the journey. I don't know if I can go see his live performance in Europe safely. But this is about the Hans, and I think this is going to be fun, and besides, I promised someone that I would start a blog. 


WHY I WRITE THIS BLOG

I'd like to make this thing clear. Here is why:

My self-introduction

Once a beautiful man said, "Sometimes you gotta run before you can walk", and I think now is the time."


I am Tazfummy Iseki. Son of Ryoichi. Son of Taichi. A Japanese man, born and raised in Fukuoka, Japan. I start my own blog for the first time. I work at an interior design firm. A designer, a 2D/3D CAD operator, an illustrator, a writer. From now on, however, I'd like to put all these together and simply identify myself as a blogger here on the internet.

I love films. I grew up with Hollywood movies, especially action movies. And I'm addicted to film music, Hans Zimmer is my most favourite composer. It's my everyday music.

I'm interested in Heian period 平安時代, Wayō 和様(Japanese style beauty), Kana-shodō 仮名書道(Japanese brush calligraphy in Kanamoji), Waka 和歌(Japanese poetry), Bungo 文語(The Classical Japanese).

Mochi is a symbol of "Live Long and Prosper".

"Wind Shines 風光る" represents "Spring" in Japanese poetry.

Hope you'll enjoy this blog.

May the wind shine upon you!