Live Long and Prosper

Well, it's time. I have considered the other options for a week in a Zen cave, but it is time. The wind is not favourable. 

When I was looking at the schedule of the posts for the second season adventure, I noticed that the topics are probably not beneficial to the readers. That means they are also not beneficial to the project. That means they are also not beneficial to me. If it were my personal blog, the topics would be fine. But it isn't. If it were the proper time, there would be no problem. But this is unfortunately epilogging. This is about how I've been doing since the last season. This is about what I've been dealing with since the last "spring". Sorry, I have failed to eliminate Ban-nan 万難(all the obstacles). This is not just about the topics, this decision has been made based on my comprehensive assessment of the situations. In short, the wind is not favourable.

I selected the topics because they were the best thing I could show you. They were the subjects that I could write with passion. Just shutting everything down is a bit tasteless. So let me digest the second season and share the adventure one last time.

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.

A Mirage of Guggenheim

Walk down the fifth avenue from the "Twilight" museum to the south. I saw a couple of museums from the street, then it showed up. The building of the distinguishing feature, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City designed by Frank Lloyd Wright(1867 -1959). I love his way of thinking in design works and the details that he designed. When I was a student I've visited Yodoko Guest House 旧山邑邸 in Ashiya, Japan. I loved it. The museum was designed in a different style from it but some things are common.

Just enter the building soon after taking the picture briefly. At the security gate, security officers check people's baggage. A black security officer checks my backpack, my half-eaten roll sandwich that fell off as soon as he opened the backpack gets him significantly. The officer came back to his duty after the short-time laughing and gave me permission to enter. In the hall at the ground level, some people are doing something like radio broadcasting. That seems to be related to the feature exhibition "On Kawara – Silence". They say that it is the first comprehensive retrospective exhibition of a Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara(1932 - 2014), conceived by the artist himself before his death on 10th July 2014 – my birthday last year. When I designed this journey, I looked into the museums and their locations but not the exhibitions. I unexpectedly encountered a compatriot in this foreign country. It is said that the artist born in Japan settled in the city of New York in 1965 after he experienced the life in Mexico, travels through Europe.

Don't Bother Knocking

Well, finally.

Thanks to Hans, Anna's good decision, and the voice(Morgan Freeman(cameo)) . I couldn't even launch a blog without them. This time I saw Twitter timeline occasionally, I was glad to know that everyone seems to be doing well, and some seemed to remember me unexpectedly, thank you. Especially, Ali, I received a lot of criticisms in the way I cannot fight back during my Twitter service, but your comments were sensible and also full of wit and charming. If I wanted the same thing as you, I would have listened to your sharp comments on my tweet. And your lively cheerful and positive everyday tweet reminded me of good things on Twitter and made me decide to get back to the Twitter world almost. Thank you, Ali. I like you. Thank you, V, if you there. Now I have finished blogging as promised. I don't know if I could have accomplished this blogging adventure without you.

I enjoyed breathing English after a long time.

When an adventure ends, this blog ends. However, the blog stays. If there is anything, you can comment on posts or mail me. I mean anything, "I love you", "I hate you", "I challenge you", "I offer you", "I patronise you", "I feed you", "I stroke you", "I groom you", "I tame you", anything.

If I find the next adventure, I will fly a bird to you.

Until then, farewell.



The wind shines, when Japanese bush warblers tweet.

Hans in the Wind 2: A wind of Japanese Poetry of Spring 1

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: Woman In Gold

'Woman in Gold' is a film, based on the true story of Maria Altmann, an elderly Jewish refugee, who took on the Austrian government to reclaim Gustav Klimt's iconic painting of her aunt, 'Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I', which was plundered by the Nazis.

The trailer of the film caught my attention because it was gold, Klimt, Helen Mirren. The film was compelling.

In the film, young Maria says that the painting is gold but her aunt somehow looks blue. And this is a film of "Blue and gold". The contrast between blue and gold gave me a unique sensation, it made this film alive. "A brisk elderly woman and a young lawyer who has difficulty in his career", "American accent English in a European court", "Painful memories of the defilers in a magnificent city Vienna" and so on. The score has the same characteristic and made this film memorable. Music by Martin Phipps and...Hans Zimmer. I couldn't notice him while I was watching because there was no his signature. In early spring, I heard the news that Hans was saying Auf Wiedersehen to the Spandex, and I've been thinking if he really has retired from "super hero business" what is going to be the next stage? This score might be a hint of it. I am looking forward to his future works.

Hans in the Wind 3: A wind of Japanese Poetry of Spring 2

Fantastic Writer and How to be like Her

Eddie Redmayne, known for the portrayal in 'The Theory of Everything', plays a starring role in the upcoming film 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. Wow, I cannot miss this film. The film is inspired by the book of the same name written by J. K. Rowling, and she makes her debut as a screenwriter on this Harry Potter spin-off film. Wow, I have to go to the theatre on the opening day. And it is said that she has already finished the screenplay for the sequel. Wow, amazing. I wish I could write as superb as she does.

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.

REVIEW: The Theory of Everything

I had never imagined that I would pay for a love story until I saw this film. 'The Theory of Everything' is the first love story film that fascinated me. 

This is a love story--of three, based on a true story of the theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking. Starring Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking, Felicity Jones as Jane Hawking, Charlie Cox as Jonathan Hellyer Jones. The story describes love in a not overly romantic way, which is very comfortable, and yet there is certainly the excitement of the new relationship. "We are not normal family", Jane says. Yes, their relationships are not simple. But their love was a light, a hope, an inspiration to me.

Acting

Their acting is brilliant. Eddie Redmayne's portrayal is very detailed, and it carries strong conviction. Professor Stephen Hawking has ALS. Eddie Redmayne realistically portrays the progress of the disease, and the character's feelings and traits by limited physicality. Felicity Jones is also a formidable actor, but the delicious part of their performance is not in individual talents or skills, that is in dialogues, face-to-face communications. Their performances resonate with each other, amplify each other. The croquet sequence, for instance, is something beyond play.

The Wind of Improvisation

As the bright members of the company of Tazfummy Weaselbrush may be already aware, yes, I am painting pictures for this blog with the painting materials of Nihonga 日本画(Japanese traditional painting). That's very perceptive of you, Master reader! Nihonga requires pigment adhesive--traditionally and practically Nikawa 膠(natural animal glue) which can easily spoil. Whether preservatives are in or not, I think, it goes bad. So the necessary quantity of pigments should be dissolved on palettes, however things don't go just as planned. I found a way to clean up palettes. I play with extra pigments to be disposed, like this

This time I used a failed painting. An alternative version of Michael Jackson 'Black or White', accidentally. It's fun. The cleaning up palette process gives no tension, and sometimes I find interesting results in the end of improvisation. On Twitter, I also uploaded something like this before

Dio-sama by Asagi colour 浅葱色. It's not perfect, but I like this one too. Asagi is one of my favourite colours. Asagi 浅葱, the name is also beautiful, isn't it?



May the wind of improvisation shine upon you!

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!