"Harmonica" by Sue Pedley on Teshima

Sue Pedley's art work is my first volunteer activity.
The title of Sue's art work is "Harmonica".

Sue based in Australia, she became popular in Japan after the sucess of the Tumari art festival in 2009.

When Sue visited an old house in Teshima, there were tons of possessions: furniture, a sewing machine, plates, cups, utensils, and the goods necessary for everyday life; which a family lhad eft in the old house. They remain in there, like waiting for their owner to come back.

There were many handmade clothes and fabric in the closets and chests. They were made and collected for the family by some woman. Family memories was etched in everything. When Sue opened one closet, she heared the sound of a hamonica, like it was telling the family is memories.

I think that she was inspired by this closet, connecting the past and the present, the family and her.

She started to try to make a huge net for covering the old house, and wraped all plates and cups in fabric. A lot of people; Sue, local residents and volunteers, took part in this project, telling about their own stories.

While knitting the net, they also enhanced their relationship. It was the restoration of a local community and the creation of a new volunteer community.

Now, the old house, covered by the net, is standing on the high land in Kou of Teshima, holding the family's memorilia. It is looking to the sea, beatiful and calm.

On the first encounter, I expected a double meaning, harmonica and harmony, from the title "harmonica". And that is what I found.

http://www.eyelight.com.au/sue_pedley/index.html

Setouch international art festival 2010

The 19th of July, Setouch international art festival 2010 has started!

The art festival is at Kagawa in Japan until October 31. There are a lot of fine contemporary art works.

http://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/

I'm taking part in this art festival as a volunteer. It's the first time in my life I join the volunteer in a serious stance. Suprisingly, this art festival is supported by a lot of volunteers. Though, we couldn't have these many fine art works at Kagawa. This volunteer activity by local people would help for their local community, to look the local good points and reconstruct the community. I can learn a lot about the new point of views from new world and friends.

Still now, I'm enjoying a volunteer life on weekends.

"neoteny Japan" in Ehime prefecture

I visited the art museum of Ehime on May 16, to see a exhibition " neoteny japan". It seemed to be great success. The exhibiton came from a personal collection, Ryutarou Takahashi. He is a psychiatrist. He selected art works under the theme of "neoteny" from his collection.

There were a lot of fine art works of known artists.

Takashi Murakami.

Yoshimoto Nara.

Atuhiko Misawa.

Makoto Aida etc.

The artists belong to contemporary art. The thing that really strucked me the most was what a richly rewarded by the variety of art creations were there.

I think that one of secrets to success in this exhibition was the theme of "neoteny". Even neoteny, they had strong identities. Therefore, there were mature and fragile sences, it mirrored the problems of adult society.

Well, and I noticed that some artists had created some artworks in several ways, like painting, movie, sculpture and music etc, to express their world.

For example, Tomoko Kouike, when I entered a small room through a gate, a lot of people were standing in the middle of the room, there was a very large painting of "wolves and a girl"in the facade, a silver wolf object on left. When looked back to right, I saw a picture on the celling. It was a movie of the same theme, "wolves and a girl", and the whole room was filled with flashing light.

I was like I wanderd into an another world. I was sure I got into her world.

http://www.operacity.jp/ag/exh108/index_e.html

I've felt that art came to evolve.

Previously, Artists like painter and sculptor and musician, existed together. But recently, they get to blur into each other.

To express their world, the way doesn't matter. I feel important that what a sense of values can generate.

Some time ago, art gave us an emotional experience and it represented the beauty and power.

Later, we could get in something from art.

And now, art may try to make new worlds. I think that art would become a new amusement like game or trip or wisdom. In these mature society, we might require something special, even for art. And I've found art in demand. I'm looking forward to seeing the future of art.

"書道ガールズ" in Shikokutyuou city

“書道ガールズ”, the title of a Japanese movie, it means “girls learning Shodo”, will be released on May 15 in 2010. This movie is based on a true success story in my hometown, Shikokutyuou city. My hometown is located in the middle of Shikoku island, south west of Japan. Paper manufacturing is the town’s major industry, but now it has been declining from the severe international competition. Young people went to city, and the town became stagnant. The story is set in a high school in the town, my old high school. A new teacher comes to the school. He gets to work on 書道部, Shodo club, Japanese Calligraphy club. All players are women. They all have good skill, but no confidence and no hope. One day, the captain of Shodo girls saw the teacher writing, it was the new style of Shodo while dancing to music. They start to practice this dancing Shodo. Before long, they get to enjoy Shodo from the heart and have confidence. They become to try to do this performance for citizens. They decide to take part in the national contest. Please see the movie for more information.
http://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/shodo-girls/
Shodo is the art of drawing characters with a brush and India ink called sumi. When I was a student, a lot of girls were learning about Shodo. Of course, I did. At that time it was not special. We ought to have proud of Shodo as a Japanese culture. In these days, Shodo seems very cool skill. I’m amazed to see how different it is, as taking things in a different direction. I think that it is important to improve the image, good looking and hot and smart image, through some media.
In addition, 紫舟, hot Shodo artist who is famous for writing the title of “龍馬伝”, is from Shikokutyuou city. Such good news brings life to us. All citizens with the mayor in the lead help to promote this movie. I enjoy this movement like an event. Now, the Shodo teacher moved to a university as a Shodo professor. He seems to be very nice person, besides handsome. I heard that some Shodo girls went to his university. This is also a real story.

"新参者 newcomer " by Keigo Higashino

I've met a really good book after so long. It is "Shinzanmono", the title means "newcomer", written by Keigo Higashino.

He is one of popular novelists in Japan. Recently every his book became a beseller. So, I'd thought that he would be a popular fiction writer. But "Shinzanmono" exceeded my expectation.

In Nihonbashi, the downtown in Tokyo, one woman who lived alone was murdered by strangulation.

She was a newcomer to Nihonbashi. Nobody knew a lot about her. But as a detective hearing the views of relevant people, the truths are emerging clearly.

The atractive hero appears in this book.　That's the detective. He is also a newcomer. He trys to restore the twisted relations between characters. His method is not direct, very considerate. He makes them found out the truth by themselves. There was a human kindness we had forgotten. I'm delighted to learn that there are still in Tokyo in these free sociaty. Rather, that may be the thing we really want.

After reading, I got to want to do something for my loved people.

Now, this book is my best recommend book in 2009.

Yuki Ogura: A Retrospective

I went to Kobe to see the Yuki Ogura : a retrospective with my friend.

I wanted to see the Hyogo Prefecrural Museum of Art. It was designed by Tadao Ando who is a leading Japanese architect. I've become a fan of his art works since I went to the Benesse Art Site Naoshima. I'd felt to get lost in another time era. It was built up by a lot of fine buildings.

Refer to Naoshima for http://www.naoshima-is.co.jp/

Well, the Hyougo Prefectural Museum of Art is also a successful building. There are wide open spaces and glass-walls and bare concrete walls, they create a cold atmosphere.

For details to http://www.artm.pref.hyogo.jp/eng/information/index.html

Yuki Ogura is a known nihonga painter(1895 - 2000). The famous features of her art works are soft curve line and light tone and pictures of human. Especialy, I've felt comforted by pictures of women, very attractive and adrable.

Even thoug they are nihonga, her works contain the elements of abstract painting. Some art works at a given moment look like "Henri Matisse" very famous french painter. Sometimes very detailed and sometimes very knocked down description create a lively scene.

Thinly-layered clear colors is a good point of nihonga. Her signature color is a translucent light emerald green. They all really moved me, I think that nobody could do these beautiful color and detailed description except her.

Twenties girl by Sophie Kinsella

I've read this book at the recommendation of Josh, my English teacher. I' d really enjoyed this humorous, charming story.

This story's main character is Lara. Lara is an ordinary girl except her uncle, he has built up a big coffee company. Lara has just lost her love and failed her job. One day Lara meets a ghost at her aunt's funeral ceremony. Her name is Sadie, she is just Lara's aunt. She importunes Lara to search her necklace, lovely dragonfly and limestone beaded necklace. She has been holding a sad love story with a painter. At the end, all mysteries are going to the one answer. The story is set up by a lot of well thought pieces.

After reading, I'm wondering why there are a lot of feel-good victorious stories in US. I think that this is good to adapt the novel for the screen.

I'm sure that this is a very fantastic story, and perfect for a change.