Category: Community

Masks don't just cover your nose and mouth.

「Green apple」(unfinished) 2020

One month has passed since it was reported that patients with pneumonia caused by a new virus appeared in Wuhan, China.。At first, there were 5 to 6 people involved in the wet market.、I was hospitalized all at once.、A video was shown of people disinfecting the area to suspect that the infection may have come from food.。

It quickly became popular、A metropolis with over 10 million people living in it、Wuhan’s de facto “lockdown”、Ban on travel from Hubei province。Not only within China, such as refusing entry to each country for those staying in the province.、international issues, including human rights issues;、It seems to be causing an almost emotional reaction.。radio、On TV (although the way it is reported is a bit unusual)、Related news such as masks being sold at abnormally high prices online、Reported on the top every day。

Regarding the cruise ship “Diamond Princess” calling at Yokohama Port and quarantine、The Japanese government's inability to manage crises is gradually becoming clearer.。I am saddened by the fact that the prime minister and other ministers lack the ability and imagination to grasp the situation.、I'm really surprised。The phrase "leaving it to the field" is still a favorable opinion.、The point is, all you have to do is maintain a posture that says, “We are dealing with it.”。I don't feel any seriousness there.。Some critics defend it by saying it's because they're not used to it.、Japan dispatches medical teams around the world whenever an emergency arises.。The experiences and lessons learned from that、I realized that it would not be utilized at all in my own country.、As a taxpayer, should I readily accept this?。

Cruise ships, etc. where people from various countries board、We need to be particularly sensitive to international human rights issues.、That should be the reason why politicians exist.、Leaving the countermeasures meeting after 3 or 6 minutes (afterwards)、Prime Minister having a 3-hour dinner with businessmen, minister absent (to attend a support meeting), etc.、People who cannot judge national priorities、This means that they are forming a cabinet that advocates "national interest."。Originally, Japan is a country where awareness and knowledge of "human rights" is extremely low.、The government is proving this ``naturally.''、I can see the pathos of a previous era.。

But、If you think about it, it's all our responsibility.。choose that person、I continue to support such a government.。But、But、But、It is also a ``bad'' educational effect that has been repeated over a long period of time.。For example, under the slogan "Develop individuality"、Contradiction between “expected human image” and “cooperativeness”。A teacher who cannot distinguish between “criticism/criticism” and “blame”、education committee、presence of politicians。"freedom of expression"、Limit the meaning of "freedom" to as small as possible、Expressions that only old people can understand are lumped together and viewed as ``selfish''、Our "extremely small amplitude" society。ah。somehow、In order not to go astray、It's like I've actually closed off the road.。by the way、Masks also have the ability to restrict breathing.。

The “power” of music、Art、The “power” of sports

"Western Pear" 29Jan’20 Watercolor F6

There is a musician named Ryuichi Sakamoto.。Even if you don't say you're a former YMO member,、Probably more people know。the other day、Read the interview article with him in Asahi Shimbun (electronic version)、I completely sympathized。

The word "power of music"、He says he doesn't like the way he says it.。encouraging people with music、It is true that it has the power to heal、He says he feels uncomfortable with that kind of way of saying things.。Although I don't say it clearly、The way you say it is kind of political.、I smell the danger of being socially oriented.、I felt that it meant。have a deep sympathy for that sense of smell。

Just as Wagner's heroic sound was exploited to the fullest by the Nazis.、Even in Japan, popular music is widely sung as ``military songs.''、Many people point out that it was used to glorify war.。Also、He also ``doesn't like'' high school students saying ``I want to impress them'' (through sports, etc.).。It's good if the recipient is impressed.、Isn't it arrogant for the performer to say "to impress"?、It is also called。I also deeply sympathize with this。Incidentally,、In particular, young athletes in sports often say the word "gratitude" over and over again.、I feel a strong sense of discomfort。Isn't that an appropriate word to use when you're retiring?。

Facilities and subsidies for athletes to compete、I feel grateful for the many tangible and intangible supports I receive.、Of course it can't be bad。But、素直な気持ちだけではない、I feel the ``pressure'' of having to say something.。without those words、I know that there will be various forms of bashing later.、This is because both players and officials feel strongly.。Unconsciously, we say, ``Because they're using our tax dollars.''、I feel that I deserve gratitude.、I realized that the pressure was on me from above.、we have to be more careful。And、I am well aware of that、There is also a dark power that is secretly used.、must be conscious at the same time、It is a sport that is firmly connected to the essence of current sports.。

power of music、power of art、power of sport。That's、People are not diverse (actually, this word has become something I don't particularly want to hear these days)、If it works in the direction of flattening (the words "empathy" and "impression" can also have a suspicious smell here)、It's real music、Art、Stripping away the power of sports、transform into something distorted、It can also be a type of cancer.。Ryuichi says, ``What I'm doing is fun in itself.''。That’s important.”。yes。just by looking at its existence、Taxes have already paid for themselves.。

Fear of “coincidence”

「Green apple」 2020.1　　F10 Oil on canvas

now the world's most popular computer、Logo of Apple, an American mobile manufacturer、“A missing bite of an apple”? long before it became widespread、About 40 years ago、I drew a picture of a “missing apple”、I continue to draw occasionally but。At that time、The current company name Apple was called Macintosh.。Became an Apple company、When I first saw that logo、I felt that there were people who found similar things interesting.。It was more like sympathy、later、In case I might be accused of plagiarizing the logo,、I thought I'd leave behind proof that I was first.。

Such situations etc.、No one is supposed to know except me and a few people.、People who see this picture for the first time may think, ``What?、You might think, "It's just a picture of the Apple logo."。So、For now, I'll write it here、There should be a few more people in the know.。Although it's a little different、There are several similar experiences that are taken out of context.。One of them is、1990started in November、Kyushu、Eruption of “Unzen/Fugendake”。

1987Around the time、I had begun drawing a series of works called ``Cloud'' (the name of the series ``Cloud'' itself).、(I now see it as an example of such a coincidence.)。"morning、Climb with the sunrise、Clouds that change rapidly around the world during the day。You look tired.”。In that cloud、At least get a good night's sleep in a dark basement、The clouds rise again in the sky with sunrise.”、The idea was to comfort my favorite cloud.。Eventually in 1990、``A bright red cloud full of energy、Including DM for “Clouds rushing down the ridgeline”、I had a big solo exhibition at a department store with images of many clouds.。

Not only was it an interesting solo exhibition for me, but、The reputation was not bad either.。Immediately after the solo exhibition, the eruption of Mt. Fugendake in Unzen began.。The eruption was broadcast on all TV stations.、Continuously flowing from morning till night。And that “ultimate” large pyroclastic flow。My image of "bright red clouds cheerfully running down the ridge" is、Regardless of the time of production and the chronology of the pyroclastic flow.、Converged by the “pyroclastic flow” of the media。After that, every time I present a work、It was decided that the motif was a pyroclastic flow.。個人とマス・メディアとの圧倒的な量の差を、直接体感した最初の経験だった。テレビの力は大きい。Or rather、人々はまるでテレビが事（真）実であり、テレビそのものを信仰しているかのように見えた。

One more thing。2008年私は「天から豪瀑する、傲慢な人間を戒める、都市への懲罰的な大洪水」（聖書にある、ノアの方舟が頭にあった）を、1000号を超える大作「叫ぶ男」（210 x 540 cm）で発表した。その続編の「竜巻の男」、続いて「人間をやめた」新しい生き物を「新生」として、同サイズの大作をシリーズ化する構想を始めていた。そして2011年1月、再び「大洪水」を描き始めた。描き込まれる人間の数も今回は300人を越えていた。２ヶ月後の「2011、3、11」 東日本大震災。岩壁を越え、海が滝のように市内に向かって溢れかえる津波のTV映像を見ながら、私は自分の絵が現実になったような錯覚を感じていた。その年「大洪水」を描き続けることはできなかった。