A sparkling universe where Yuko Fuzuki creates words from Tetsuro Komai's paintings.

Go, see and feel the world of art
File.7 Yokohama Museum of Art “Tetsuro Komai—A Sparkling Universe on Paper” Related event “When words are born from pictures”
Miyuki Inoue (copywriter)

Tetsuro Komai is one of the pioneers who made the Japanese art world aware of new print expressions and their appeal through copperplate prints. However, personally, I am interested in the cross-genre activity called ``Jikken Kobo'' in which Komai participated. When I heard that a wide variety of talents such as composers, critics, lighting artists, photographers, engineers, and sculptors were gathered together, I got excited and thought, ``That's just like the Ballets Russes!''

Ballets Russes, which was active mainly in Paris in the early 20th century, was a melting pot of talent that brought together ballet dancers such as Nijinsky, Cocteau, Satie, Picasso, Laurencin, and Coco Chanel. I never thought there was such wonderful avant-garde activity in Japan!
On Saturday, November 10th, a related event was held where the poet Yumitsu Fuzuki was invited as a guest, so I decided to go out and experience the world of art that transcends genres.

*Tetsuro Komai (Photo: Kiyomi Kawaguchi)

The first thing that caught my eye when I visited the exhibition room before the event was a portrait of Tetsuro Komai. Excuse me, but what a nice guy!
Born in 1920 (Taisho 9) in what is now Nihonbashi, Chuo Ward, he attended Keio Kindergarten, junior high and high school, and then entered Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts). It's a brilliant profile. When he was teaching at a university, he was careful about his attire, wearing ``a white dress shirt, a navy blue suit, and a tie.'' I can't help but think that the freedom and unrestrained nature of the work is probably not unrelated to the artist's upbringing.

Then, the talk and poetry reading ``When words are born from pictures'' began.
“Since I am active as a poet, it is rare for me to be invited to museum events,” says Fuzuki. Although he says this, he has a deep knowledge of the world of art, having been a member of the art club in junior high and high school, and chooses his words carefully as he continues his conversation.

The special edition of ``A Black Horse in the Dark'' on display is a collection of short stories by Yutaka Haniya, and is a ``work'' with illustrations by Komai. The book contains illustrations created by Komai, who was commissioned by Haniya, to visualize the worldview after carefully reading the novel.
``I didn't know the name Tetsuro Komai,'' Fuzuki said, but apparently ``The Black Horse in the Darkness'' was lined up on his bookshelf.
"It wasn't a special edition book, but I found it at a used bookstore when I was a student and bought it by chance."
Maybe there was a connection between them that drew them together because of their talents and talent, even though they were from different genres...

Since there was no tradition of copperplate printing in Japan, Komai taught himself the technique. Because it is a new genre, there are no workshops, and in other words, there are no craftsmen. For this reason, when publishing the collection of poems and paintings, ``Song of Maldoor,'' Komai used a press himself and printed over 2,000 pictures in order to publish 350 copies. The exquisite balance between poetry and paintings seems to be related to the fact that each volume was "handmade" by the artist.

"I feel that it has a powerful force that goes beyond the relationship between poetry and painting. I was attracted to the fact that the relationship between which is dominant and which is subordinate is not fixed, but that they are antagonistic."
Mr. Fuzuki said as he read aloud one of the poems he had chosen from ``Karandorie'', ``Bulbs.''

Afterwards, the talk with the curator and the poetry reading continued, and I felt that Fuzuki and Tetsuro Komai were growing closer.

The final Komai work that Mr. Fuzuki chose was ``The Labyrinth of Time'' (1952).
He wrote a new poem for this painting and read it himself.
Text by Komai that was included in the catalog of the special exhibition is woven into the poem. I feel like I've become a little more comfortable with writing poetry, realizing that there is a way to enjoy it.

During the question and answer session, we introduced one theme that caught our interest.

Q: Do you have cross-genre interactions like you did with Komai among your peers, Fuzuki-san?
A: I think it's wonderful that copperplate prints have become established as a genre, but I also feel like we've become separated from other genres, which makes me a little sad. I think it's amazing that poems and art collections like ``Jikken Kobo'', which were published as a result of this interaction and the power to transcend genres to create new things, are still being looked back on more than 50 years later. Masu.
Personally, I would like to engage with and collaborate with the works of writers and painters who have already passed away, without restricting generations.

After the event, the exhibition-limited menu ``Monochrome Vanilla Café Mocha'' will be served at Café Ogurayama inside the museum. Stir the crispy chocolate on top of the fresh cream until it melts.
The taste of Paris that Komai longed for?
Is it a symbol of Komai, who continued to produce works with a sense of spirit while interacting with poets and musicians?
At first, I thought it suited the deepening autumn scenery.

This event has ended.
《Tetsuro Komai—The Sparkling Universe on Paper》
Exhibition period: Until Sunday, December 16, 2018
Venue: Yokohama Museum of Art
Closed: Thursday
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00 *Until 20:30 on November 23rd (Friday/Holiday)
(Admission is allowed until 30 minutes before closing)