A journey of the heart begins amidst rich colors.
A stroll through the Kanagawa Gallery
File.4 Masayasu Uchida Memorial Art Gallery
( Shino Yamamoto / Galerie Watts)
Last year, when I visited a certain cafe, I was drawn to the postcards lined up on the counter.
It was a modern landscape painting in vibrant colors. The depiction was simple, yet I could feel the light, smell the earth and grass, and hear the sounds of people, birds, and insects that weren't depicted. In an instant, I was enveloped in the atmosphere of that landscape.
I was so moved to be drawn into a world of pictures the size of a postcard! I bought several different kinds of cards to take home.
Normally, I would look up the artist's name at that point, but at that moment, immersing myself in the pleasant feeling was more important to me than knowing who drew it, so I just propped the card up on the shelf.
Now, nearly a year later, while I was surfing the internet, a picture happened to catch my eye.
"Huh? This is similar to the card I have..."
And that's when I first learned that the painting was by Masayasu Uchida. Mr. Uchida is an incredible 96 years old!
I also found out that he has an art gallery in Kamakura, and I thought, "I absolutely have to go!" Strike while the iron is hot.
The nearest station to the gallery is Hase Station on the Enoden line. I almost always travel by car when going to Kamakura or the Shonan area, so this was actually my first time riding the Enoden line.
While enjoying the laid-back charm of this local train line with over 100 years of history, I felt both excitement and a slight nervousness as I thought about the gallery I was going to visit.
Because it also serves as an art studio, there's a chance I might be able to meet the teacher.
A modern white building is located less than a minute's walk from the station. It's called "Kamakura Kokoro no Gallery-kan" (Kamakura Heart Gallery Hall). One corner of it, Building No. 2, houses the "Masayasu Uchida Memorial Art Gallery".
Upon entering, you're immediately struck by the vibrant colors. Looking at each one, you see scenes of golden rice fields and striking red spider lilies, all of which evoke the feeling of autumn.
One of the reasons I'm drawn to it is the bold composition, where more than half of the screen is filled with sky or rice fields. It's very modern.
I didn't realize it from the postcard, but Professor Uchida's work is actually "paper collage."
The depth and nuances of texture created by the overlapping colors, combined with the painting, stimulate the viewer's senses, enveloping them in a feeling that is closer to a physical experience.
The gallery is managed by Mr. and Mrs. Uchida, Professor Uchida's son and daughter-in-law, who kindly gave us a thorough explanation. Unfortunately, Professor Uchida was not there.
In collage, soft lines create expression, so scissors are not used; instead, Western paper is cut by hand and glued on. She has over 100 different types of Western paper, varying in color and thickness. The reason she insists on using Western paper is, of course, the vibrancy of the colors. While the texture of Japanese paper has its own charm, the teacher firmly states that the fuzzy nuances such as pale colors and the fuzziness when torn are not the kind of expression she seeks. And so, she has established her own world of "collage," distinct from torn paper art or paper cutting.
The Western paper, which has been crumpled and wrinkled before being pasted, absorbs ink in certain areas, creating shadows and beautifully recreating the texture of rock. Apparently, if the paper on hand doesn't have the desired nuance, the artist sometimes adds texture with a brush before pasting it.
Mr. Uchida's main profession was graphic design. In his 30s, he received a request from the city of Yokohama, where he lived, to teach art to the general public at an adult education center (now called a cultural school). With no budget, he came up with an idea and started by cutting newspaper to show shapes, which led him to pursue his own path of expressing quintessential Japanese landscapes through "paper collage." In fact, the instant miso soups "Asage" and "Yuge," which we are all familiar with, are among his most representative works. Wow, to think that we've been exposed to his art since we were little!
As I was listening to this story, lo and behold! The teacher, who had just woken up from his nap, came downstairs to work on his piece!! He looked modern and spry.
After saying "Welcome," he continued, "There are autumn leaves in Japan and overseas, and everyone is moved by their beauty. But when a single leaf flutters down, words and sounds are born from that, which is the delicate sensibility of the Japanese people."
The Earth is just a piece of cosmic debris, and humans are merely microorganisms on it. What do humans feel in the midst of Mother Nature? I've been painting various landscapes for many years, and by depicting those feelings, I continue to pass on sensibilities that should never be forgotten to children and future generations."
The teacher continued speaking forcefully.
"For example, when a huge stage filled with tens of thousands of people suddenly goes dark, and then one light is finally turned on, everyone cries. Why is that? What is there? Everything I'm depicting is the emotion that you capture through physical experience."
Then, she looked intently at my face and said, "Let's both do our best," before going into her studio.
It's not just about pretty colors or beautiful scenery; it touches the deepest parts of our very being and awakens important senses.
It was a feeling I had grasped through some kind of physical experience up until then. I usually forget it, but it instantly brought that memory back to me. That was the moment I understood why I was drawn to the teacher's postcards.
The artist's paintings, which are both delicate and dynamic, truly never cease to captivate the viewer.
What all 900 pieces of artwork have in common is a place in the heart. Kindness overflows from the artist's collages.
Here, we cherish the changing seasons and change our exhibits approximately every two months.
"Even within autumn, there's a difference between early autumn and late autumn, isn't there? The four seasons aren't simply four," said Hikari.
In our busy, often-pressured daily lives, this is a gallery I want to visit again and again to reaffirm my own core values.
Gallery Information
Masayasu Uchida Memorial Art Gallery
248-0016
2-12-17 Hase, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
TEL: 0467-23-5105
*Gallery hours: March to October = 10:00 to 17:00 / November to February = 10:00 to 16:00
*Closed on Mondays and the third Tuesday of each month (however, if a closing day falls on a public holiday, the gallery will be open and closed the following day).
"access"
▶︎Get off at Hase Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway. 1 minute walk.
