From Tetsuro Komai's illustrations, Yumi Fumizuki brings words to life in a sparkling universe.

Go, see, and experience 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 introduced new forms of printmaking and their appeal to the Japanese art world through copperplate engraving. However, personally, I'm more interested in the cross-genre activities of the "Experimental Workshop" in which Komai participated. When I heard that it brought together a diverse group of talents including composers, critics, lighting designers, photographers, engineers, and sculptors, I got excited thinking, "That's just like the Ballets Russes!"

The Ballets Russes, which were active mainly in Paris at the beginning of the 20th century, were a melting pot of talent, bringing together ballet dancers such as Nijinsky, as well as Cocteau, Satie, Picasso, Laurencin, and Coco Chanel. Who knew that such wonderful and avant-garde activities existed in Japan as well!
On November 10th (Saturday), a related event was held featuring poet Yumi Fumizuki as a guest, so I decided to go and experience the world of art that transcends genres.

*Tetsuro Komai (Photography: Kiyomi Kawaguchi)

The first thing that caught my eye in the exhibition room I visited before the event was a portrait of Tetsuro Komai. If you'll excuse my bluntness, what a handsome man!
Born in 1920 (Taisho 9) in what is now Nihonbashi, Chuo Ward, he attended Keio Elementary School, then Junior and Senior High School, before entering Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts). What an impressive profile! When he was teaching at the university, he apparently paid attention to his attire, wearing "a white shirt, a navy suit, and a tie." I can't help but wonder if the freedom and a certain uninhibitedness of his work are not unrelated to the artist's upbringing.

Then, the talk and poetry reading "When Words Are Born from Pictures" began.
"Since I work as a poet, it's unusual for me to be invited to an art museum event," said Fumizuki. Despite this, having been a member of the art club in both middle and high school, she possesses a deep understanding of the art world, carefully choosing her words as she connected her thoughts.

The special edition of "The Black Horse in the Darkness" currently on display is a collection of short stories by Yutaka Haniya, illustrated by Komai. Commissioned by Haniya, Komai thoroughly read the novels and created illustrations that visualize their worldview.
"I didn't know the name Tetsuro Komai," she said, yet apparently, "The Black Horse in the Darkness" was on Fumizuki's bookshelf.
"It's not a special edition, but I found it in a used bookstore when I was a student and bought it by chance."
Even though their genres were different, perhaps their talents drew them together, creating a special connection...

Because there was no tradition of copperplate engraving in Japan, Komai learned the technique through self-study. As it was a new genre, there were no workshops, and therefore no artisans. For this reason, when publishing his poetry and illustration collection "The Songs of Maldorol," Komai himself used a printing press and printed more than 2,000 images for the 350 copies to be published. The exquisite balance between the poems and illustrations seems to be related to the fact that the artist "handmade" each book one by one.

"I feel a power that transcends the relationship between poetry and painting. I was drawn to the fact that there isn't a fixed relationship of one being dominant and the other subordinate, but rather a sense of tension."
Fumizuki then read aloud "The Bulbs," a story she selected from "Calandrié."

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

The last Komai work that Fumizuki chose was "Labyrinth of Time" (1952).
He wrote a new poem specifically for this painting and recited it himself.
Apparently, the poems incorporate texts by Komai that were included in the exhibition catalog. It made me realize that there are other ways to enjoy poetry writing, and it made me feel a little less intimidated by it.

Here's one topic from the Q&A session that caught my interest.

Q: Among people of your generation, Ms. Fumizuki, are there any cross-genre interactions like those with Komai?
I think it's wonderful that copperplate engraving has become an established genre, but I also feel a bit sad that it has become somewhat isolated from other genres. I think it's amazing that groups like "Jikken Kobo" (Experimental Workshop), which sought to create something new that transcended genres, and the poetry and art collections published through that exchange, are still being looked at more than 50 years later.
Personally, I would like to engage with and collaborate on works by writers and painters who have already passed away, without limiting myself to any particular generation.

After the event, you can enjoy the exhibition-exclusive menu item, "Monochrome Vanilla Cafe Mocha," at Café Ogurayama inside the museum. The crispy chocolate placed on top of the whipped cream is meant to be mixed in and melted.
The taste of Paris that Komai longed for?
Is this symbolic of Komai, who continued to create witty works while interacting with poets and musicians?
For starters, it seemed to suit the deepening autumn scenery.

This event has ended.
Tetsuro Komai—A Sparkling Universe on Paper
Exhibition period: Until December 16, 2018 (Sunday)
Venue: Yokohama Museum of Art
Closed on Thursdays
Opening hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM *Until 8:30 PM on Friday, November 23rd (National Holiday)
(Entry is permitted until 30 minutes before closing time)