Stories from Along the Journey Path and Beyond

 I’ve been painting an ongoing series of landscapes that revolve around the presence of Suns, a practice that has sprung from actual experiences from travel and from my day-to-day life.


One day I was traveling through Eastern Europe on a long-distance bus. As I gazed out on the scenery of a mountain range consisting of snow and rock faces that seemed to stretch forever, a range of thoughts and feelings floated through my mind: my present emotional state, memories from bygone days. And then, this mute landscape in front of my eyes took on the quality of a lyrical, poetic scene in my mind. It was as if it had begun to speak to me about something.


Journeys sometimes involve long stretches of travel time to reach a destination from some particular point. During those periods, I come to feel as if I am in some space in between this world and some other world, somewhere that is not the world of reality.


Those empty periods of time that proceed at a leisurely pace are, for me, times when I might be able to make contact with the interior of my own self. (Even if I might have a travel companion with me, times when I find myself alone, such as when they’ve fallen asleep along the way, do sometimes by chance occur.)


When passing time in those intervals, I feel as if I’m able to engage in dialogues with this world, a sense of opening my heart and mind and connecting with the world.


Painting, for me, is a means of expressing moments like that of the senses of freedom and liberation I experience along the journey path, pulling them closer toward the eternal, and connecting them in fixed states.


Amid the travel restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic when it seemed as if the world surrounding me was growing smaller, I sought in my familiar daily life the sort of inspiration I get from travel. Taking walks, reading books, listening to music, I embarked on imaginary journeys. Through this experience, I came to perceive and depict the various events occurring in the real world more as allegorical stories than before.


Because such a range of occurrences have been taking place in modern society that it seems as if existing stories such as myths and old folk tales are coming to transpire in the real world in updated forms.


Taking inspiration from these stories, I depict allegorical scenes in my paintings and journey through those worlds. Through this imaginary travel, I am attempting to engage in dialogues with my own interior and with the world.


The theme of my work is Travels of the mind. My own life feels like a journey toward somewhere, and days often seem to me as if I’m en route along a journey. I hope that through these pieces I might be able to engage in imaginative exchanges with viewers of my art concerning events and fantastical stories that take place along the journey path.


旅の途上、その先の物語

私は、旅先での実体験や日々の生活から生まれた実践として、太陽の存在を中心に展開する風景画のシリーズを描き続けている。

ある日、私は長距離バスで東ヨーロッパを旅していた。どこまでも続くような雪と岩肌からなる山脈の景色を眺めながら、さまざまな考えや感情が頭の中に浮かんできた。そして、目の前に広がるこの無言の風景が、私の心の中で叙情的で詩的な情景のような質を帯びてきた。それはまるで、私に何かを語り始めたかのようだった。

旅には、ある地点から目的地までの長い移動時間が伴うことがある。その間、私はこの世とあの世の狭間にいるような、現実の世界ではないどこかにいるような感覚に陥る。

のんびりとした時間の流れは、私にとっては自己の内面に触れることができる時間なのだ。(同行者がいても、途中で寝てしまったりして、一人になることもある)。

その合間に時間を過ごすと、この世界と対話できるような、心を開いて世界とつながるような感覚になる。

私にとって絵画とは、旅路で体験する自由と解放の感覚のような瞬間を表現し、永遠へと引き寄せ、固定した状態で繋げる手段なのだ。

COVID-19のパンデミックによる渡航制限の中、私を取り巻く世界が小さくなっていくように思えたとき、私は旅から得るようなインスピレーションを身近な日常に求めた。散歩をし、本を読み、音楽を聴き、空想の旅に出た。このような経験を通して、私は現実世界で起きている様々な出来事を、以前よりも寓話的な物語として捉え、描くようになった。

というのも、現代社会ではさまざまな出来事が起きており、神話や昔話といった既存の物語が、アップデートされた形で現実世界に現れてきているように思えるからだ。

私はこれらの物語からインスピレーションを得て、寓話的な情景を絵画に描き、それらの世界を旅している。この想像の旅を通して、私は自分自身の内面や世界との対話を試みている。

私の作品のテーマは「心の旅」です。私自身の人生は、どこかへ向かう旅のように感じられ、毎日が旅の途中のように思えることがよくあります。これらの作品を通して、旅の道中で起こる出来事や空想的な物語について、私の作品を見る人たちと想像的な交流ができればと願っています。


ANOTHER SUN

  I am a painter based in Japan and my main medium is oil on canvas. I depict a landscape with the sun, horizon and straight path. These images are based on inspirations I find during my travels and everyday life.

I’ve been to several places including Mexico, Northern Europe, all of which share the same sun but have different landscapes. This got me thinking. And I started to paint “a view that continues with the sun as its axis”. The sun I depict has a face. Because I feel it is a bystander looking down on us. I am also enjoying how it can make the sun appear as a humorous entity.



 “Un Dia”

1620 x 1120mm 
oil on canvas
2015

One day, I was traveling through Eastern Europe on a long-distance bus. I had many thoughts and memories in my mind as I gazed at the endless view of the mountain covered with snow and rocky surfaces. Then the silent landscape was transformed into a lyrical and poetic scene in my mind and spoke something to me.

A journey requires a long time from starting point to the destination. I like spending that time. I feel as if I am away from my daily life and between the real world and somewhere else.

For me, painting is a way to express the momentary sense of freedom and liberation I felt on my journey. I want to capture those memories as eternal recollections by painting imaginary landscapes on canvas.



"in the clouds"
530x530mm
acrylic, oil, collage on canvas
2018


During the stay-home period of the pandemic, when the world around me seemed to get smaller and smaller. I tried to get the inspiration from everyday life. I took a walk, opened books, and listened to music in order to create an imaginary journeys.

The landscape in my painting has changed. The path has sunk into the sea and the sun in the sky has been buried in the earth. I would like to understand this world we live in today by depict a allegorical image. What I am thinking about through my painting is how this world is. I embark on a journey in painted landscapes. I try to communicate with the world  through imaginary journeys.




 ’ Stratal Path -The White Sun- 
Oil, pastel and sand on canvas
53cm  × 53cm 
2022


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私は日本を拠点に活動している画家で、主な画材はキャンバスに油絵です。私は、太陽、地平線、まっすぐな道のある風景を描いています。これらのイメージは、私が旅行や日常生活の中で見つけたインスピレーションに基づいています。

メキシコや北欧など、同じ太陽でも風景が異なる国々を訪れました。このことが、私の思考を刺激しました。そして、「太陽を軸に続く景色」を描くようになりました。私が描く太陽には顔があります。私たちを見下ろす傍観者であると感じるからです。また、太陽をユーモラスな存在として見せることができるのも楽しいです。

ある日、冬の長距離バスで東欧を旅していたときのことです。雪と岩肌に覆われた山がどこまでも続く景色を眺めながら、私はさまざまな思いや思い出を胸に抱いていました。すると、その静かな風景が、私の心の中で叙情的で詩的な情景へと変化し、何かを語りかけてきました。
旅は出発地から目的地まで長い時間を必要とします。私はその時間が好きです。日常から離れ、現実世界とどこか別の場所の狭間にいるような気がします。

私にとって絵は、旅先で感じた一瞬の自由と解放感を表現するための手段です。空想の風景をキャンバスに描くことで、その記憶を永遠の記憶として残したいのです。

パンデミックの引きこもり期間中、自分の周りの世界がどんどん小さくなっていくように感じたとき。私は、日常生活からインスピレーションを得ようとしました。散歩をしたり、本を開いたり、音楽を聴いたりして、想像の旅を作り出そうとしたのです。

私の絵の中の風景は変わりました。道は海に沈み、空の太陽は土に埋もれてしまいました。
私は、寓話的なイメージを描くことによって、私たちが今生きているこの世界を理解したいと思います。私が絵を通して考えているのは、この世界がどのようなものであるかということです。
私は、描かれた風景の中で旅に出ます。私は想像の旅を通して、世界とコミュニケーションを取ろうとしています。


EKKO works



 “Un Dia”
1620 x 1120mm 
oil on canvas
2015

I am a painter based in Japan.

I am working on an oil on canvas.


It depicts the landscape with the sun, the horizon and the straight path.

These images are based on inspirations I find during my travels and my everyday life.


I’ve been to several countries including Mexico, Northern Europe, 

all of which share the same sun but have different landscapes.

This got me thinking. 

and I started to paint “a view that continues with the sun as its axis”. 


The sun I depict has a face.

Because I feel it is a bystander looking down on us. I also enjoy how it can make the sun appear as a humorous entity.




"in the clouds,166km"
530x530mm
acrylic, oil, collage on canvas
2018

One day, I was traveling through Eastern Europe on a long-distance bus in a winter season. 


I had many thoughts and memories in my mind as I gazed at the endless view of the mountain covered with snow and rocky surfaces.


Then the silent landscape in front of me was transformed into a lyrical and poetic scene in my mind and seemed to speak something to me.


A journey requires a long time from a point to the destination. 

When I spend those times, I feel like I'm (in a state) between the real world and somewhere else, as if I am in another world. 


Those slow and empty time makes me I can encounter my inner self.


For me, painting is a way to express the momentary sense of freedom and liberation

I feel on my journey, to approach and connect with eternity.


(Even if I have a companion on the trip, the time of solitude can come at a moment's notice, when the person falls asleep.)


When I spend the time, 

I feel a sense of being able to communicate with "the world." 

It is like opening my mind and connecting with the world.



--


"地層の路 -白い太陽-"
 ’ Stratal Path -The White Sun- 
Oil, pastel and sand on canvas
53cm  × 53cm 
2022


During the stayhome period of the pandemic, when the world around me seemed to get smaller and smaller. 

I tried to get the inspiration from everyday life which I used to get during my journeys.

I took a walk, opened books, and listened to music to create an imaginary journey. 

    at my room in my town.


Through them, I have come to see and depict real-world events as allegorical stories than

before.


because I think the aspects of mythology and folklore seem to have reappeared in the actual world now.


I paint the view of an allegorical world inspired by those stories(real-world event).  

I embark on a journey through the painted landscapes.

I try to communicate with the world and my mind through the imaginary journey.


The theme of my artworks is the journey of the mind.  I also feel that my life is like a journey and I feel as if even in an ordinary day, I am always in the midst of a journey.


I hope to exchange imagination with the viewers about the events and imaginary stories of the journey my artworks represent.





地層の路 -氷床-






地層の路 -氷床-
 ’ Stratal Path -ice sheet- 
Oil, pastel and sand on canvas
53cm  × 53cm 
2022

photo by Akaba Yuki

地層の路 -白い太陽-

 


"地層の路 -白い太陽-"
 ’ Stratal Path -The White Sun- 
Oil, pastel and sand on canvas
53cm  × 53cm 
2022

地層の路 / 黒い太陽

 

 

"地層の路 -黒い太陽-"

 ’ Stratal Path -The Black Sun- 

Oil, pastel and sand on canvas

 53cm  × 53cm

2021


The Sun And The Sea

 




The Sun And The Sea

Oil and sand on canvas

53cm  × 53cm

2021

「 たいようと、うみ - アルフォンシーナと海 -」


「 たいようと、うみ - アルフォンシーナと海 -」 
1620 x 1945mm (1620 x 970mm 2枚組) 
Oil, pastel, graphite on canvas 
 2020

CHILCHINBITO GALLERY



チルチン人ギャラリー

編集の人が寺山修司の短歌を添えてくれて嬉しい。

歌ひとつ おぼえるたびに星ひとつ 熟れて灯れる わが空を持つ(寺山修司)


掲載作品クレジット



"Sun Shower"
530 x 530 mm
oil on canvas
2019



  250 x 280 mm
watercolor, ink on paper
2019


  250 x 280 mm
watercolor, ink on paper
2019

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"Event"
530 x 530 mm
oil, pastel on canvas
2019 



"Swing"
335x335mm
oil, pastel, canvas on panel 
2019

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"EXVOTOS"
  141 x 99 mm
oil, acrylic on MDF board
2019


"EXVOTOS"
  79 x 99 mm
oil, acrylic on MDF board
2019

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"Echo" 
1620 x 1120 mm
oil, pastel on canvas
2019 

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LOOP HOLE gallery installation View
2019



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 「In the cloud」
2019年 6月15日(土) - 6月23日(日) 
OUR FAVORITE SHOP アワ フェイバリット ショップ


"EXVOTOS"
  141 x 97 mm
oil, acrylic on MDF board
2019


"EXVOTOS"
  118 x 96 mm
oil, acrylic on MDF board
2019
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 "MUNDUS"
1167x910x30mm
 acrylic, ink, collage on canvas
2017

Kousagisha gallery in Kyoto / 6.21 - 7.16  2017

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Installation View of "DAI CHU SHOW" 2013
2013年12月21日(土)〜 28日(土)
府中市美術館 1階 市民ギャラリー

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EKKO WAVE2019 installation view



EKKO WAVE2019 detail of EKKO EXVOTOS


EKKO EXVOTOS 
oil, acrylic on MDF board
2019

no.012
115 x 92mm


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 no.116
141 x 99mm


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 no.307
98 x 117mm


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 no.036
102 x 83mm


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 no.113
115 x 99mm


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 no.124
110 x 97mm


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 no.011
140 x 98mm


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 no.302
85 x 70mm


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 no.029
139 x 99mm


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 no.120
140 x 96mm


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 no.305
141 x 99mm


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no.309
139 x 99mm


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