(This series of posts will conclude in two more or so… Please bear with me.) As Fukujuro's Alzheimer’s steadily got worse, with him starting to see invisible cats in broad daylight and calling out the name of his childhood dog, I decided to give him a living memorial in the form of a three-persons show of Fukujuro, my brother Yuji, and myself at Kaikai Kiki Gallery. Around that time, my mother, Itsuko, was getting worn down caring for him, so I did this event in part to cheer her up. For the occasion, I compiled all of Fukujuro's works into a book. Our generation, the generation largely known as otaku, have understood Japan's defeat in the Pacific War inevitably through the words and actions of our parents. At the root of the works we create therefore are the enormous sense of failure our parents had experienced and the vague doubts and despair we, their children, have held about the nation of Japan. In that sense, I thought that if someone were to ever research my work in the future, my father's and mother's stories would provide an additional layer for thinking about these times, so I made this book in earnest. Miwa Takahashi @m_.i_w_.a , who edited the book for us, came to Kaikai Kiki, leaving her position as deputy editor of Bijutsu Techo, the only art magazine in Japan. When the book was finished, she told me that she cried for the first time in her life for a completed book, although she didn't know why. I'm glad that I was able to hold this exhibition just before Fukujuro's illness worsened and he started to have lapses in consciousness. And in a way, this was when I said my farewell to my father. translation: @tabi_the_fat

✨ いま、どれくらい広い 敷地の中に一人でいるのかな、、。 聞こえてくるのは 蝉の鳴き声と 川のせせらぎと 鳥の声 目の前にはたくさんの 木々と山 時々トンボが飛んできたり だんだん陽が暮れて来て 今日1日が静かに 終わりに向かっていく 感じを味わっていく 表参道では体験できない 時間の過ごし方。 午前中は太陽を浴びて 汗をかき 川に行ってカラダを冷やし 木陰で昼寝。 電波もなかなか入らないから 外からの情報は 必要なものしか届かない。 笑 これが、実に絶妙な感じ。 ゆっくり読書していたら 心に響くセンテンスに出会う。 必要な人に届くといいな、、 と思ってシェアしよう。 ✨✨✨✨✨ あなたはあなたのテリトリーで生きればいいのです。 本領で生きられるようになると、幸せを感じられるのはもちろん、これまで以上に人から応援されるようになり、 輝けるようになります。 追い風が吹き、営業活動など しなくとも、必要な人は向こうからやってきますし、自ずとよいご縁も結ばれていくことでしょう。 〜yuji の星読み語りより〜 ✨✨✨✨✨✨ 本領で生きるとは 本気で生きるということ 本気で生きるために 立ち止まって 自分を知る事が大切なんだなと。 いつもとは違う時間が 自分の好きをわからせて くれる。 与えられた環境の中で 本気に生きていくために 違う環境を体験する事が 必要なんだな、、。 やっぱり、神様って素敵。 必要なものは、 必ず与えられている。 それに気がつく 感性を育てなきゃだね。 全ての命に感謝して 今日の残りを楽しみましょう。 #mIe #お料理びと #foodremady #自分の本領で生きる

The pioneers who brought Japanese ceramics into the contemporary art world were Takuro Kuwata @takurokuwata and Tomio Koyama Gallery @tomiokoyamagallery . Kuwata's ceramic works had a very contemporary-art sensibility, and their gaudy, glittering effects were so unique and epoch-making that his followers have sprung up all over the world in the 15 years since his debut. On the other hand, I genuinely like the utilitarian works of Japanese ceramic artists, especially the artists of the "lifestyle craft” movement, which emerged in the 2000s. Over time I have collected about 20,000 such works, and have been organizing exhibitions by calling on my favorite artists whose works are in my collection. Among my favorites are Otani Workshop @ota539 , Yuji Ueda @yuji____ueda , and Aso Kojima, as well as Shin Murata @muratashinwolf , with whom I have now jointly opened a store @tonari_no_murata . Contemporary artist Chiho Aoshima @chiho_aoshima has also started making ceramic works at Murata’s workshop. I have gathered works of all these artists together for an exhibition titled GEIBI KAKUSHIN ("Aesthetic Innovation on Japanese Ceramic Art") at Perrotin Matignon @galerieperrotin in Paris. I myself am also exhibiting paintings inspired by the Qinghua fish paintings of the Tang Dynasty China. In Japan, ceramic art is as vast in quality and quantity as manga and anime. Japanese people love to use ceramics. Even if they are washed and cracked or damaged, they repair and continue to use them. Competition is therefore fierce and there is a rapid turnover in this industry in terms of popularity. I have collected some of the current gems for this show! I hope you will enjoy. #小嶋亜創 translation: @tabi_the_fat