日本に帰国した私は故郷の四国に帰って家族と久し振りに再会して
After returning to Japan, I returned to my home town Shikoku and met with my family after a long absence and enjoyed the New Year holidays. After that, I went back to Tokyo and continued to produce copperplate prints while working at a craft company managed by Ichiro Tsukioka, an old friend. Fortunately, in 1981, I became an assistant to the department of painting at the Tama Art University, which is where I graduated from. I got married in May of 1982 to Mari Takase, I had become acquainted with her, as she was an assistant at the textile design department of the same University, at the time. We went to London in the summer for vacation and stayed at the house where the artist Yuko Shiraishi and art dealer David Juda lived, whom I had met at the Print Workshop in 1977. After that, we visited Europe again in 1992, and stayed in London and Paris to develop materials on the scenery of these great cities for future development in my art works. I continued to create landscapes of London until 1994 and completed 18 engraving works. Twelve (12) of them were included in the "ENGRAVED LONDON I and II" portfolios, and published by Galleria Grafica. In relations to my engraving works and publications, Reiko Kurita held my solo exhibition and introduced my engraving works, which was not well known at that time, to a large number of people in Japan. An art critic, Sadajiro Kubo purchased my works and gave me support. I would like to thank Toshio Oie who did an excellent binding design of the portfolio, and Setsuo Kato who lent me his wide lenses, and with great thanks to Yuko Shiraishi and David Juda for their cooperation in London. Four days after I got married in May 18,1982, sad news arrived from London, Yuko Shiraishi told me that Birgit had passed away. The sudden news caused me to be greatly shocked and I could not handle my work for a while. I will always appreciate Birgit, the person who gave me warm support in London, when I was young. In addition to honoring her achievements as the person raised many artists at the Print Workshop, I then express my condolences to Birgit who loved Japan more than anyone else I had known at the time.
After returning to Japan, I returned to my home town Shikoku and met with my family after a long absence and enjoyed the New Year holidays. After that, I went back to Tokyo and continued to produce copperplate prints while working at a craft company managed by Ichiro Tsukioka, an old friend. Fortunately, in 1981, I became an assistant to the department of painting at the Tama Art University, which is where I graduated from. I got married in May of 1982 to Mari Takase, I had become acquainted with her, as she was an assistant at the textile design department of the same University, at the time. We went to London in the summer for vacation and stayed at the house where the artist Yuko Shiraishi and art dealer David Juda lived, whom I had met at the Print Workshop in 1977. After that, we visited Europe again in 1992, and stayed in London and Paris to develop materials on the scenery of these great cities for future development in my art works. I continued to create landscapes of London until 1994 and completed 18 engraving works. Twelve (12) of them were included in the "ENGRAVED LONDON I and II" portfolios, and published by Galleria Grafica. In relations to my engraving works and publications, Reiko Kurita held my solo exhibition and introduced my engraving works, which was not well known at that time, to a large number of people in Japan. An art critic, Sadajiro Kubo purchased my works and gave me support. I would like to thank Toshio Oie who did an excellent binding design of the portfolio, and Setsuo Kato who lent me his wide lenses, and with great thanks to Yuko Shiraishi and David Juda for their cooperation in London. Four days after I got married in May 18,1982, sad news arrived from London, Yuko Shiraishi told me that Birgit had passed away. The sudden news caused me to be greatly shocked and I could not handle my work for a while. I will always appreciate Birgit, the person who gave me warm support in London, when I was young. In addition to honoring her achievements as the person raised many artists at the Print Workshop, I then express my condolences to Birgit who loved Japan more than anyone else I had known at the time.
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| “Bascule Bridge In Wapping” Trial proof No.8 8th Apr, 1980 |
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| “Gun Wharves And Warehouses” Trial proof No.6 15th Apr, 1992 |
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“St.Katharine’s Yacht Haven” Trial proof No.6 12th Dec, 1992
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| “Battersea Power Station” Trial proof No.6 7th July 1993 |
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| “Theatre Street, Lavender Hill” Trial proof No.4 5th Jun, 1994 |
久保卓治 1994年
1994 Takuji Kubo Works
Bascule Bridge In Wapping
英国は周りを海で囲まれた島国であり、
The United Kingdom is surrounded by the sea, and it has had many colonies overseas. It was therefore the first country to develop the technology of modern shipbuilding. There were several docks such as the Royal Albert Dock and Victoria Dock along the river Themes including the London Dock in Wapping. When I was living in Wapping at the end of ‘1970s, the dock had closed, and the old brick warehouses inside it, I saw the sight of water floating vacantly in the huge empty shipyard. In old times, when a ship was completed, it was launched into the river Themes, and sailed out to the ocean, and there was a bascule bridge between them. The bridge didn’t open and shut anymore, and the windows of the control room were cracked cruelly. Every time I crossed the bridge, I wanted to see it opened and shut, if only once, because I felt sure that if I climbed to the control room and pushed the buttons, the bridge would still work. I really don’t know how many years ago this bridge was build, but as time passed the paint had come off, so it looked run-down; however, the machine was still stable and the bridge had a massive and sturdy appearance. These structures have now been restored to some degree and are a great attraction of visitors to the area.
The United Kingdom is surrounded by the sea, and it has had many colonies overseas. It was therefore the first country to develop the technology of modern shipbuilding. There were several docks such as the Royal Albert Dock and Victoria Dock along the river Themes including the London Dock in Wapping. When I was living in Wapping at the end of ‘1970s, the dock had closed, and the old brick warehouses inside it, I saw the sight of water floating vacantly in the huge empty shipyard. In old times, when a ship was completed, it was launched into the river Themes, and sailed out to the ocean, and there was a bascule bridge between them. The bridge didn’t open and shut anymore, and the windows of the control room were cracked cruelly. Every time I crossed the bridge, I wanted to see it opened and shut, if only once, because I felt sure that if I climbed to the control room and pushed the buttons, the bridge would still work. I really don’t know how many years ago this bridge was build, but as time passed the paint had come off, so it looked run-down; however, the machine was still stable and the bridge had a massive and sturdy appearance. These structures have now been restored to some degree and are a great attraction of visitors to the area.
Gun Wharves And Warehouses
ロンドン塔からテムズ河に沿って歩いて行くと、
If you walk along the river Themes starting from the Tower of London, you will meet the sight of many large and small warehouses, this is Wapping Town in London. The river Themes turns slightly left, and becomes quite wide at “The Pool” area where many clippers which imported goods from overseas used to be anchored, like in the etchings of James McNeil Whistler. Wapping was a bleak, grey town where most of the warehouses had not been used since the ‘60s. It was a time when artists had begun to make studios in warehouses and architects, painters, sculptors, printmakers and photographers were mostly living in their own studios. We often had parties on the weekend and that was the most wonderful time I had ever had in my life.
If you walk along the river Themes starting from the Tower of London, you will meet the sight of many large and small warehouses, this is Wapping Town in London. The river Themes turns slightly left, and becomes quite wide at “The Pool” area where many clippers which imported goods from overseas used to be anchored, like in the etchings of James McNeil Whistler. Wapping was a bleak, grey town where most of the warehouses had not been used since the ‘60s. It was a time when artists had begun to make studios in warehouses and architects, painters, sculptors, printmakers and photographers were mostly living in their own studios. We often had parties on the weekend and that was the most wonderful time I had ever had in my life.
St.Katharine’s Yacht Haven
もう17年も昔のことだ。
It was about forty (40) years ago in 1978, when I was a poor art student and often went to college on my bicycle which I had bought from Judith’s brother to save on travel expenses. There was a harbor called St. Katharine’s Yacht Haven on the way to the college, just down from Tower Bridge. I used to have a rest there on the way back home, as it had a peaceful atmosphere. This harbor had a mysterious appeal to me and many other people who were passing by, and they would stop walking and decide to have a rest there, just as I had done many times. In the front of the harbor was a symmetrical style Ivory House with a tall clock tower which was charming like a picture.
It was about forty (40) years ago in 1978, when I was a poor art student and often went to college on my bicycle which I had bought from Judith’s brother to save on travel expenses. There was a harbor called St. Katharine’s Yacht Haven on the way to the college, just down from Tower Bridge. I used to have a rest there on the way back home, as it had a peaceful atmosphere. This harbor had a mysterious appeal to me and many other people who were passing by, and they would stop walking and decide to have a rest there, just as I had done many times. In the front of the harbor was a symmetrical style Ivory House with a tall clock tower which was charming like a picture.
Battersea Power Station
バタシー火力発電所は1929年、サー ギルス スコットの設計でロンドン パワー カンパニーによって建てられ、
Battersea Power Station was built by London Power Company in 1929 to a design made by Sir Giles Scott. This power station which supplied electric power to various parts of London is the biggest brick building in Europe. It was the golden age of the Art Deco style, of which this building is a good example, and with the contrast of the bulk of the lower building and four sturdy chimneys called white elephants which rise from four corners of the building and soar to the sky, it is very beautiful and there isn’t another power station like it anywhere in the world. I haven’t been inside the building, but I have seen photographs of the generating and control rooms, beautifully done in typical Art Deco style, and I was deeply impressed. But the beauty and completeness are in reverse proportion to the great quantities of smoke from burning coke (a form of coal). A friend of mine, Rupert Faulkner, told me that his mother lived near the station when she was young and that she couldn’t open the windows if the wind was blowing directly towards her house, due to the thick black smoke.
Battersea Power Station was built by London Power Company in 1929 to a design made by Sir Giles Scott. This power station which supplied electric power to various parts of London is the biggest brick building in Europe. It was the golden age of the Art Deco style, of which this building is a good example, and with the contrast of the bulk of the lower building and four sturdy chimneys called white elephants which rise from four corners of the building and soar to the sky, it is very beautiful and there isn’t another power station like it anywhere in the world. I haven’t been inside the building, but I have seen photographs of the generating and control rooms, beautifully done in typical Art Deco style, and I was deeply impressed. But the beauty and completeness are in reverse proportion to the great quantities of smoke from burning coke (a form of coal). A friend of mine, Rupert Faulkner, told me that his mother lived near the station when she was young and that she couldn’t open the windows if the wind was blowing directly towards her house, due to the thick black smoke.
Theatre Street, Lavender Hill
ロンドンの街、地形的には比較的平坦で急な坂はあまりないが、
その後この作品を海外で展示する機会があったが二度不思議なこと
Geographically London city is quite flat with few steep hills, but this area in south London is an exception. There are so many slopes everywhere in the area that you might imagine you are in San Francisco. The long terraced houses have been well constructed along the slopes making it a fantastic sight. It was unusual to see telephone poles carrying power lines. I wonder why they didn’t put in underground cables in the area. I don’t know the origin of the beautiful sounding name Lavender Hill. I guess there were wild lavenders blooming over the hill before the town was born. By the way, there is an old painting of a slope called “Kiritooshi no Shasei” painted by Ryusei Kishida which was posted in art textbook when I was a student in junior high school. I loved this realistic painting very much, and I long yearned to draw a picture of this slope. I finally realized my dream when I got to my mid-forties.
There were opportunities to exhibit this work afterwards, but strange events happened twice. The first it was when I held a solo exhibition at the La Marge Librairei-Galerie in Ajaccio, in the town of Corsica, France in 2003. A local Frenchman asked me “Is this picture the landscape of London?” When I answered, “Yes in London,” he pointed to the license plate of the car parked on the very front, and he asked “Why is a Corsica number car in London?” I could not answer and I felt ashamed. When I researched data on the car I found out that the car was a popular car representing the UK, Morris Minor, the most produced car after the Second World War, with soft curved design is classic and lovely. I engraved it while looking at the letters and numbers of the license plate, just as it was in the photograph I had taken, but I did not care or know what it meant. I can imagine that a Frenchman living in Corsica is driving his British car and crossing the sea by car ferry and staying in London, but the truth remains a mystery. The next time was when I held a solo exhibition at the Shanghai University Creation Center in 2008. A young Japanese lady was standing closer to this work and was staring at it for a long period of time. I went over to her and talked to her, wondering why she stood looking at it so long, she told me that she lived on this street before. I heard that she lives elsewhere in London now but it seems so surprising that she suddenly met me and this art scene in Shanghai, so far away from the scenery she was seeing every day. Anyway, it seems to me that this street is full of international magical mystery.