In my former career, there was a senior colleague in the fisheries industry in the Kitami region who looked after me in so many ways. He taught me countless ways of approaching work and treated me more times than I can count over drinks; he is a mentor I truly admire. After I retired, as we shared drinks and I spoke of the path ahead, he said, "Then paint one for me too." At first I thought it might just be the drink talking, but when I asked again, he said, "Yes, paint it." That is how "Freedom" was born.
The eagle that intuition revealed
Strangely, even before I formally received the commission, the image of a single eagle standing proudly on a sea of drift ice had come to me intuitively. No one had suggested it. At first I thought it was a white-tailed eagle, but when I looked into it, the figure in my mind was exactly a Steller's sea eagle. As if guided, it became clear that this bird would be the centerpiece.
Shiretoko and the drift-ice sea, seen from Abashiri
He lives in Abashiri. In my former career, I always took photographs of the breathtaking view of the Shiretoko mountains seen from Abashiri's harbor. I chose that unforgettable landscape and the harsh winter sea of drift ice as the setting. I felt there could be no better backdrop for a Steller's sea eagle standing on the frozen sea.
The Steller's sea eagle: freedom and a solitary dignity
It lives calmly even in a harsh environment, facing that harshness head-on, while also possessing the freedom to take flight into the vast sky on great wings. In that dignified figure, I saw his way of life. He is strict about his work and always does things properly. I believe I understand, at least a little, the solitude that comes with standing at the top. And still, just as an eagle surveys every important point from high in the sky, he embraces those around him and never misses what matters. I entrusted that role of harmony to this single bird. I named it "Freedom" in the wish that, on wings that can soar freely through a sky without walls, he will travel, enjoy life, and continue to flourish wherever he goes.
The Milky Way: evenings with family
Gently painted into the night sky is the Milky Way. He treasures quiet evenings spent enjoying a drink with his family. A moment to relax while gazing at the stars: I filled the sky with the sparkling beauty of the night to stay close to that scene.
A faint circle: a circle of "thank you"
The circle that faintly appears in the painting is cymatics, the "form of sound turned into frequency" that is now at the center of my work. The sound is "arigato," thank you. It is a circle of gratitude. Into it I poured my heartfelt thanks to a mentor who has kept reaching out to me, not only while I was working but still today after my retirement.
A painting to rest one's wings
The work is large, over sixty centimeters, and I feel it turned out to be a powerful piece. Just as an eagle pauses to rest its wings on the ice, if he can spend peaceful moments with his family while gazing at this painting, there could be no greater joy for me. I heard that both he and his wife were delighted when I delivered it. Having been looked after so many times, I feel frustrated that I can only express my thanks in this way, yet I am deeply grateful that he reached out to me just after I became independent. From Sapporo, I pray for his continued health and success.
Painter KOHIKO (光日子)