In my former career, there was someone in a port town in Hokkaido who looked after me both professionally and personally, a warm-hearted man who organized the city's harbor events for many years. When I told him of my resolve to walk the path of an artist, he said, "In that case," and commissioned a painting. It was not for himself, however; he wanted to give it to someone. The recipient was a politician from Hokkaido who had once been active at the center of national politics. That is how "Kono Keshiki wo, Mirai e (Passing This Landscape to the Future)" was born.
From the words he has always held dear
What kind of painting should it be? Through the client, I learned one by one the principles the politician has always cherished. "Ittō shōgū, bantō shōkoku": when small lights, each illuminating its own corner, come together, they eventually light up the whole nation. Then "love for one's homeland," and "without trust, nothing can stand." I came to understand that he is someone who has valued, above all, spiritual character, integrity, and trust between people. Rather than composing the picture by reason, I immersed myself in the lingering resonance of those words and let my brush follow my intuition.
Cherry blossoms: blooming with everything in a single moment
The first thing that came to mind was cherry blossoms in full bloom. The cherry blossom, which stakes everything on a single moment of glorious bloom, is a symbol of effort itself. In the flower's brief yet dignified form, I saw the path of a man who has lived to light up his own corner of the world.
Mount Fuji: the center of unwavering resolve
Together with the cherry blossoms, the form of Mount Fuji came to me without hesitation. Fuji is the unshakable center of Japan and a symbol of steadfast resolve. However times may change, it stands firm without losing its core. I placed it solidly in the depth of the painting as the shape of that conviction.
A woman and a dog side by side: what we protect, and mutual trust
Within the landscape, I added a woman and a dog quietly keeping each other company. The woman represents the precious things we must protect; the dog is a symbol of devoted companionship and mutual trust. Protecting someone, and being bound to someone by trust: I feel this spirit of harmony is what we Japanese have cherished since ancient times, and a treasure that Japan should hand on to the future.
Kono Keshiki wo, Mirai e (Passing This Landscape to the Future)
Cherry blossoms and Fuji, a woman and a dog side by side. What I painted in this work is the very essence of the Japanese landscape that we should leave to the future. I heard that the politician was delighted with the gift, and the client was truly relieved. Although I accepted this painting as a commission, I am deeply grateful to have touched that man's way of life and to have entrusted my feelings for Japan's timeless landscape to the brush. If it can be a painting that offers a moment of rest amid busy days, there could be no greater joy for me as its creator.
Painter KOHIKO (光日子)