Drawing for ' Porto ' is the work made in 2009
when I took part in ' KOTOBUKI CREATIVE ACTION '
at Yokohama.
YOKOHAMA is a port city.
A lot of workers of the port development and a lot of cheap lodging houses
have been in KOTOBUKI-cho & the vicinities, YOKOHAMA.
There is no day without laugher of cheerful men.
On the other hand,
the population ageing and various issues are also the reality of this area.
' KOTOBUKI CREATIVE ACTION ' is the generic name of the attempts
by various artists and bearers of art.
That stared in 2008.
For example, the performer on the square,
the writer with long stay and painters with communicating the inhabitants, etc.
https://www.hamakei.com/column/185/
ISHIKAWA Kazuharu drew the work for the permanent exhibit
on the common areas of the hostel renovated from a cheap lodging house.
Whenever I waked on the street, I found someone was drinking in the day time.
When I said to a mister bleeding from his forehead after tumbling that Are you Okay?,
he answered smily " Thank you. I'm okay at all. "
While confused by too talkative person,
while feeling something like a guilty or loneliness
for who gave me a quizzical look from a distance,
while scaring but having a pride like praying something,
I had been visiting and making my work for many days.
Travelers, residents, changing town...
they meet and pass
with indifference and sometime with communication.
I tried to express such atmosphere and celebrate for their destinations to be bright.
And I titled it Drawing for ' Porto '.
Who can see this work are the customers and staff of the hostel.
Other than that, you can see
when the artist (it's me) or somebody of KOTOBUKI alternative
network organizing KOTOBUKI CREATIVE ACTION guide you.
Though it's not the environment many people can always see my work freely,
I think it is important that my work is together in the place of life in this town.
The name of the hostel had been " Hostel Porto Yokohama " in 2009.
After that, the management was taken over as " Hostel ZEN annex ".
The permanent exhibition of my work was taken over too,
and continues up to today.
I moved to Hiroshima during the passing years. But don't worry.
I've stayed and done the maintenance
with full cooperation of Hostel ZEN in this time 2023.
Cool to say, that is ' Artist in residence in YOKOHAMA '.
When I faced to my work ' sky high ' ,
I got a chance to talk with a mister lives in No.5 Hamamatsuso
in the same building of Hostel ZEN annex.
After Q&A, he looked so impressed and praised me.
Then suddenly he said " I'm studying French. "
And he continued slowly and politely,
" J e _ V o u s _ R e m e r c i "
" J e _ V o u s _ R e m e r c i "
He repeated the word and told me,
" It means ' thank you ". Thank you. "
I repeated the word just learned and that was my reply to him.
After he went back, I found a feeling happy was full of my heart.
I made my work though I knew ART could not solve anything.
I came in this area though I avoided aggressive contact with the residents.
I've kept such a distance for a long time .
But now I feel like the border in my heart has been already untied naturally.
The next maintenance won't be needed for another 10 years.
But still, I'll be back.
photo by COZ, 2009