SHODO
“Chinese ink”
2017-2020
Japan
Studio shooting：Digital Photography
Canon 5Dmk3,5DsR
with broncolor SCORO A4
Burst shooting
『これくうて御茶まいれ』
-「円相図」仙厓義梵より-
私の育った地域では子供の頃に手習いとして書道教室に通う子は少なくなかった。当然その深淵までの理解には及ばないものの、何かを作る経験として始まりに近いのではないだろうか。書道教室は嫌いではなかったものの思春期の自意識は自然とそこから離れていった。
書家のイメージというのはいかにも重々しくしかつめらしく難しい事を考えていそうだ。最近のメディアに出られる先生方は割り合い現代的で爽やかな印象もある。テレビ向け、と言えば聞こえが悪いがそういった現代の事情が変化をもたらしたことも多々あるだろう。
しかし私の敬愛する仙厓和尚にはどういった事情からあの素晴らしい作品たちを生み出したのだろうか？
仙厓義梵は18世紀生まれの禅僧で、ステロタイプなイメージに捉えきれない作品とエピソードに満ちた偉大な書家だ。こういうとまるで大先生のように聞こえるが、上記の気安い一文は絶妙に歪んだ円相図の横に書き添えられている。ユーモラスで親しみやすくつい笑ってしまうような作品も多くあり、ぜひ一度目に触れてみてほしい。
かつてやった書道では墨は紙に書くものだった。
年月を経て私は墨を水槽にぶちまけるようになった。ストロボの光に照らされて、1/6000秒間に魅せる表情は実に多様だ。書道教室の先生にはきっと叱られるだろう。これをもし書道と称ぶならこんなに巫山戯たこともない。
しかし仙厓和尚ならあるいは笑ってくれるだろう。書道の精神がここにあるかと問われればもちろん、それは定かではない。
“Eat this, and have some tea”
-Circle by Sengai Gibon
In the area I grew up in, a lot of kids took up shodo (Japanese calligraphy) lessons. Of course, they do not reach the level where they understand the depth of the art, but I think it is a good way to start experiencing what it is like to create something. I didn’t dislike shodo lessons, but being in my
adolescence, I naturally faded away from the lesson.
When we think of calligraphers, we usually think of someone who is always deep in his thought about something very difficult. Recently, however, when calligraphers appear on TV, they have a softer and lighter atmosphere about them. TV-friendly may not be a good word, but our image of calligraphers is changing due to such circumstances.
What were the circumstances that led the monk Sengai, whom I have great respect for, to create his amazing works?
Sengai Gibon is a monk who was born in the 18th century. His works as a calligrapher do not fit the stereotypes of the era, and there are many great stories about his life. Now you may think that he is a great master type of man, but the title of this passage is actually his words written beside his work “circle.” There are many pieces of his work that are humorous and have an approachable appeal which makes people laugh, so I recommend you take a look at them.
In a shodo class, I used to write letters on a paper with sumi ink. After many years, now I pour sumi ink into a water tank. Flashed by a strobe light, it creates a variety of interesting looks when shot with a shutter speed of 1/6000 second. A shodo class teacher may get angry at me. Calling it calligraphy may be seen as mockery.
But if Sengai saw it, he might find it amusing. If I was asked if it contains spirit of calligraphy, I must say I’m not certain, of course.