Louvre

St. Gerome

Louvre -- Leonard and his friends

Louvre - exploring historical past

Hannah & David Go Japanese

Kabuki-za Sayonara Performances 2010

I got a ticket to the Kabuki Theater New Year evening program.
I was quite impressed especially by Nakamura Kanzaburo's dance
program "Kyokanoko Musume dojoji." He danced as Shirabyoshi
Hanako, a courtesan possessed by Kiyohime, a deceased noble
princess who went through a tragic separation
with her lover Anchin who became a monk at Dojoji Temple.
Kanzaburo danced as Hanako transforming gradually from a pure
and innocent woman into a demonized Kiyohime. In the final
scene, Hanako became a huge serpent with red hair and costume.
Kanzaburo's dancing changed from delicate and sensitive
virgin form to sexy feminine one. I was utterly impressed by
Kanzaburo's dancing techniques throughout the program.
The whole program was just very festive and so appropriate
to celebrate the first month of 2010. This shall be a very
good year for me!



A New Year decoration inside the Kabuki Theater

Otomo Sorin Armour (16th c. )

An artist visitor from France

Dominique stopped by on his way back to Paris from Shanghai, China
and had tempura lunch with us at Ten-ichi, Jiyugaoka.
Mom at the Starbucks
Chinoyo getting ready to take a Halloween flight in front of
Dominique's painting

"It is well known that nature exists only insofar as it blends
in the contrary rhythm of life and death, of genesis and
entropy. The infinite universe brings these throbs together
in a totality. Dominique Thinot's canvasses, large or small,
depict this infinite space, teeming with contradictions.
Here one's glance gets caught in the trap of representation:
one believes for a while in the truth of these fragments of
nature. There, in cntrast, as if swelling from the depth of
the sea, blue beaches straddle each other and simulate order
in the middle of storm."
(Jacques Leenhardt in D. Thinot, Nature & Fragments)

Arts & Crafts Exhibit at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

This exhibit traces the Arts & Crafts movement's influence to the early
20th century Britain, Europe, and Japan. William Morris and others
under the influence of the aesthetic theory presented by John Ruskin
started combining modern technological products with traditional
as well as folk arts. As Pre-Raphaelites went back to the Medieval roots
as their artistic inspiration, the members of this movement took motifs
from traditional European and Isramic arts. They also took inspiration
from nature as they were expressed in English country houses such as
the Red House. (Mackintosh House at the Glosgow University museum
also expresses the concept of this movement. )

The concept of the movement -- combination of life and art -- went
from England to Scotland, Austria, Germany, then to Japan.
Soetsu Yanagi was the main theorist as for the Japanese "Mingei"
movement.

This exhibit goes until Sunday, April 5th. Enjoy Sakura in Ueno
and the excellent curatorial work at the museum.
(These images are from the exhibition websites)
Living room in Mikuni-So (三国荘) created by Yanagi and his group.

Coffee art

After dinner coffee at Le Nougat, Ginza

Taro Okamoto in Shibuya

Taro Okamoto's art work is now on permanent display in Shibuya Station.
Here are some photos of his grand masterpiece which used to be in
Mexico City.

Victoria & Albert Museum

Shakespeare's Globe presents TIMON OF ATHENS

The Globe Theatre from the front.
While we are seating, the play has already started up on
the net. The spatial theatrical arrangements also extends Timon's
existential question on the meaning of human life to the theme which
goes beyond the historical setting in the Classical city of Athens.