Hunterian Musium at The Royal College of Surgeons

Part of a female cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) dissected to show the developing egg, prepared by Edward Jenner (1749-1823) and presented to John Hunter, 1788.
A post card I bought at Hunterian Museum
Copyright 2005 Hunterian Museum at The Royal College of Surgeons

I visited Hunterian Museum at The Royal College of Surgeons tree times (may be more). I always feel down for next one or two days every time after I visit this space. While I understand these dissected collections contributed a lot for today's advanced medical technology, it is very hard for me to avoid imagine their final scream. The enormous Hunterian collection look rather cruel to me but I have to say some of the specimens in glass cylinders are just look stunning. –This place easily makes me believe I tend to appreciate beauties more than ethics and it always annoys me.



However, I have to treat this very carefully. Why the female cuckoo in a glass cylinder looked so sad and beautiful? Instead of trying to get plausible reasoning, I made 9 sketches of another cuckoo specimen from the same angle. The sketch could be more but I stopped when I found essential lines of painful distortion in the 9th sketch. What I have seen in the glass cylinder is an evidence of her life. Though no one can help her anymore, I thought I can paint about her at least.

9th Sketch for Cuckoo

William Wordsworth loved cuckoos

William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 – 23 April 1850) was a major English Romantic poet. He was England's Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death in 1850. I was looking for some old English poems in structures just like Japanese Haiku poem (Haiku poem has a three-line 5-7-5 syllable patterns). At the research essay tutorial with Rebecca, I told her I was looking for bricks or brocks or architectures just like cathedral which have similar visible regularities in their structures. Carl Andre’s bricks became the subject for my research essay. However, during the tutorial, Rebecca also gave me information about English poem that I thought interesting. William Wordsworth’s poem Tintern Abbey made me imagine the structure of the old beautiful building –Actually, what else could I do? I wish I could read these English poems in the true meaning. But I feel like I can cope with this feel of distance by Keat's 'Negative capability' (!??).

Anyway, I felt happy when I find William Wordsworth loved cuckoos. I learned other famous English Romantic poets had their own favorite birds: For Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), it was skylarks and for John Keats (1795-1821) it was nightingales.

TO THE CUCKOO


O BLITHE New-comer! I have heard,
I hear thee and rejoice.
O Cuckoo! shall I call the Bird,
Or but a wandering Voice?
While I am lying on the grass
Thy twofold shout I hear,
From hill to hill it seems to pass,
At once far off, and near.
Though babbling only to the Vale,
Of sunshine and of flowers,
Thou bringest unto me a tale
Of visionary hours.
Thrice welcome, darling of the Spring!
Even yet thou art to me
No bird, but an invisible thing,
A voice, a mystery;


-TO THE CUCKOO, William Wordsworth

Kew Gardens

Today, I visited Kew Gardens which was registered as a wold heritage in 2003. This pictured glass house is the largest in the world.
I wanted to sketch cherry blossoms but I found its season hasn't arrived yet.
All greens and flowers (especially orchid) are wonderful. But I can't help remember that they can be alive only inside of the green house.
I was very much impressed by the botanical painting's collection.



This Pagoda seems important land-mark in Kew Garden. There was a Shinto-gate of Japan close to this Pagoda. Its stone garden was beautiful as that of Kyoto.











I have seen many kind of birds in Kew Gardens: peacock, hens, geese, doves etc.


I enjoyed the lovely carpets of crocuses instead.
Minka house's bamboo garden was nice too.



I remember, my grand parent's house was decorated like this when I was a child. It was a beautiful day. I will come back to this garden about the time cherry trees are in their full bloom.

Making of Octopus

Octopus

2010
116cm x 91cm

Japanese Painting (Mineral stone, Metal leaf, gelatin, on Japanese Paper)

Step 1:

The leg of octopus should be very flesh. Choose the one with brighter color in a white meat part as well as a cortex part. The patience in observation is essential while sketching.
Key Tool at This Stage: Patience

Step 2:

Enlarged the octopus sketch by photo copy machine and transferred important lines onto paper.
The Key Tool at This Stage: Photocopy machine




The materials being used at this stage:
Japanese paper, pencil, metallic leaves, gelatin and the ink for calligraphy.

Step 3:
With using a painting knife scratched the surface while the metallic leaves are still wet with. Some parts were broken by fingers to add fragile impression.

The Key Tool at This Stage: A painting knife





Step 4:
Split the image into 4 pieces and mounted them on panels.



Step 5:
Oxidized metallic leaves by pressing the sulfured paper with an iron.

Note:
Measuring the time and temperature are very important when using an iron.



Step 6:
Add some lines to enhance the tablets. Vertically stretched figures need to be emphasized to give the look competitive enough to the physically divided lines.

The materials being used at this stage:
Wooden panels, mineral stones (pigments)

Making of Cicada

Cicada
2009
116cm x 91cm




I found a cicada specimen at The National History Museum.
I thought the branch-like shapes in the wings look interesting.

I was wondering if I can make abstract trial with extracting the cicada’s characteristic features such as transparent wings and skeletons. I sprinkled some solution of alum imaging some part of cicada first. Then dye paper with gold ink.

The materials being used at this stage: Japanese paper, diluted alum, gold ink cake



I liked the freedom looking of dye work. I cut the paper into 4 and mount on the board after changed their order. Added some colors and tried to observe the fractals. I realized that the color works started this way are very difficult for me if I still want to stay with original motif, cicada. Though I enjoyed colors, I decide to withhold this painting because abstraction with colors seemed large issue to be studied independently from my current project.



Split the image into 4 pieces and oxidized metallic leaves by pressing the sulfurized paper with an iron. (The same technique is used in my octopus painting.)

Trying to enhance the painting with representing the wings…




I decided to omit the panel in the right end. I think I should dye paper first to enjoy this painting more. I wanted to avoid dull symmetry looking and that is why I added some wings in left sides but now the large blank space in the right side became boring

OPEN SEMINAR / Finlay

The Exhibition Torch:
To be scheduled either on 19th, 21st or 22nd. of April




==Emoticon ==

I sent an e-mail to suggest a title for a show (see above):
It's my emoticon (=emotion + icon).
Its left part is a face. It's a scene a lady found something beautiful
beyond the torch light and she smiled.

I sometime use these emoticon in e-mails when I felt something
but don't know how to say it ('v') even in Japanese.

I need to contribute more to the class in English.
Definitely need to study hard!!
φ(.. )

==To Do List as of 5th March ==

Several students who attended Finlay's seminars have decided to meet again on 7th April at 10:00, provably in the print seminar room (we will see later).

In the meantime, we are communicating through e-mails to decide what we will do at the future "torch show" in the basement.

To decide the show title to be printed on the poster, we are going to have a quick ballot at 10.00 on either Wednesday 17 or Wednesday 24.

The Exhibition Torch: To be scheduled either on 19th, 21st or 22nd. of April.
Size: from A4 to A1.

One of us, Fianne, created a time table (possible to do list) in i-numbers on format on a mac though I haven't see the contents yet since no time to print it out at the library today (my PC is Windows).

Cherry Blossoms

From the research essay, I found strong resonance to the concept of Carl Andre’s bricks, even though I don’t have any brick in my background. His tendency toward unitary form, repetition, and specific site, seems similar to my strong interest in cherry blossoms. I believe cherry blossoms are one of the most popular modules in Japan in which a whole made with small identical flowers. They bloom just two weeks in spring, and Japanese people get together and enjoy watching them every year. Under the full bloom of cherry blossom trees –at that very specific time and space, I feel like I’m allowed to refresh my body and spirit.

Walter Benjamin used to say;

In even the most perfect reproduction, one thing is lacking: the here and now of the work of art—its unique existence in a particular place. It is this unique existence—and nothing else—that bears the mark of the history to which the mark has been subject. (Benjamin, W. 2008, p. 21)

Benjamin’s words sound reasonable for me; however, when I see lives –any kind of lives whatever they are human beings or cherry blossom flowers— I just remember all lives are essentially reproduction of forerunners, slightly imperfect reproduction of someone else. I may be accused of stretching the Benjamin’s point beyond, since his words are for “the work of art in the age of its technological reproducibility” (Benjamin, W. 2008). But, I think reproduction have been the basic method to carried on lives in this world and I’m wondering how much we can be different or how much our arts can be unique in view of ourselves are reproduced lives. –May be I’m either suffering from the age of mechanical reproduction or just a successor of a traditional ontological sense of Japanese Buddhism (Miyazawa, K. 1922).

On the other hand, for the sake of live my life positive, I also can’t help seeking the meaning of beautiful individuals which is just hard to believe if they are merely created for another reproduction. I remember Andre’s words; ‘We live in a world of replicas, and I try desperately to produce things that are not replicas.’ (Cunnings, P. 1979, p187), Carl Andre might found such answer in a piece of brick. The secret of individual’s beauty seems exist in its detail – if we take a look at it closely, we may be able to find another universe in there.

New Japanese Modality

Investigation on Traditional Japanese Modalities

Fig.1: Japanese modality,Kikusui-mark, embroidered on Kimono

Fig.2: Octopus 2010- a painting hiring the design from kikusui-mark

The word, "Japanese modality" here, is very similar to "family crest" in UK. We have more than 5000 traditional modalities and they are still often used on textiles (fig.1) just like tartan designs in UK. I have been wondering why Japanese people prefer to extract the characteristic features out of the natural existences (e.g. followers, birds, snow etc. / 雪月花など) and convert them into symbolic images. To print on textiles? -- Possibly.

My Octopus is a challenge to re-present an ordinary dairy things (in this case, octopus) to an unordinaly way.

This painting was a trial whether if I can create a new Japanese modality.

Octopus - Why I was inspired

Octopus
2010

1167 cm x 910 cm

Mineral pigment, gelatin glue, metal leaf on Japanese paper

About Motif - Why I was Inspired

This motif attracted me because of the rhythms: The repetition of oval suckers coils on itself. My first impression on this octopus is shutting himself into his deep thought. The birds sleep in similar pose but they look much comfortable.

About My Own Work

I want to be a painter who is allowed to paint on the ceiling of Japanese temples. To be so, I need to love all lives on the earth like a priest, but it is very difficult. Some Creatures seem not being designed to be happy, and it makes me feel very sad. Being unable to find the goodness about something is my fault.

The secret of beauty seems exist in the details. and I usually start my works from the detailed sketches. In the next stage, I do not hesitate using a photocopy machine: I enlarge the sketched images to fit to my tablets..., but I usually accept printed outcomes as they are, and trace important contours only.

Normally, when the Japanese painter use metallic leaves, they use leaves for decorating the back ground, but I rather use leaves for describing motives (and use paints for the background or simply as metier). I admit my usage of metallic leaves are not suitable for painting, since some more details will be lost again at this stage.

I have been wondering why I want to ruin my original efforts through these processes. But, now I feel like I'm trying to experience something my motifs seemed to be gone through by doing these. I'm glad when I find some good things in the completed painting; because it makes me feel like I could heighten the existence of the motifs I concerned, and there are some my efforts still remained without being deprived.

What I Learnt from This Painting

I had a necessity to keep the weight of this painting light because I needed to ship it to abroad. Therefore, I used flat boards in the beginning. However, the winter air in London was very dry and the 4mm thickness panels were curved! I had to back up the panels by some crosspieces later. If I could predict this problem in advance, I would made regular panels from the beginning which would allow me to cover the side of panels by paper (for better looking).

As was pointed out at the last crit, I noticed the format, 4 split screens, rather interrupting the rhythm of repeated suckers. Now I realize the old screen paintings look successful with more than two motifs, or making use of blank spaces(fig.2). I probably made mistake in the usage of sequence in this format. At least, the octopus's repeated circular rhythm is not working efficiently. Therefore, I should rather emphasize on horizontal contours to improve the painting. I will probably push the left end of octopus body out side so that the horizontal continuity will become competitive enough to physical vertical lines.

I'm happy with the sense of fragility and in completeness about this octopus painting.

New Contemporary: Doodle on A National Treasure

Doodles on National Treasure
-An Innovation on Scroll Paining Format & Its Analogue Player-

Proposed on 14th February, 2010
Attn: New Contemporary

Proposed by Naomi Uchida
Student at MA Fine Art course
Camberwell Collage of Arts, University of the Arts London


Introduction

The feature of scroll painting is similar to our past-present-future sequences in some ways. If we suppose the area we are seeing is the present, the time travels by unrolling the future on the left side while the past scrolls up the right side. In this project, I’m planning to make a “roll-playing” game in which the “out of sight” areas take some important role. The maize will be painted the delicately hand copied Japanese national treasures, Chojyu-Jinbutsu-Giga.

Ruining (Enhancing) tradition with my doodles (contemporary drawings) is the main purpose of this project— this does not mean any denial, neither in tradition or in contemporary, at all: As a matter of fact, “handmade”, “manual control” and “attendance of audiences” are essential to this project while the technology is highly advanced in our time. I will be greatly happy if the players enjoy the warmth of handmade products and much direct manipulation feeling of analogue games. All game players will have the honour to sign their name on this new attempt at where they achieved. The completed scroll painting will be placed in the wood box named “Game Winding Machine” especially designed for this painting which is designed by Japanese (me!).


Specification : Revision Number 00 as of 14th Feb. 2010

Specification of Handy Game Winding Machine – or “Doodle Player” as of 14th
February, 2010 by Naomi Uchida
a = 270mm, a’= 310mm, b=450mm, c=150mm
Gross Weight: 5 kgs

A winding handle and a cylinder View from the top

How to Play

Following instruction and game sheet will be provided to the players (voluntary audiences) before the game.

Followings are photos from the current test version (7cmx800cm):

Japanese scroll paintings progress from right to left.
You will come across diverging points shown as above during the game
Please select just one track with no reason.
Each scene may or may not suggest you the right track

Example 1: a murder case…?

Example 2: a religious cult…?

All game players will have the honour to sign their name on this new attempt painting at where they achieved! (Again, above 4 pictures are the photos from the current test version.)




The hand copies for the final version are getting ready. They are now just waiting for good doodles. Both painting and winding machine are ready by the end of March, 2010.


Sample doodles







Reference For Further Understanding

===Reference For Further Understanding===
I'm reructant to provide Wkikipedia URL which is sometimes regarded as non-academic source. However, this is the most detailed information in English about Chojyu-Jinbutsu-Giga. I hope my trial on this doodle project will contribute for gaining more attantion for Japanese national treasure...!

Japanese National Treasure. Choju-Jinbutsu-giga. Wikipedia [Online Information] http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%B3%A5%E7%8D%A3%E4%BA%BA%E7%89%A9%E6%88%AF%E7%94%BB [Accessed on 14 th February, 2010]

Size of Bricks

Size of Brick
Standard Metric
==========================
United States 203 x 102 x 57 mm
The United Kingdome 215 x 102.5 x 65 mm
South Africa 222 x 106 x 74 mm
Australia 230 x 110 x 76 mm
Russia 250 x 120 x 65 mm
==========================

Bricks are standardized components for architecture. They are well-known daily material in Western countries. The sizes of brick are slightly different by countries but they have been always kept small so that masons could handle them easily.

My Favorite Painting

Hope 1886
By George Frederic Watts
Collection Tate
[Online image]
[Accessed on 2nd of February, 2010]


When we met in September, I asked Donna, Ourania and Kimathi about the following questions:

Question #1: If there is no one sees your art, do you think you will still create things?
Question #2: If you are the only person on the planet, do you think you will still create things?
=====================================================


Donna answered that she will keep created things for herself for both cases though she feels sad.


Ourania smiled and answered that she will definitely continue her sculptures. Even if there is no one on the earth, she doesn’t mind. She said she can enjoy such freedom (with chips and beer).


Kimathi’s Answer: “Oh, if there is no one on the earth, I rather want to kill myself. I can’t even imagine such world.”


Somehow, no one asked me back for the answer, but my answers are follows:


My Answer for Q1: No. I don’t paint if there is no audience. I would rather like to do something else which makes me feel close to other people.


My Answer for Q2: Yes, I will paint as a distraction to cope with loneliness however; I will do other things as well such as keeping a diary or playing some music.


I have my most favorite painting in U.K. That is one of the reasons why I decided to study in London. It is Hope (1886) by George Frederic Watts. The painting visited Japan when I was 19 years old and I bought a poster of this painting at that special exhibition in 1989. The poster traveled with me many places; first, Wyoming (USA), then back to my parents house, 2 or 3 small apartments afterwards. I didn’t bring the poster to London because there is an original in Tate Britain. However, when we had the first visit Tate Britain in September, Lindy seen me gazing at this painting for long time and she presented me its postcard. (That was the first time Lindy proved her amazing insight power!) My impressions about this painting have been changing as time goes on but there is no other painting which I kept always by my side. It may sound funny but I feel like this painting is the place I can go back whenever I get lost (may be for any event…). Have I ever got this sort of hope before? –Probably yes, but it’s always go away in a few seconds. What kind of hope is this actually? –I don’t know the name of that hope. Why do I feel strong empathy to this painting then? –I really don’t know but it seized me at a glance when I saw it first time when I was 19 years old.

The painting matched my feeling of those days and I can’t eliminate that experiences anymore.

The above Question 2 is the questions popped out from this painting image. The answers from 3 artists were totally different but refracted the artist characteristic. May be everyone has their own reason for creation.

English Letters and Japanese Letters

The first English book my mother bought for me was “Alice in Wonderland” and it shown me some significant differences between English book and Japanese book: The novels in Japanese normally start from the top of right side pages and go down, then proceed to the left. Besides, there is almost no space between the letters before punctuation marks. When I was a child and didn’t know how to read English at all, such words in the English book looked like the accumulation of bricks.

Walter Benjamin

Carl Andre
Lever (1966)
Materials and Techniques: 137 firebricks. Dimensions: 11.4 x 22.5 x 883.9 cm.
National Gallery of Canada
[Online Image], Available at <> [Accessed on 6th February, 2010]



Walter Benjamin used to say;

‘In even the most perfect reproduction, one thing is lacking: the here and now of the work of art—its unique existence in a particular place. It is this unique existence—and nothing else—that bears the mark of the history to which the mark has been subject.’


I think Carl Andre succeeded in suggesting how to cope with one of the modern intelligentsia’s fear which was explained by Walter Benjamin as above. He uses construction materials as pure as they are, and install them tidily with his at most attention, then completely clean off the sign of the artist’s existence from his work.
It is hard tell if he is doing it on purpose but mysteriously, we can see the absence. Absence is visible. For example; we can see the person who didn’t come to the class that day, or alternatively, we can’t tell his or her absence without seeing it. Our sense is super advanced and we can recall the scene of past experiences or even imagine the future which hasn’t arrived yet. To the consequences, as he try to leave out his artistic efforts from the works, unnatural feeling about the objects and absence of artist become conspicuous.

Horse Guard Parade

I've never seen a guard horse in Japan. I don't think we have any....

I visited Horse Guard Parade because I was interested in how they are trained and if they behave different from other horses.

Actually, most of horses in our world are domestic and termed. I've seen some wild horses in United States originally came from Spain about 300 years ago. They were as if be born to cultivate soil for farming. They didn't look like thoroughbreds at all. They had strong legs. Therefore, before I visit Horse Guard Parade, I imagined horses something in between thoroughbred and wild horse. I also imagined the animal lacking emotion simply because they are trained for war. The life with an apparent absence of emotion makes me think always.

Oh, the horse is so gentle...

It seems he prefers girls rather than males...

This horse know how to make audiences happy...(!!)

I found Horse Guard Parade looks beautiful because of the rider, and found horses are enjoying their life --which is very good! A plan a guard horse as my motive was cancelled.