Seiji Fujishiro

Tetsu took me the Fujishiro Seiji Museum that just opened about two weeks ago.  Not that many people recognize Mr. Fujishiro's name, but most Japanese will know his art work.  I didn't know what Tetsu and I were going to see until I walked in the door of the museum.

"Oh!  I've seen this man's art all over!  He's been featured on TV and I have enjoyed seeing excerpts of his life."

The museum is nestled in the woods of a little resort town and to get to it from the parking one must walk over wooded paths and around moss covered bridges.

Along the path were these cute little cat figures directing visitors in the right direction.

Mr. Fujishiro turned 89 this year.  He has been an artist all his life sketching, painting. He began doing cut-out art some 50 years ago... cutting silhouettes from black paper and illustrating magazines and advertising.  Gradually he branched out into cutting not only paper but also colored cellophane and from there he began creating a fantasy world illustrating children's books, Biblical scenes (I think his grandfather was a pastor) and whimsical landscapes always marked with one or more of his signature elves.  Mr. Fujishiro uses razor blades and his fingers are always covered with band-aids!  He has two cats who lounge upon his works-in-progress and he features them often in his art work.

In the museum, which is mostly dark... Mr. Fujishiro's works are back lighted and because his creations aren't limited to two dimensions, the back lighting gives areas of his work an out of focus, mystical appearance.  Of course, photography wasn't allowed in the museum (too dark anyway) but I bought a photo book of his works just published last month.  The illumination doesn't show up in the printing but I am thrilled to have this wonderful commemorative collection of this amazing artist.

So these are pictures of pictures in the photo book.  Oh dear... I hope they won't appear hum-drum whereas the actual artwork just sparkles!  Of course I HAD to take a picture of this.  Cats and a quilt!!  And not painted remember!

Here and there in the museum were little alcoves to just sit back and relax in and enjoy the scenery.  The windows were glass from floor to ceiling and the walls were all floor to ceiling mirrors.  Tetsu and I relaxed for a few minutes and I took the picture of us facing the mirror on the far wall.

In the complex there was also a small chapel which can be used for private weddings I suppose.  Mr. Fujishiro's works were depicted in the stained glass, again a lot of color and fantasy.  On the walls, mermaids and sea creatures.

The rose window depicting Noah's ark.

Tetsu felt a close up of Mr. Fujishiro's signature and the date was very important to preserve in a photo.

So all this was beautiful and whimsical and a magical sight for the eyes, young and old.

But when we walked into the room of Mr. Fujishiro's most recent works I had to catch my breath.

Here are a couple of the works he has done since the earthquake and tsunami of 2011.  (At 87!)  Mr. Fujishiro visited and sketched the disaster sites and later put his impressions in paper and cellophane and light.

Do you know the story of the Lone tree?  There had been a forest of these tall Japanese pine trees lining the coast of Iwate prefecture, but the tsunami of 2011 crushed the forest like so many matchsticks and one solitary tree remained.  It became a landmark of hope and determination for the town people and has much been in the news.  Unfortunately the tree could not withstand the damage and destruction to its roots from the tsunami's torrent and sea water and has since had to be taken down...

And this is Mr. Fujishiro's interpretation of the reconstruction process going on in Fukushima.

"I can see great hope and power in the regeneration of the rubble." 

Seiji Fujishiro

The origami cranes, symbols of hope and peace, were very moving.

If you ever have a chance to see Mr. Fujishiro's works by all means do so.   My pictures do him no justice at all...