ARTIST STATEMENT
2012年 04月 18日
The most important thing on my painting is SILENCE. The SILENCE does
not mean no words, but something behind time and space, and makes all the
things being existence.
One day I experienced that the feeling of myself, or my thought, is a
phenomenon which occurs under certain condition. And then I realized that
the feeling of transiency and infinity which I see in nature from my childhood
is different aspects of the SILENCE.
When I paint, I relinquish my perceptions and thoughts into the SILENCE
and let myself be. Then I am something consciousness which is not painting a
picture but witnessing the emergence of the picture.
I wish my painting being a clear mirror. As myself goes out from painting, it
reflects your being more clearly. And then you connect the SILENCE.
Thank you.
April, 2023 Koichi Yamashita
2020 suddenly COVID-19 occurred and forced to change the world,
societies, our lives, even more our thoughts. We realized that the earth
is one, and the importance of its environment, even though we knew it
already.
Before COVID-19 calamity, we thought that the progress of science
and economy were limitless, and commodities and pleasures were
immense. But now we recognized they were not omnipotent nor
immense. COVID-19 calamity taught us the importance of true self-
realization and happiness. Limitless is inside us.
I think there are two dimensions in this world. One is so called reality
which is perceptible and we live in. The other is something/somewhere
behind it which/where this reality comes from and goes back to. I can't
explain it in words so I temporary call it SILENCE. SILENCE is the basis
of all. We would be a lost child and society would get confusion when
we were disconnected with SILENCE. It tells us that we stood just on
the cliff of this lost and confusion before COVID-19 calamity.
The SILENCE is not philosophy nor religion. It's just always with us
and helps us to be. We get relief, healing, and self-reliance when we
are connected with it. My art concept is to express the door to that
SILENCE. I wish my painting would be a door for you opening to the
SILENCE.
Thank you.
Mountains. Place of silence.
by Marina Medina, curator
The encounter of the people with the mountains is an extraordinary
encounter because in many cultures and religions the belief has always
been that the gods live up there on their summits. Mountains are therefore
in close connection with religion and spirituality.
According to Greek mythology, was believed that the god Zeus has been
born and raised on Mount Ida on the island of Crete. Later Zeus chose
Mount Olympus as the home of the Greek gods.
In our culture, mountains play a crucial role in history because a number
of important events happened on the mountains as told in the holy writings
of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).
God Yahweh met Moses several times on Mount Sinai. There Moses
received the ten commitment, which regulate the relationship between God
and humans as well as the inter human relationship. Noah's Ark stranded
on Mount Ararat after 40 days and 40 nights of deluge. From there, a new
chapter in the history of mankind begins. Christians associate Mount Tabor
with the place of theTransfiguration of the Lord. Here Jesus appeared to his
disciples in divine form. According to the Koran, Mohammed received his
revelation on Mount Hira.
According to the tradition of Eastern religious belief, mountains are also
seen as the seat of gods or spirits, or even revered as sacred. Mount
Kailash is a sacred mountain for followers of Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism,
Jainism and the Bon religion due to its distinctive symmetrical shape
resembling a crystal. Out of respect for its religious significance, the Kailash
remained therefore unclimbed. Every year, the Kailash attracts thousands of
pilgrims who, depending on their faith, circulate it in one direction or the other.
Fujisan, Japan's highest and most beautiful mountain, has always been
considered sacred in Shinto. On its feet and slopes thousands of shrines
have been built to worship different deities.
No artist conveys the representation of mountains as place of spirituality
like Koichi Yamashita. His works radiate silence and tranquillity and give the
feeling of being connected to the universe. Koichi Yamashita specializes in
an ancient tradition of painting, which is known in Japan as Sumi-e ("Sumi",
means ink and "e" means picture, painting). In Japan, ink painting is closely
associated with Zen Buddhism, where the essential is reduced to simplicity
and plainness and attention is paid to extreme perfection. Originally this
painting technique was used by Buddhist monks in China as well as in Japan,
later with the spread of Zen Buddhism in Japan it was intensively adopted in
different Zen schools. The reduction to the essential also reflects the
Japanese spirit in art.
Mastering the art of Sumi-e requires an extraordinary sensitivity and
attentiveness because every stroke of the brush is irrevocable. In every
picture of the artist Koichi Yamashita the spiritual structure of the mountain
is noticeable, the character of his being appears and lets the observer,
completely in the sense of Zen Buddhism, feel one with the universe.
Koichi Yamashita is a great Sumi-e master who impressively depicts the
colossuses of nature as places of silence where the soul of Zen-Buddhism
can be recognized.
May all visitors to this exhibition as well as the readers of this catalogue feel
the touch of the spirit of Zen-Buddhism and share it with joy.
( This sentence is from the catalogue of the exhibition "Mountains. Place of
silence" at Lexus Forum Darmstadt in Germany 2019)
KOICHI YAMASHITA
1965
Born in Gumma Prefecture Japan. Grown up in countryside and played in nature.
1978
Read Colin Fletcher“The New Complete Waker”and yearned for wilderness.
1979
Read H.D.Thoreau“Walden-or Life in the Woods”and recognized nature as
place to think. Started solo trekking.
1981
Entered high school. Started solo mountaineering and reading books about Zen
Buddhism.
1984
Entered Shinshu University (department of science). Studied science history,
ecology, philosophy, and psychology. Climbed Japan Alps.
1987
Started painting by self-taught.
1989
Graduated from Shinshu University (ecology major).
1990~2017
Selected contests (awards received).
1992
Started solo exhibitions.
1998
Quitted steady job and traveled European countries and U.S.A for four months
to see historical masterpieces in museums. Started Zen practice.
2010
Started Sumi-e (painting with black ink on paper) by self-taught.
2012
Selected for art book“ Beautiful Japanese Landscapes by Watercolor”
2013~2017
Selected for art magazine.
2018
Started solo exhibitions in Germany.
2019
Lectured at the headquarters of Japanese Zen Buddhism Oubaku-shu school
about the common ground and meaning of science, art, and religion.
I was born in countryside and used to play in nature, climbing trees, hills,
swimming in the river, and so on. When I was 22 years old, I started painting
by self-taught. I wanted to paint nature which I had seen for long time.
At first I used oil. But soon changed to watercolor because the atmosphere
of oil painting was very different from what I saw in nature, feelings of transiency
and infinity of the universe. After 23 years, when I was 45 years old, I began
Sumie, black and white painting using Japanese and Chinese traditional black
ink on white paper. Because watercolor was not enough for me to express what I
saw in nature.
When I painted by watercolor, I tried to express the feeling of transiency by
layering thin colors. But about infinity feeling, I could not catch it at that time.
When I got to know the limits of watercolor expression, I started Sumie. But it
was very different from watercolor. By trial and error, I found many unexpected
things; nature became just a symbol, using many wet-in-wet washes invited
natural phenomenon in painting, and the unpainted parts, like the mountain
covered with snow, cloud, and mist, showed me a great wisdom of how to live.
To express without painting implies for me to live without ego, let it be, let it go.
Then I found infinite silence and stillness in the black painted background where
all transient things come from and go back to. I realized the relation between
transiency and infinity.
Since then to connect these silence and stillness is my primary thing to paint.
Now I do not want to put myself into my painting because I have known that I
am not the man who paint a picture but a witness to the manifesting art. I just
want my painting to be a clear mirror. As myself goes out from painting, so it
reflects your being clearly.
What I learned
I started painting by self-taught. At first, I saw art books, read technical books,
and then I applied for contests running by artistic parties.
At contests, famous painters taught me what is painting, what is art, how you
must paint, how you must not paint. But I could not understand them and
struggled for years because their teachings were so different from what I wanted
to paint.
When I was 33 years old, I quitted my steady job and went abroad to see world
historical masterpieces at major museums. It was my first travel abroad and went
around European countries and U.S.A for four months. I saw everything in those
museums from open to close, like no tomorrow. Then I realized that to follow
famous artists is important in Japan, the other side, originality is important in
other countries. Following is safe, but it is not my way.
After that travel, I tried to seek my way of painting. I referred to Zen Buddhism,
and other things influenced by Zen Buddhism like martial arts and literatures.
“Truth has no gate, there are thousands of ways to enter.”
My new works were called no mainstream, no traditional, wrong manner, and
so on by Japanese teachers and famous artists. Because they were not similar
to others. But for me to follow to others was not important. I was so serious to
realize myself and the truth of this world through painting.
Typical, conventional, and traditional are useful for beginners, but not for
originality. Talent, circumstance, fame, and wealth are very temporary. An old
mentor said ; catch the other!
“I am always here wherever I go. I live in now, neither past nor future. It is the
best whatever happens.” These sentences have been my teacher to learn
myself, my painting.
Painting as way of living
Painter Kagaku Murakami (1888-1939) wrote in his essay“To make artworks
is my prayer in the closed studio”; painting is not big deal, I do not care if I could
not paint, the most important thing is to recognize the truth of this universe.
Samurai Tesshu Yamaoka (1836-1888) said ; to practice sword technic is to
clarify the truth, oneness of the universe.
Haiku master Basho Matsuo (1644-1694) said ; the truth exists through poem,
literature, painting, and tee ceremony.
Zen master Hakuin Ekaku (1686-1769) said ; The power of Zen is marvelous,
if you used it properly, every intensive practice reads you to enlightenment.
Zen master Dogen Kigen (1200-1253) said; to learn Buddhism is to learn
yourself, to learn yourself is to forget yourself, to forget yourself is to get unity
with the universe, to get unity with the universe is to be yourself the universe.
I would like to replace“to learn Buddhism”with“painting”Then the
sentence is like this ; to learn painting is to learn yourself, to forget yourself, to
get unity with the universe, to be yourself the universe.
Kyudo, Japanese archery master Kenzo Awa (1880-1939) said ; to hit
target hundred times is not a big deal, but to get unity with the universe
hundred times is sacred.
However you paint pictures skillfully and beautifully, that is not very important
for the truth of yourself. The most important thing is to be yourself as the
universe, complete your painting brush by brush, complete yourself breath by
breath. Then you are always here wherever you go. You live in now, neither
past nor future. And you accept whatever happens as the best. Painting has
been way of living for me.
Thank you.
