CULTURE & MORE: In calligraphy, it's all about talent and character
05/16/2008
Japanese calligraphy is getting a new look. Today, the traditional art form known as shodo not only refers to characters written neatly on Japanese paper with sumi Chinese ink, but also hip characters created with an emphasis on originality and style.
 Shishu, a calligraphy artist(PROVIDED BY THE ARTIST) |
"Times are changing and so is calligraphy," said Shishu, a calligraphy artist, whose work is widely seen nowadays. "It's only natural that calligraphy is modernizing, in accordance with people's lifestyles," she said in a recent interview at her studio in Roppongi, Tokyo.
It's likely that many people have come across Shishu's art without even knowing it. Her work is very popular, appearing in various mediums, including posters, logos, newspapers and television.
Kanji takes on a new life--it is given expression and inspiration in Shishu's hands. Take for example, the kanji meaning "hiroi" (spacious), which was used as a concept logo to express Nissan's automobile Tiida early this year. The central piece of the kanji character is written so that it resembles a smile, giving it a rhythmic and happy feel.
"The aim of the project was to pass on the message that spacious vehicles are cozy to ride in," Shishu explained. "There were many ways to express this. I write at least 500 samples for every character, using all sorts of brushes. The work that I feel most comfortable with and best expresses my spirit is selected in the end."
Another example is how Shishu interpreted the kanji "raku" (at ease), for a pain clinic logo. The kanji, which also reads "tanoshii" (fun), is designed to resemble a childlike person dancing and having fun, ultimately creating a relaxing mood.
While most Japanese use kanji daily without really realizing their underlying beauty, Shishu tackles them with great insight and imagination.
"The key is to listen carefully," Shishu said. "To other people, and above all, to yourself."
For The Asahi Shimbun's "Ii Na" (good name) series (2004-2007), it was crucial for Shishu to listen carefully as people talked of their lives and the stories behind their names. Only then, could she design and recreate their names to accompany the articles featuring their stories.
But more than anything else, Shishu's expertise in traditional shodo is what helps her see what lies hidden behind each kanji character. She was 6 when she started shodo training, following the advice of her grandmother.
Shishu was raised in Kawanoe, a paper mill town facing Japan's Seto Inland Sea in Ehime Prefecture. Along with shodo, she studied Japanese dance. While still in elementary school, she attained the rank of 7th dan in shodo.
"But I never really found any fun in it," Shishu shrugged, adding that she quit her lessons when she reached high school. It was not until much later that she picked up her writing brush again.
With no particular goal in mind, she entered Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka after high school and studied English. After graduation, she still hadn't found any direction. So she joined a clothing firm in Kobe and spent the next three and a half years doing office work--and learning that was exactly what she didn't want to do.
She abruptly quit and spent the next three months struggling to figure out what path she should take. "Those were very long, restless months," Shishu recalled. "The process of stripping off my pride and revealing what was underneath the layers that prevented me from seeing my true self--such as expectations put on me over the years, and obligations I felt I had to pursue--was extremely hard. But once I knew the answer, everything became so clear."
Two days after Shishu realized she was destined to be a shodo artist, she picked up the phone to book a small gallery where she could exhibit her work. Six months later, she held her first exhibit in Osaka. From that day on, she continuously created and exhibited her work, while working part-time.
In 2002, Shishu moved to Nara--the home of shodo--to heighten her skills, while sending her work to people and firms she thought it would appeal to.
She was quickly noticed, and the offers came in. Today, nearly seven years later, she is certain she made the right decision.
"I now realize shodo is my calling," Shishu said. "Although we are Japanese and we use kanji, we seldom see shodo displayed indoors like paintings, which is such a shame. I want to create work that leans toward our modern lives so that people can feel closer to it."
While most traditional shodo is confined to tatami rooms, Shishu's unique work blends perfectly into our modern world. This results in some of her kanji falling outside traditional shodo boundaries--misshapen and not exactly "accurate."
For instance, her interpretation of "tadashii" (correct) is radically different, conveying the meaning that sometimes what we believe to be right may not necessarily be so. Similarly, her take on the kanji "tsukuru" (create) incorporates the kanji "hito" (people) on its right side, resembling the image of creative people striving to cultivate the future with their work.
But that's not to say Shishu's work is rebellious. The easygoing characters are often better described as drawings.
"In the Edo Period (1603-1867), calligraphers were treated as painters," Shishu said. "Even today, some artists like Tadanori Yokoo start out as qualified calligraphers before they become painters. Calligraphers can sketch as well as painters. Years and years of copying kanji correctly from paper to paper is, I think, equivalent to sketching for painters."
It's clear that Shishu has a knack for drawing, too. This talent was demonstrated in her delicately designed pink sakura petal, also resembling the flame of a candle, which was used for Tokyo Midtown's main visuals during its first anniversary celebration this spring.
Her kanji are sometimes tinted with color. Her light blue "sora" (sky) provides viewers with a peaceful, liberated feeling.
Shishu's work is constantly evolving, as seen in her recent approach. For a solo exhibition she held last year, she used two steps to create her art.
In one example, Shishu first wrote the kanji for "sabishii" (sad) with quivering lines, expressing the utmost melancholy. Next, using steel rods, her calligraphy was transformed into a sculpture relying heavily on light and shadow.
"My intention was to free calligraphy from the tradition of writing only on flat paper," Shishu said.
In other similar works, a very lonely shadow drops upon her letter "hitori" (alone), while the multiple shadows of "ittsumo arigato" (thank you, always) are highlighted to express the many expressions of gratitude hidden behind one "arigato."
Shishu exhibited her work at the Venice Biennale in 2004 and 2005, followed by the Japan Arab Conference in 2007. In addition, she designed the logo for Umu, a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in London.
"I think the power of Japanese calligraphy is something that transcends borders," Shishu said. "One line can express various emotions, ranging from fierceness to sorrow. I think I can use the method in English, too."
She's already demonstrated this "bilingual" ability, using English letters for various works, including the poster she created for the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2007.
However, she has an even grander dream. "Someday I want to design the title for a Hollywood film," Shishu said with a big smile. "If it's a story revolving around flames, I could incorporate the concept of flame into the title. Or I could take the film's most memorable scene and bring its notion to the title. Really anything is possible, if only they would give me a chance."(IHT/Asahi: May 16,2008)
イスラエルのマジックソフト、日本市場で攻勢－アプリ開発ツールを投入
2008年06月02日
イスラエルの大手ソフトウエア開発会社、マジックソフトウェア・エンタープライゼズは、新製品を世界に先駆けて日本で発売するなど、日本市場を重視した 事業戦略を推進する。まず、新しいアプリケーション（応用ソフト）開発ツールを１６日に投入する計画。今後、利便性の高い製品の積極投入や日本企業との提 携強化などを通じ、日本法人マジックソフトウェア・ジャパン（東京都渋谷区）の売上高を今後３年間で倍増させる。
世界に先駆けて日本で売り出すのは「ｅディベロッパー」の新製品「マジック リッチクライアント」。２月から日本国内パートナー企業に導入し、品 質の評価、検証を行ってきた。リッチクライアントは高い表現力と操作性を備えたアプリケーション技術。開発の煩雑さが課題だが、同製品はそれを克服した。 クライアント側とサーバ側を一元的に開発できるなど、開発期間を大幅に短縮する。
マジックソフトウェア・エンタープライゼズのガイ・バーンスタイン会長は「日本はマーケットが大きく、機能要求と品質に厳しい」と、日本でソフト ウエアを育てることの有効性を強調。日本法人の石垣清親社長も「開発者に負担をかけないツールへの需要は高まっており、シャープシステムプロダクトなど大 手でも採用が進んでいる。３年で（売上高倍増という）目標達成は不可能ではない」としている。
同社はイスラエル最大のソフトウエアグループであるフォーミュラの傘下にある。５０カ国に展開し、世界に２５００社のパートナー企業を持つ。社員数は５００人、売上高は６０億円。
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