The article reflects on the profound influence of Iwasa Matabei's artwork, particularly 'Rakuchū-Rakugai-zu Byōbu', on contemporary artists. The author draws parallels between Matabei's incredible visual memory as a 17th-century painter and that of modern manga artist Katsuhiro Otomo. It emphasizes the effort needed to grasp an artist's essence when replicating their work, suggesting that true artistry requires immersion and emotional connection, rather than mere technical replication. The writer also recalls their own engagement with Matabei's work during a solo exhibition requested by Takashi Murakami.
Mr. Shinya Takahashi, general manager at the Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art, requested my interpretation of the painting for my solo show there last year. When I was producing this work, I realised anew what I had thought when I was young, namely that Matabei, a 17th-century painter, had the same genes as Katsuhiro Otomo, a manga artist and film director.
The general audience may feel that copying would be an easy thing to do, but I believe you can't make a copy that surpasses the original painting by just tracing lines without feelings.
Matabei must have had a special talent for memorising everything he saw in an instant because he was able to create such paintings in an age when there were no photographs or moving images.
Collection
[
|
...
]