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  New York Report / January, 2000

Morning sun lights" Pika-chu". I used "Poke'Mon Jet" which is ANA's flight having an illustration of Pocket Monster on its wings. It was 13 hour flight, but Pika-chu waving his hands all the time when I see outside, wondering how it makes us feel light. Maybe because of its color? or figure? or its looks?
Anyway, Poke'Mon is huge famous in NY.

Looking down from Brooklyn Bridge after landed on JFK airport.
I was so excited thinking of going to the city.
It was nice and warm whether. I took off my coat which I had prepared for coldness. It's like the weather welcome me to come. ( I was rain person when I was in Japan....)

The cab got into Manhattan through the bridge. Back bridge is Brooklyn bridge.
Though it is famous for sightseeing, I didn't have much crowd.
I was leaning to binoculars and its shape seemed like human face.
What did I see? Well, it was present and future of myself.

It was lunch time and when I was resting sitting on a bench, the old lady gave pigeons some bred. Then one girl and her mother passed through there, and old lady gave some bred to a little girl so that she started feeding the pigeons with her. It was quite serene afternoon, and I was watching such a scene drinking large size coca cola. (I was told by my friends that I wouldn't finish large size, so I tried and I made it!)
It was second floor of the restaurant.
It was so comfortable place that I wanted to stay as long as I could. Sea birds were resting on the bar near the balcony and sun was soft and warm.... It was so relaxing.
People over there were talking. Reading books, and smoking.( Of course there is no ash try, though...)

This is opening reception.
There were too many people came to the gallery so that some of them have to wait outside of the gallery.
There was a young DJ who played house music for us. (Thanks!) Refreshment at the reception was Spanish wine which the owner of the gallery goes to Spain every summer and bought whole year amount for the reception.
It tasted great.
Center of the person is Mr. Shiotani. He dyed his hair in gold. ( Not like me) During the exhibition, he went around SOHO galleries. He was looking for spaces to show his work.
Right side is Masuda who produced and organized this show. She is also an artist and working on her work as well as working at the gallery. It's become 5 years since she came NY and she speaks fluent English. (When everyone was out for preparing the opening, I was supposed to take care of the phone and I got a call which asked me the location of the gallery, but I told my name instead! 'cause it's English!!)

Here is Mr. Eddie Gomez and Mr. Jeremy Steig who came the opening. ( As you know, Mr.Gomez is so famous for playing great number of music with Bill Evans for 11 years from 1966 to 1977. He is still play with Mr. Jeremy (standing center), so check his CD out!)
Actually I happened to meet Mr. Gomez last December. I told him that I would got to NY for exhibition, he told me to come, but I never expected that he REALLY come to the opening!!

Talking with Mr. Gomez.
I showed three paintings the usoco art museumd "lennon Requiem", "Time is like a Score" and "Still Life." Mr. Gomez asked, "that is based on John Lennon, right? Do you have any motif for other paintings?"
When I answered "of course, the rest of two paintings were made based on listening to Toru Takemitsu's music", he said impressively "Oh! Toru! AKI NO NIWA UTA, I have seen him before, he was great person." He also told me, "great music is a great source of Mitsuro's work. I could hear music from your paintings."
That was most impressive compliment!!!
During the reception, he stopped at my art work over and over and looked it carefully, so I decided to talk to him.
His name is Mr. Silvio Vela, studying Fine Art at Columbia University. I'm glad he liked my work. I was asked so many questions so I have to answer using my poor English....
Mr.Vela also showed me photo of his work taking out from his bag, and asked me, "right now, I'm making this, what do you think?" It was seemingly contemporary paintings and I felt sensitive impression from his work and that is just the same as he is.
I received mail from his recently, and he is going to have an exhibition in NY.

I'm looked almost New Yorker, right?
Suddenly, an African woman asked me "Excuse me, do you know Citibank?" Of course, I answered "Oh, I'm sorry , I don't know....", but I was bewildered Maybe I am looked like real New Yorker.....
The woman was a slim, sophisticated and beautiful lady.
 

The Manhattan sight form Liberty Island.
I woke up earlier to see the stature of Liberty.
As talking about waking up early, I am the kind of person who never has a jet lag. What is a jet lag????
Finally I've met. The feature I had only seen in TV and photos.
It was great moment.
It was very cold and snowing, and furthermore, strong wind was blowing But I took a lot of pictures walking around the island .
This is a terrace of the Liberty Island.
There is no one in the restaurant, maybe because it was early morning.
There is a bright white pigeon stood on a table, and it was dead quiet that you couldn't imagine it was sightseeing area.
I spent relax and quiet time looking at foggy Manhattan.
It is Dakota Apartment where John Lennon used to live, and he was shot in the entrance this apartment on December 8, 1980.
Can you see the arch shaped entrance which is through to the court yard on the left side of the photo?
There was a masculine guardsman standing in front of the entrance, but I asked for taking picture and he kindly allowed to do it.
This apartment looked so different from the one in Japan. The structure is different from Japan. In NY, people renovate inside and outside of the apartment, so it's quite different from Japanese who break an apartment and rebuilt new one.
  Central park is very near from Dagoda apartment. There is a monument of John Lennon in the park.
I found some flowers displayed on the monument.
It is located on the street "Strawberry Field".It was designed regarding to his famous number,"Strawberry Field forever" by Yoko Ono after he was killed.
I lost my words and stayed a while without thinking. I had been thinking of coming here for long time, so I still remember how I felt when I got here, and I won't forget.... .
Of course I realized a pigeon standing by me after the photo had come up.
This is Metropolitan Museum of Art.
It is gigantic! Though I was a little tired of going around museums such as MOMA, Whitney Museum, I was amazed by the scale of "Pyramid exhibition" at Egypt section, then my tiredness was blew out.
Also I was lucky enough to see a show called " Rock Spirit" which showed costumes and video images of rock musicians like Beatles, Rolling Stones and etc.
It is center of Broadway Musical theaters.
There are so many musical theaters gathered in this area. I saw "foot loose" since I missed Kenny Roggins' music. I had a little hard time for not understanding English well, since I couldn't laugh with other audience. But amazing thing is that I was truly moved by the show even though I didn't understand language?
I am kind of simple person so that there is a simple sequence that I impress. That is, the person who seems so weak strives and conquers, and finally achieves his dream. Maybe "foot loose" followed the pattern.
Anyway, there are so many things happened in staying in NY so I couldn't clean myself up yet. But I'd like to use this experience to my art work.
Please give me any comments and thoughts!
1/30/2000

New York Report : Supplement

....I hear that it is snowing in New York
Will I still be able to catch the flight from Narita
It's not an impossible place to go, New York
I can ask all my friends to chip in to buy a ticket
Instead I am still here in this town drinking

LIE TO ME ETERNALLY
Music, Lyric: Miyuki Nakajima.

I am invited to Mr Kenjiro Sasaki's sutadio.
The person of the front is Mr. Hirayama who accompanied N.Y.The right person of me is Mr. Takeda, the Japanese painter.That neighbor is the wife of Mr. Sasaki.
Then, it is the family of Mr. Takeda.It is Mr. Kimura that wears a red sweater.He is the painter of the N.Y. residence.Then, he gave me an advice variously.A back is Ms. Maniwa.She is doing journalist's work in N.Y.
t is Mr. Kenjiro Sasaki that wears a vest.His studio is at the back of this Loft.His big work can be seen in the other side of the pillar.
The long hair person of the front is Ms. Yoshimoto doing the work of Curatorialassistant in New York.

I remember the people whom it took care of in New York now yearningly.
Then, it appreciates it deeply.
Thank you.

01/14/2007
"Japanese Culture Comes to new York."
Writer: Kenjiro Sasaki.
A publishing company : San-ichi shobou ,Tokyo.

He takes good care of me in N.Y.
A lot of foreigners are interested in japanese cultue now.
Japanese Culture "Art, Drama, Avant-garde, Animation, Music, movie Tradition, Entertainment....." develop international understanding and frindship.


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