When I visited Japan in October, I was absolutely astounded by the number of new creative works by Osamu Nakamura, who I profiled in Chapter Two. This post will mostly be images of his new works.
He has completed his move to the next valley since when the book was published. He's living in a much smaller place, in fact, an old cow shed that he has converted, beautifully. How does he have so much time??!
So many of my writing students are desperate for more time to write. It seems so simple when I meet with Nakamura. Live in a very cheap and modest place, eat simply, do what you can for yourself, and the whole day is yours.
He introduced me to a proverb: "When you are lacking a little bit, just endure it. When you are lacking a lot, think hard and invent a way."
Included here are his works in paper cutting, "paper block prints," collages of matchboxes, collages of indigo cloth, colored pencil abstract designs, and amazingly, digital photo print books. Nakamura, who doesn't even have a telephone or a car, much less email, was given a digital camera. As he is fascinated by abstract art, he learned how to take photos of rubber bands, pieces of wire and a glass cup up close, and then bring them to a copy shop, print them on paper, then cut them up, and bind them--as always--into a hand made book.
Click on any image to get a close up.
Enjoy, and share with your friends.
He has completed his move to the next valley since when the book was published. He's living in a much smaller place, in fact, an old cow shed that he has converted, beautifully. How does he have so much time??!
So many of my writing students are desperate for more time to write. It seems so simple when I meet with Nakamura. Live in a very cheap and modest place, eat simply, do what you can for yourself, and the whole day is yours.
He introduced me to a proverb: "When you are lacking a little bit, just endure it. When you are lacking a lot, think hard and invent a way."
Included here are his works in paper cutting, "paper block prints," collages of matchboxes, collages of indigo cloth, colored pencil abstract designs, and amazingly, digital photo print books. Nakamura, who doesn't even have a telephone or a car, much less email, was given a digital camera. As he is fascinated by abstract art, he learned how to take photos of rubber bands, pieces of wire and a glass cup up close, and then bring them to a copy shop, print them on paper, then cut them up, and bind them--as always--into a hand made book.
Click on any image to get a close up.
Enjoy, and share with your friends.
Awesome!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy opening this book often and revisiting all of the lives in it. Everyone is amazing.
My two favorites happen to be side by side on the photo pages Mr. Nakamura and Ms. Watanabe.
I like the Nakamura woodstove on Youtube, and these new books. Thanks for sharing.