JWH Author's Voice Vol. 10 interview with Masa KanekoThe Fascination of Coloring W hen we talk about pictures for coloring, the general perception is that it is just one of the many things children play with. However, several years ago, "The Coloring Book Series for Adults" won explosive popularity, and was even touted for its revitalizing effects on the brain. For some time, my company had even received inquiries regarding the series from publishers abroad. In addition, taking advantage of the popularity of this series, the reprinted editions of "Kiichi's Pictures for Coloring" began to appear on store shelves, and, apparently, adults purchased the title in droves, perhaps out of a sense of nostalgia arising from the sight of the patterns found in the book, which they came across in their childhood.There is a "Museum of Pictures for Coloring" in the town of Machiya in Arakawa-ku, Tokyo. There, you can find a collection of works from mainly the book, "Kiichi's Pictures for Coloring." Ms. Masa Kaneko is a chief librarian and also the author of the books, "The Fascination of Coloring" and "The Psychology of Coloring Books." Whenever she holds an exhibition or delivers a lecture abroad, she takes along the English version of the " The Psychology of Coloring Books," which my company had produced. For this edition of the newsletter, I approached Ms. Masa Kaneko to ask her about what attracts people to pictures for coloring. Q Please talk about what led you to start a museum specializing in pictures for coloring? Prior to establishing the museum, I was carrying out work that involved the International Division of Shiseido. The company’s a world-renowned brand today, but in the 1980s, with the opening of a shop in France, they were busy consolidating their overseas-strategy image for sales promotional purposes. To that end, we invited into Shiseido Serge Lutens and had him help us create image and make-up products. In those days, he used to actively contribute to Christian Dior. As it turned out, I was put in charge of makeup products for overseas markets and became involved with him in the creation of Shiseido's color palette for the world. In the 1980s, when it was still a rarity to see a woman making business trips abroad, I used to fly about foreign destinations, but mainly to Paris, which was where Serge Lutens resided, and for many years afterwards, I continued to be involved in the creation of Shiseido's color palette. However, in 2000, my mother fell ill, so I decided to leave Shiseido to attend to her. At the same time, I ended up building a house and waited for my mother to recover from her illness. Then in 2002, I went on to establish the "Museum of Pictures for Coloring." When I flew to Paris on business, I was overwhelmed by French art, culture, and history. But on the flip side, by getting to know France, I began to notice the splendors of Japanese traditions and culture. Because of this, I came to recognize anew the distinctive cultural and aesthetic aspects of Japan reflected in the pictures for coloring left behind by my uncle, Kiichi Tsutaya, and I wished to somehow tell the world about this. Q: I understand that you study the state of pictures for coloring around the world. I went to China just the other day. Beijing and Shanghai are not at all different from Tokyo. Those cities have achieved amazing economic prosperity. However, their orientation towards pictures for coloring and art in general appears to be different from that of Japan. In China, the monotone India-ink drawings are considered to be a higher art form than paintings with colors. But the way pictures for coloring are treated and perceived absolutely vary by country. For example, Germans positively shun the practice of filling in pre-drawn pictures with colors. However, in France and Italy, this practice is taken up in preschool curriculums and the children enjoy it. I have researched the situation of pictures for coloring in Germany, France, China, U.S.A., and Finland, but not a single person who studies this field exists in any country. I have yet to meet such a person. Q: Would you elaborate on a project you're currently advancing? In September this year, I held an exhibition of pictures for coloring for the second time in New York, but it is a dream of mine to one day hold one at the Japan Society in New York. In postwar 1946, it seems that Kiichi Tsutaya was drawing portraits of American soldiers stationed in Japan's Tsukiji district and turning them into hanging scrolls and selling them. While there should be around 100 pieces of these hanging scrolls, they were of course all taken to the US by the soldiers. Still, I really would like to find these works drawn by Kiichi. Q:What is the aim of studying pictures for coloring? For one thing, it’s to help elevate the status of pictures for coloring. There's something immeasurable about the role that pictures for coloring have been playing. For example, I think the impact it has had on Japanese comics, especially girls' comics, has been particularly huge. Keiko Takemiya is one among many cartoonists who was influenced by pictures for coloring. Even Takashi Murakami, the standard-bearer of modern art active around the world, had this to say about Kiichi Tsutaya: "Human beings are entities who desire art, aren't they? He was an artist who stirred the imagination in response to the love of beauty harbored by the girls of those poverty-stricken times." (From the April 4, 05 edition of Asahi Shimbun). When I introduced "Kiichi's Pictures for Coloring" in New York, they were regarded as pop art. In Paris, just as in Japan, the beauty and subtleties of Kiichi's pictures for coloring were appreciated. Having wielded such a large cultural influence, pictures for coloring need to attract a little more attention, and if possible, they should be incorporated into the curriculum of kindergartens. That would be ideal. Furthermore, I believe that these pictures are effective in attempting to revitalize the brain of the elderly, and they have plenty of other benefits as well. I would like many people to realize the appeal of pictures for coloring. Thank you. Koji Chikatani Senior Agent Japanese Writers' House / TranNet KK »»» To read other interviews | |
|
Japanese Writers' House TranNet KK No.2 IP Bldg. 5F, 1-26 Kanda-Jinbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051 TEL：+81 3 5283-7555 FAX：+81 3 5283-7550 E-mail：rights@trannet.co.jp URL：http://www.trannet-japan.com/ep/tjc_top.asp |