WATER AND DIAMOND: 31 HUMAN AND OBJECTS SYMBIOSIS

When human first found a diamond, it was hard, strong, and unbreakable object.  Therefore, people used it as a charm and put on a sword and shield.  In later years, they were applied to rings and necklace as amulets to expel evil spirits.

In fifteenth century, it became an accessory, and as a symbol of strong bound, it was necessary for wedding ceremonies.  At this time, however, the diamond was put in a ring without polished.

It was not a shining and glittering gem.  It was men’s pure desire to express their feeling towards the love one comparing to diamonds’ unchanging hardness.

They expressed their “eternal love” through diamonds.  That emotion connected the human and object, and nurture the feeling of care for the materials.  Once human started to care about the object, they come closer. 

There, you can see how the true symbiosis exists.

Nowadays natural products and mass-produced commodities are treated the same and used undifferentiated.  Then unwanted objects are wasted so quick.

I really worry that human are treated like object soon.

(This picture is stored in Vatican to show us the design of a ring used for wedding ceremony in 15^th century.  )

From DIC “History of diamond engage ring”

WATER AND DIAMOND: 30 A MEANING FOR DIAMOND’S EXISTENCE

Why do diamonds exist on the earth?  Every object on the earth has each meaning of existence.

Diamonds coexist with human race, and stimulate each other.

What do humans learn from diamonds?

This question can be asked to any objects, and that is the role of human to find and reason the existence.

Human have found diamonds, and made them to the pinnacle of the beauty.  However, when I think about it, I started to feel something different because human have lost the role to connect the beauty with their life.  They do not try polishing the beauty anymore.

People delusively believe that diamonds are beautiful, and adorn themselves with them.  Why people feel happy when they wear diamonds?

It seems to me that there is something hidden behind about the coexistence between human and objects.

I would like to talk about it in my next entries.

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 29 MOON

A first few days of August is over, and the nature has brought us a special present at night in return for this heat. 

The full moon has lightened up the half of the earth on fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth night.  It was as bright as that of daytime’s.  The moonlight got in the deep in the room, and it was very bright.

I was feeling romantic, while I sang to myself “Get Out And Get Under The Moon”.  I was still wondering and doubted the fact that the human has landed on the moon once, and returned to the earth again.

On the other hand, Japanese myth talks about rabbits on the moon making rice cake, or 'The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter' (Taketori Monogatari) , and it sounds more likeable to me.

For example, questions like “How much rice cakes have the rabbits made?” or “What does the Moon Princess do on the moon right now?” is more humanly. 

When I think of human and objects relationship, the important thing, I think, is to let our imagination run; what do they mean to us, what kind of relationship do we want, or what is the ideal relationship, and so on.

photo : Yu Nozaki

WATER AND DIAMOND: 28 THE WONDER OF ROUGH DIAMONDS NO. 3

The diamonds are one of the hardest materials on the earth, and they cannot be cut against cross grain.  Moreover, they have knots in various parts.  When a cutter encounters the knots, he cannot do anything.  He cannot keep cutting.  However, if he gives up, a child of the light cannot be out from the rough diamond.

When he cannot keep cutting, he starts talking to the diamond as if he casts a spell.

“If you are stubborn like that, you will not glow.” 

“I like you a lot…”

“Give me a break.”

“Do you want to be nice to each other?”

“That’s it!!”

Those are mumbles from a cutter.  If he keeps talking to it, it slowly started to be cut little by little.  Then, he can overcome the knot.  Physically, it cannot be cut. However, cutter’s intention to make it glow, and his kindness to the diamonds will make it happens.  I always wonder how it happens, though.

“The power of tenderness prevails slowly and widely.”

WATER AND DIAMOND: 27 THE WONDER OF ROUGH DIAMONDS NO. 2

As the stones and woods grow, they will have straight and cross grains.  Diamonds also have that.  When we try to cut with a straight grain, there is no stress and can be cut easily.  On the other hand, when it comes to a cross grain, it is like a one way road, and cannot be cut in anyways.  The diamonds are one of the hardest materials to start with, so it is not like cutting a paper with scissors.  When we put a grinding machine against the cross grain, it just makes metallic clank, and never cuts. 

I always wanted to see when the diamond catches a fire, so I once tried.

I put a diamond on a grinding machine against to a cross grain.  The diamond was heated little by little, and suddenly it turned into a red color.  When I continued grinding, the color becomes more transparent, and became a beautiful red.  I was watching it with half fear and half excited expecting it might catch a fire.  However, it didn’t, and outdone in patience. 

Thinking that the rough diamonds came out to the surface of the earth from the deep under the ground with blazing heat, it would not be burn.  So human’s common sense doesn’t work so practical.

WATER AND DIAMOND: 26 THE WONDER OF ROUGH DIAMONDS NO. 1

The rough diamonds usually shape octahedron, which is something like two pyramids attached together.  However, you can find a wide range of shapes, such as round, long, or flat rough diamonds.  Depending on the original shapes, they are cut into many styles such as round, pear, or marquis.

Among them, I came interested in the round shaped ones.  I mean the round shape like a ball.  Basically, diamonds do not crystallize into the round shape.  Then, how did it happen?

Once, wind and rain eroded a mountain rock which contained a rough diamond deep in the mountain.  The river carried the rock to the sea after taking a long time.  The rock moved on the bed of the sea with the waves.  It may have been mixed with little rocks and sand due to a typhoon.  After a couple of million years later, a human happened to find it.  By that time, pyramid liked edges had been cut into a smooth and round shape.  There were some fine lines on the surface like a frosted glass.  I wish I have another time to find such a diamond.  I once did, but I do not have one at my hand.  It must be carefully protected somewhere.

photo : Yu Nozaki

WATER AND DIAMOND: 25 COMMENTS BY PARISIAN

When I had an exhibition at Carrousel du Louvre last December, many people left comments to my work.  I would like to share some of them.

-          This is a world of beauty and love.

-          I am so moved.  The time is ephemeral, but beautiful, and it was well expressed with water.

-          A very pure world.

-          The river is running.  We, Parisian, are knocked out with your way of expression.

-          I can hear the breath of great nature.

-          The time is ceased, but water is running.  I cannot forget this impression.

-          Very beautiful work.  We had conversation with flowing time.

-          Wonderful, and impressive!  I cannot stop my tears.

-          Body and soul.  Nature and human.  This work exists in between of limited and unlimited.  Water is moving.

-          So mysterious and magical that we are so fascinated by the work.

-          Simple and unlimited.  I am physically and mentally attracted by the work.

photo : Yu Nozaki