WATER AND DIAMOND: 32 OLYMPIC

For two weeks, the London Olympics offered us good time.  Not to mention the excitement of each game, but also the interviews of the athletes after games were fun.  To listening to their honest and live emotion made me feel as if I was there at the stadium.  Especially, interviews from Japanese athletes moved my feeling a lot.

They were unanimous in their opinion, and expressed their thankfulness; feelings towards parents, coaches, colleagues and so on.  I believe that their warm and sensitive thoughtfulness made them to demonstrate their true talent at games.

These interviews made me confident in people’s grace, and I was hopeful for the future of the earth.  Each medal is a diamond, and their joy was water.

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

WATER AND DIAMOND: 24 COMMENTS BY VISITORS NO.2

On the first day of the exhibition, a 6 year old girl came to see the work with her mother.  At first, she was very shy, but after a while, she started to feel comfortable enough to have conversation with me.  I asked what did the water god tell her, and she left a note when she went home.

It reads “I like you a lot.  Let’s play together”.

Probably grown-ups do not hear the water god would tell them that he likes them and wants to have fun with them.  Yet, the girl could hear so.

She could easily change her idea of water being something to drink to a friend who can play with her.

Other child felt water is awesome.  From that moment, water is awesome to him forever. 

Another child left a note saying “leave it alone!”  These words may be imprinted on his memory after his mother kept repeating many times.

All are fine.  In either case, the child has new idea of water in his/her mind.

Some heard the water god said “you can do it” while he gives a wink.  For anyone who could hear something from the water god, they would have different sensation next time when they touch water from fountain or drink water from a bottle.  If you have any empathy, I am sure you can do it too.

photo : Yu Nozaki

WATER AND DIAMOND: 23 COMMENTS BY VISITORS NO.1

At the exhibition, I asked people to write down what kinds of message they heard by looking at the water god.  Many left beautiful words, and I really appreciate it.  Those comments are my treasure.  I would like to share some of these.

-          Humans should learn from nature and water.

-          Time to be awakened!

-          We would like to coexist!

-          This planet itself is an art. And each of our life keeps creating present moments.

-          Conserve the nature and water…

-          It looks as if my mom is angry… uuuu!!! Anger.  (6 years old)

-          It’s been polluted… Do something!!

-          Live your life with no regrets!

-          Working behind the scenes

-          I can see the creatures which live on the earth; one time, they look having fun, and other time, they have sad conversation.  At the same time, however, they seem to chase dreams.

WATER AND DIAMOND: 22 BEING REFINED

There was an exhibition from 2^nd to 6^th of July.  

I felt the water kept running nicely every day.  Every morning when I got the venue, I greeted to each of my work, and told them to make beautiful streams as usual.  Then, I heard they started to make some sounds.  At first, they sounded a bit restless.  However, after a while, they started to fill the venue with present harmoney.

I could hear the sound here and there; it sounded …koro koro, sui sui, horo horo, shu shu, kon kon…

Many people who visited the exhibition may have heard the sound, and some stopped their steps, open their eyes wide open, and listened it very carefully.

By having conversations with a flow on my work, people opened their heart.  Some kept coming back to the exhibition, had contacts with my work quietly, and went home.

That made my work refined.  As more people see the work, they become genuine little by little by having conversations, being polished, lightened, and started to glow

It seemed to me as if the water transformed into diamonds.

photo : Yu Nozaki

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 21 ENCOUNTERING

From July 2 to 6, I will have my exhibition “In gratitude for the water of life; Prayer of water” at Happoen in Shirogane, Tokyo.  During the exhibition, I have to give a break to this blog.

Many people support me to have this exhibition.

I am very looking forward to meeting people who share their precious time for this event.  I displayed my works in order to have their water flow as if you can hear the sound of water, which makes the atmosphere of the venue very nice.  As a result, it resonates with the lights in each visitor, and makes them smile.

Each of us has a light in our heart from diamond.  We can amuse the light of diamond inside of us.  How hard the diamond is, the word “thank you” makes the hardness soft.

I try my best to receive the words “thank you” from each visitor at the exhibition.  The beautiful flow of water supports me to do so.  The beautiful flow leads to the beauty of life.

I am looking forward to meeting you at the exhibition.

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 20 LITTLE BREAK

Yesterday, I had a mini talk show about water and diamond in Yokohama.  Many people spared their precious time for me, and I hope they enjoyed my talk.  It also was a good opportunity for me to ask myself what I really want to tell people.

Followings are conclusions to my own question.

When I talk about diamonds, I want to people to know the meaning of “self”.  In other words, I want people to face their lives, which are the origin of self, and spare some time to think about self and life.

When I talk about water, I want to tell people the meaning of “being alive”.  I want to show the water as a model of how to live a life.

To sum up, I want to tell about the eternal life with a story of diamonds, and living in a moment from the story of water.

I would like to continue to have talks so that more people would realize the message above

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 19 QUALITY OF DIAMOND?

In order to determine quality of diamonds, so-called The Four C’s; carat, color, clarity, and cut, are used for certification.  However, this quality is unsupported by fact.

To start with, this is so unnatural to determine the quality of diamonds.  The word “quality” is not suitable when we talk about the natural products.  Don’t you think it is strange to refer the quality of carrots, stones, or woods, for example?

The concept of “quality” comes from when people have to control the quality of the mass produced materials at factories.

Therefore, there is no good or bad diamonds.  All the diamonds are wonderful.

If that is the case, what does The Four C’s mean to us?

This is just a measure in the market in order to price diamonds as a commodity.

 

If we have to assess the value of diamonds, it would be nice to use the measure which tells us the brilliancy of them.

It is common to other things as well, however, it is very important to know the differences between quality, value, and price.

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 18 GLITTER OF A DIAMOND

Glitter of a diamond comes from a harmony of three kinds of lights.

One is a light from reflection by cut surface.  It is the same kind of reflection you can see with mirrors. 

Second one is called scintillation, which happens when light sources move; this case they are our eyes and diamond itself,

The other one is called fire.  This light sparkles with all the colors of the rainbow when internal reflection happens. 

We can see the glitters due to the strong emission of these three lights at the same time.  When the lights are stronger, brighter, and well balanced, the glitter becomes more beautiful.  I often liken this action to music.  Good music has good rhythm, melody, and harmony which move people’s heart. 

I wonder if this is the same when we talk about people’s character.  Because when a person shines in her/his life, I believe that the light comes from one’s wisdom, dignity, and behavior.

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 17 BEAUTIFUL THING

I would like to share my message for the exhibition, Prayer of Water, starting from 2^nd of July.

The action of life maintains a dynamic balance.

Nature moves constantly, yet, supports life with orderly flow.

The action is well manifested in a flow of water.

The water changes its form continuously.

At the same time, it sustains a balance as a whole.

Water moves, flows, and circulates while purifying itself.

Aspired to see the movements of the life force, which is the same as a flow of time, try to capture the image at a source of rivers.

Natural beauty dwells in the Absolute Moment of heaven, humans, and earth.

The beauty leads to life force.  Life is natural beauty itself.

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 16 CREATING THE BEAUTY

In order to create the beauty of the diamonds, they need to be cut and polished.  When it is cut, a cutter has to decide which part to keep.  When polishing, s/he cuts little by little to shape it, and finish by buffing the surface.  Usually, cutters focus on making a good shape.  However, we keep in our mind the image of taking out the child of the lights which inherits in each rough diamond.   

It means that the essence of beauty is already in the rough diamonds.  Putting into a good shape doesn’t make the beauty, but we help it to come out from the stone.

As a result, it will have a beautiful shape. 

I think this is same to paintings or sculptures.  Before seeing the external beauty or pulling things into shape, one has to face the sacredness of the stone or woods in front, which is invisible.  If the artist is only focusing on the external beauty, the work will be vain and empty.

Visible shape is supported by the invisible beauty

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 15 BEAUTIFUL BRILLIANCY

Brilliancy is a beauty.  Prettiness, Kirei, and beauty, Utsukushisa, means slightly different in Japanese.  Water has prettiness, but not beauty.  However, we say the flow of water is beautiful.  In the same way, we refer light as pretty and brilliancy as beautiful.

Thinking in that way, beauty refers the nature of the materials, or its function which stimulates human emotion to make a positive reaction.  That makes beauty and pretty different.

Moreover, the word beauty is often accompanied by a sense of dignity which the speaker has.  S/he observes and comprehends the object, and resonate it inside of her/him.

Brilliancy of the diamond also is a material term.  I would like you to know that the material tem is supported by the resonance from inside.  For those who can resonate, I really wish them to have diamonds.

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 14 SPARKLES

Recently, I have been posting entries on this blog regarding water and diamonds; their similarities and differences.  When I think back, I have to realize that I have spent much of my life on these two materials.  People often ask whether if they share anything in common.  Not until just 15 years ago, I didn’t even think about the similarities.  However, there are so many, and I soon realized that “Life”, which is the most important thing for living creatures, is the key word.

Carbon is the essential substance for living being, and diamond is a crystallized carbon. Water also is crucial for living. 

Moreover, in order to live a lively life, one must shine like a diamond.  Eternal life means circulating like water. 

Now you can see how these two materials are connected deep in the bottom.  Humanity has a responsibility to relate to them with value.

Some would say this sounds very religious, however, that is an opinion from people who have wrong conception of religion.  When we get older, we have different views on nature and life start to change naturally.  Therefore, getting along in years is a good thing.

WATER AND DIAMOND: NO. 13 LITTLE BREAK… LIGHTS AND GLINTS

I received precious E-mail yesterday, and I would like to share it with you.

It reads “Mr. Shigetomi’s Ryusui-mon is self-less and profound work which identify itself with a flow of water. 

While it shows a fast tempo of the flow, I can still hear an instrument sing like a water song.  I suppose this is because the work carries memory of water. 

It reminded me of a phrase ‘human is a drop of water, and God is water’. ”

Setsuko Klossowska de Rola

 

This is a message from Ms. Setsuko for my exhibition starting from July 2^nd, In gratitude for the water of life; Prayer of water.  Due to her elegant vocabulary and sophisticated sentences, I can easily picture warm and blight light from Ms. Setsuko.  This, I believe, is a sparkle.