We visited an exhibition drawn from the collection of Hiroko Yamakawa, a Kanazawa-based homemaker collector.
The venue was “Kanazawa Art Gummi,” a gallery in the area of the Omicho Market in Kanazawa.
Kanazawa Art Gummi
This exhibition, “My Dog Lassie,” is a collection show featuring only works that take Hiroko Yamakawa’s pet dog Lassie (a dachshund) as their motif.
The first commissioned work: a mezzotint by printmaker Yuki Tsuritani, with Lassie
The exhibition space overflowed with various kinds of artworks all featuring the beloved dog Lassie as their motif.
The number of works came to over 100 pieces.
Installation view — the display room designed to evoke a dog house (center)
The character for “dream,” inscribed inside the doghouse installed at the center, touches the heart.
Bur@rt: How long have you been collecting? Hiroko Yamakawa: I’ve been collecting for about 10 years.
Bur@rt: How many works are in your collection overall? Hiroko Yamakawa: The overall collection is around 140 works.
Bur@rt: Do you have any commissioned works other than of Lassie? Hiroko Yamakawa: No, I don’t have any commissioned works other than Lassie ones.
Bur@rt: Could you tell us about your collecting policy or the things you particularly value? I try to set aside biases like whether an artist is famous or unknown, or whether their value might rise in the future, and instead I look at the work together with the artist’s character and dignity when making a request. It’s like—when I think, “I’d like to see this person’s Lassie work!!”—I ask them.
Bur@rt: Could you tell us about the motifs you like or the tendencies of your collection outside of commissioned works?
Hiroko Yamakawa: Outside of commissions, I like fantastical works.
Bur@rt: Who is your favorite artist, or the artist you collect the most? Hiroko Yamakawa: For deceased artists, Kyosai Kawanabe and Takeo Takei. Among living artists, there are so many that it’s hard to single out particular names.
Bur@rt: Are there any artists you’d like to collect from in the future, or artists you’d like to commission? Hiroko Yamakawa: I value each encounter that comes my way, so it’s hard to say, “This person, right now!”
Yumi Nakada
Bur@rt: Yumi Nakada is an artist I know well too. Could you tell us your “way of asking” when you request works from abstract artists (or artists whose work makes it hard to use Lassie as a motif)?
I show them images of Lassie works from my collection and say, “I collect works like this,” and if they become interested, I ask them, on the principle that the theme and motif are Lassie, “Please express it freely in your own world.”
A booklet featuring the collection works had also been produced.
A wide range of commissioned works from various genres were on display, and one could feel not only Ms. Yamakawa’s love for Lassie but also her passion for art.
My Dog Lassie -山川收藏-
我们造访了金泽的主妇藏家Hiroko Yamakawa的收藏展。
会场是位于金泽近江町市场周边的画廊”Kanazawa Art Gummi”。
Kanazawa Art Gummi
本次”My Dog Lassie”（My Dog Lassie）是仅展示以Hiroko Yamakawa的爱犬Lassie（腊肠犬）为主题的作品的收藏展。
Bur@rt：컬렉션 경력은 몇 년 정도이신가요? Hiroko Yamakawa：컬렉션 경력은 약 10년 정도입니다.
Bur@rt：전체 컬렉션 수는 몇 점 정도이신가요? Hiroko Yamakawa：전체 컬렉션 수는 140점 정도일까요.
Bur@rt：랏시 군 이외에 커미션 작품을 가지고 계시나요? Hiroko Yamakawa：랏시 군 이외의 커미션 작품은 없습니다.
Bur@rt：컬렉션의 방침이나 고집이 있다면 들려주실 수 있을까요? 유명하다든가 무명이라든가, 앞으로 가치가 오를 것 같다든가 하는 색안경을 벗고, 작품과 작가의 인품, 품성을 보고 부탁드리도록 하고 있습니다. “이 사람의 랏시 군 작품을 보고 싶다‼︎”라고 생각하면 부탁드리는 그런 느낌이지요.
Bur@rt：커미션 외에 좋아하는 모티프나 컬렉션 작품의 경향 등을 들려주실 수 있을까요?
Hiroko Yamakawa：커미션 외라면 환상적인 작품을 좋아합니다.
Bur@rt：좋아하는 작가, 혹은 가장 많이 컬렉션하고 있는 작가는요? Hiroko Yamakawa：작고 작가라면 Kyosai Kawanabe, Takeo Takei. 현존 작가는 워낙 많아서 특히 이름을 대기가 어렵네요.
Bur@rt：앞으로 컬렉션하고 싶은 작가, 커미션을 부탁드리고 싶은 작가가 계신가요? Hiroko Yamakawa：그때그때의 인연을 소중히 여기며 부탁드리기 때문에 “지금 시점에 이분!”이라고 말씀드리기 어렵습니다.
Yumi Nakada
Bur@rt：Yumi Nakada 씨는 저도 잘 알고 있는 작가입니다. 추상 작가(혹은 랏시 군을 모티프로 삼기 어려운 경향의 작품을 만드는 작가)에게 부탁드릴 때의 “의뢰 방식”이 있다면 들려주세요.
“이런 식으로 작품을 컬렉션하고 있어요～” 라며 랏시 군 작품 이미지를 보여드리고 관심을 가져 주시면, 테마·모티프는 랏시 군이라는 것을 원칙으로 “본인의 세계관으로 좋아하는 대로 표현해 주세요”라고 부탁드립니다.
컬렉션 작품을 담은 책자도 제작되어 있었다.
폭넓은 장르의 커미션 작품이 전시되어, 야마카와 씨의 랏시 군에 대한 애정과 함께 아트에 대한 열정도 느낄 수 있었다.
