Worship of Magi (Holy Landscapes Series) 東方三賢王の礼拝（聖風景シリーズ）

OKAMOTO Shinjiro 岡本　信治郎

Led by a star coursing above their heads, the three Magi of the East are on the road to salute baby Jesus. The well-known episode from the Bible is presented here with forceful outlines and bright colors. The artist does not like his painting to change as he works on it, and it is realized on canvas exactly as it has been conceived in his mind, with the colors applied one by one onto line-divided planes. The flatly applied acrylic produces uniform color planes that are without depth or weight, making the painted figures look like shadows. The artist considers the “Holy Landscapes Series” including this work as a modest experiment in reexamining the meaning of human existence at its very basis. The experiment arises from his intense distrust of human beings including himself. According to the artist, in our time, there is no organic tie to connect the individuals with the society, and we can not dream of building a spiritual community like those portrayed in Medieval religious painting that seek the eternal in the communion with heaven and earth. It was to stress this matter, the artist says, that he has intentionally presented this scene as if this is happening within the community. The clean, flat figures in it give off a sense of cheerful hollowness despite the peaceful theme.

Collection of: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Title: Worship of Magi (Holy Landscapes Series)
Artist Name: OKAMOTO Shinjiro
Year: 1964
Category: Painting&Print
Material / Technique: Acrylic on canvas
Acquisition date: 1989
Accession number: 1989-00-0051-000
MOT Collection Search: https://mot-collection-search.jp/shiryo/3267/

Metadata

Other items of Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (8084)

[Dessin for "Pack"]

ASAKURA Setsu

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

作品画像：1970年代美術記録写真集「池田徹　1977年10月21日　真木画廊」

IKEDA Toru, 1977-10-21, Gallery Maki

ANZAI Shigeo

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

作品画像：（左）山の向こうの中腹のちっぽけな村はすでに見えなくなり、ふたたび春が巡ってきた。葡萄の木はあたかも塀の笠石の下を匍う病める大蛇のように見える。生あたたかい空気のなかを褐色の光が動きまわっていた。似たりよったりの毎日が作りだす空白は伐り残した若木まで切り倒すだろう。日々の暮らしのなかで樹木の茂みは岩のように突き出ている。（右）自分の暮らした村がこんなに小さく思われたことはない。太陽が姿をみせた。背の高いポプラの林は風に吹き動かされる砂浜のような格好をしている。切れ目のないその連続を見ているだけで眼がくらんでくる。変り映えしない日々の連続に酔うことができたなら象や蛇をしとめた気にもなれる。蝶が舞うようにそんな風に彼はものを識ったのである。

(Left) The little village on the far mountainside was already out of sight, and spring was coming around again. The grape trees were like large ailing snakes creeping under the coping stones of the wall. A brown light moved about in the tepid air. The void created by the selfsame every day is likely to chop down even the young trees that were left behind. In this everyday life, a thicket of trees protrudes like a boulder. (Right) The village I lived in has never been thought of as so small. The sun showed itself. The tall poplar forest looks like a beach being blown about by the wind. I grow dizzy just watching that seamless succession. If I can manage to get drunk on this succession of unchanging days, I can also grow to feel like I have taken down an elephant or snake. He differentiated things in this way, like a fluttering butterfly.

OKAZAKI Kenjiro

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo