JR East Takasaki Station "Poem of Daruma"

Ceramic Relief

Art Critic
Takachiyo Uemura
"The birth of Fukuzawa art that interweaves with humor and fantasy"

It is said that as a symbol of Takasaki station west entrance which opened with refurbishment, a large mural art by Ichiro Fukuzawa's original painting will be decorated.
When I saw the original painting of the mural in a color photograph, I found that it is a pleasant mural in which Jomo three mountains are drawn far away in the background, and a group of Takasaki Daruma's figures are composed with an interesting and personifying feeling on the front. The moment I saw this original painting, I thought, "This is a splendid idea." I think that it will become famous with the word "in front of Daruma", like "Hachiko" in Shibuya station square. The theme is good, and the artist who selected this theme is also suitable.
Mr. Fukuzawa is a famous senior authority as a person of Cultural Merit born in this prefecture and already has a relationship with the Japanese National Railways as an artist of the stained glass mural in Tokyo station, and is a masterpiece in the production of mural arts with a particularly rich production history in recent years. Takasaki Daruma, regardless of its origin, is getting the spotlight and its famous degree is rising, since politicians might believe in it at every election and their regular use becomes popular in recent years.
Mr. Fukuzawa is well known as a pioneer leading the art movement of surrealism in the Japanese art world before the war. On the other hand, he is an unique master who has traveled favorably in frontiers such as India, Amazon, Australia and so on, and has continued to draw mural arts based on humanistic themes covered from exploring human's rustic ecology and cultural ruins after the war.
Even in this mural art of Daruma, the composition which personally handled the group of Daruma figures has a life-like rhythm, a strange fantasy finance with humor is felt, and Fukuzawa's first class feature appears dynamically.
The mural art at Tokyo station mentioned above made use of the stained glass which had been undeveloped as a material, but this time the art will make use of the special expressive power of Arita ware ceramic board material. Here, you can see a side of the painter who always burns with a new will. I would like to expect that the work will be a specialty which is enjoyed and loved by many people.

Takasaki City Mayor
Kenji Numaga
A large mural art of "Daruma" has been made at the position looking down the station square in Takasaki station.
Laughing, getting angry, being pleased ...... It is said that, the artist Mr. Ichiro Fukuzawa expressed human emotions with various expressions. Darumas with rich expressions are gazing at the plaza where citizens gather, as if speaking something. I think that it is a theme suitable for decorating the square in front of Takasaki station, since the picture is familiar to everyone from children to adults.
Mr. Ichiro Fukuzawa who drew the original painting not only came from the local Gumma prefecture but also is a famous artist worldwidely as well as domestically. I am very pleased that such a superb artist made such a wonderful mural art in a public place. I am sincerely hoping that this mural will be loved as a symbol of Takasaki city and Takasaki station, as a pride of the citizens for a long time.