MICHAEL FREI LAYS DOWN KEY CYMBAL MOMENT IN THE TEGOOZ NEW SONG COMODIUS VICUS

Fujita Tsugeharu in Ueno

Leonard Foujita Exhibit Doesnt give Complete Picture!

I have always been more deeply struck by the artist Tsugeharu Fujita's LIFE STORY, or more specifically by the way he was successfully able to create and recreate HIMSELF, depending on the particular time or place he found himself in, than in his actual works. In fact, the more I think about the way he changed costumes and political positions — PERSONAS — I realize that probably, it was this LIFE AS PERFORMANCE ART which was his greatest creation.

Born in Tokyo in 1886, the son of an army doctor, after graduation from the school which would later become the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music (Geidai), Fujita moved to Paris and went on to succeed there, spectacularly, where most of his fellow Japanese modern artists would fail, miserably. With flamboyant costumes (togas, dresses, large earrings…), his KAPPA hairstyle, and a hard core partying life style which he used to turn himself into an icon, he successfully exhibited and sold his works — nudes, cats… painted in an interesting mixture of Japanese and Western techniques — in the great capitals of Europe, and in New York. Among his acquaintances were Soutine, Modigliani, Diego Rivera, and Picasso.

Despite his unprecedented achievements in the West (while at the same time talented Japanese artists such as Saeki Yuzo were driven to despair, or even madness, by their failures to be recognized as true modern artists by Europeans who merely expected JAPONICA from them), some resentments or latent sense of racial pride must have been festering deep in his heart, as he returned to Japan in the 1930s, threw off his roaring 20s GAY PARISIAN facade, donned an assortment of military uniforms and started to paint for the cause of militarism and EMPIRE (it is ironic for me ,though, that the paintings that remain from this period are the most impressive of his works for me, especially his Last Stand At Attu, 1943).

When the war was over, Fujita did another costume change, designing Christmas cards for the GHQ, etc. His Japanese colleagues, however, could not forget his enthusiasm (which was very likely just another facade) for the WAR CAUSE and he was blacklisted by the Japanese Art Association.

Fujita escaped to New York (he was not granted a visa to France), where he had some success, but there too, local artists got together to denounce his wartime collusion. Finally securing his French visa (after one year in the US), he moved to an old farm-house deep in the countryside. He and his third wife converted to Catholicism and changed their first names — he to Leonard. He dedicated the rest of his long life (he died in 1968) to decorating a church with stained glass and frescoes, and to painting pictures of cats and children, all in a style quite different from that which made him famous in the 20s.

As someone who has also spent his life crossing back and forth between two or more worlds, I have always found Fujita to be a fascinating character. That is why when I saw the poster of the Kappa-haired, bespectacled, artist posing with a cat, announcing that there was a Fujita exhibition on, I dropped all plans, got on TX and headed for Ueno. I was excited, but also had a premonition that I would be disappointed. The poster gave no details of which of his works were being shown and I doubted that it would be what I wanted to see — a comprehensive retrospective.

It was not until I entered the Ueno No Mori Bijutsukan (why is this called the Royal Museum in English?), that I found out what the exhibition was about. It seems that in 1992, some large,forgotten works made by Fujita in the late 1920s, were discovered in some warehouses in the suburbs of Paris. Since Fujita was a recipient of the French Legion of Honor (and someone whose works will draw plenty of Japanese tourists) the local government had some of France's most skillful art restoration experts work on the canvasses which were in atrocious condition. These five works, along with his church decorations (as well as many pieces from his final period in the French countryside) and a recreation of his last atelier, are the central features of the exhibit.

Also included are some of his early works, in the style upon which his reputation was originally built (delicate lines, and a surprising use of white and gray, as opposed to other colors). For me these were the most interesting of those in this exhibition , as I found the restored works, as well as the later church works to be CAMPY (though that is only my opinion, as many Japanese visitors seemed to have been genuinely moved).

Unfortunately, the wartime works, so full of color, passion and historical interest, are not on display, and for me this this left a huge hole in the exhibit. I would also have liked to see more photos of the man in his various incarnations.

The exhibition will be on until Jan. 28th. If you are in Ueno and have an interest in the history of Japanese (western-style) art, or in how cultures can be blended in amazing ways by those of us who move back and forth through them, you might want to check it out.

More than the exhibit, I would recommend reading more about this unique character and checking out the works for ALL his different periods, in books or online. I also enjoyed the book Glory in a Line: a Life of Foujita, the Artist Caught between East and West by Phyllis Birnbaum.

See more of his works and get more info on the exhibition at http://leonardfoujita.jp/.

By coincidence, the day after I saw this exhibit, I saw a very impressive (more than anything in Ueno) early Fujita at the New Otani Art Museum. Sandwiched between the brightly colored works of his European contemporaries, the black and white nude is startling. This museum is small and there are no guards watching over you (don't you hate that?) so you can take your time and savor the small collection. Also, by strange chance, at the same exhibit were a few works by the Belgium painter Maurice de Vlaminck. It was he who told Saeki Yuzo (the tragic artist I mentioned above) to give up Western style painting, as a Japanese could only be derivative and academic when attempting to paint like Europeans. In the small room exhibiting Japanese works were two scrolls with Mt Tsukuba depicted in the background.

If you are in the Hakone area, or a Yuzo Saeki fanatic, there will be an exhibit of his works through early March at the Pola Museum.

Avi Landau

Sacred Shimenawa forNew Years

Happy New Year from the Tengooz

A Happy New Year to all you TenGoophiles out there ! Hase G and I were horribly sick for a couple of weeks
so the completion of our new recordings has been delayed. We should be ready to release them by the end of this month.

Since I recovered Ive been frantically at work, rescuing birds from the frozen lotus fields of Tsuchiura, reading lots (Ive just finished Ma Jian`s Beijing Coma and the Brief Woderous Life of Oscar Wao),
and taking in lots of exhibitions in Tokyo.

We hope that youve had a better holiday than I had. And once again we greatly appreciate your support.

Avi Landau

Michael Frei Whipping Up Some Original Fare For The TenGooz

View from Avi's window

View from Avi's window

Avi and Hase G Backstage

The TenGooz getting in tune

TenGooz setting up for tonights gig

Thomas doing guitar work on new TENGOOZ recordings

The Thrill of Being in Studio With The TenGooz

AMIDA-ZON

MIGAWARI AMIDA

"Miracle Working" Stone Near TenGooz Place of Practice

More than 400 years ago, during Japan's so-called Warring States Period (Sengoku Jidai) , a wooden fortress known as Hanamuro-Jo, stood a few hundred meters from where the TenGooz now practice . No one is certain exactly how many years this fortification stood, as there are no extant records bearing this information, however, there is documentation of Hanamuro-Jo still having still existed in 1569, as battles raged for control of this region. Even if it did actually survive the fighting of those years, it still would not have lasted long into the Edo Period (1600-1867) , during which a unified Japan was consolidated under the Tokugawa Family. This is because the One Domain-One Castle Law (Ikkoku Ichijo Rei , 一国一城令) of 1615, permitted only one fortification to survive in each HAN (domain) . The castle selected to be given a lease on life in this area was the Turtle Castle (Kijo , 亀城 ) of the Tsuchiya Clan, in Tsuchiura (Tsukuba was NOT as many believe, part of the Mito Domain) , while any other fortifications that still existed had to be completely dismantled.
No matter when or how Hanamuro-Jo met its fate, one thing is for sure — it has disappeared with hardly a trace. The hill upon which it once stood is covered by woods, with only a corroded, barely legible, old sign left to remind the rare person to wander by of what was once there.

A bit to the West however, past the traffic light near the Hanamasa Grocery Store, lies a grassy knoll, where memories of Hanamuro Castle are kept alive. On top of this little green island of a mound sits a small shrine which houses a large unengraved, stone slab, along with many smaller stones and pebbles. Offerings of sake, rice-cakes ,etc., and numerous strands of SENBA TSURU (one thousand cranes) can always be found placed in front of or inside the wooden structure, as worshipers come to beseech and give thanks to the MIGAWARI AMIDA (the Scapegoat Amida) , who has resided on this little hill since the days of Hanamuro-Jo.

Amida is the Buddha of Infinite Light, who rules the Pure Land, and is one of the most popular figures in Japanese Buddhism, and the central figure of the JODO and JODO SHIN Sects. His name is invoked by believers who seek his aid, or wish to enter his Western Paradise.
Migawari (身替り) can be directly translated as a surrogate, or taking the place of or standing in for another. I have translated this as SCAPEGOAT, since the devotees of this deity which resides near the ruins of Hanamuro Castle, believe that their pain, injuries, or other forms of suffering are transferred away from them and taken on by the stone on the hill, just as the sins of the ancient Israelites were cast away into a goat.
There are many stories extolling the powers of the stone. The most dramatic I have heard were years ago from old Mr. Ohtsu, a descendant of the family which kept the Hanamuro Castle as Vassals of Lord Oda. He recounted how he had accidentally fallen into a fire he had going (the same fires which still foul our Tsukuba air) and miraculously emerged completely unscathed. He later noticed that the stone slab had turned completely black. In disbelief, he went to call his family and neighbors. Everyone was amazed. The newspapers were called and some ran the story.
Mr. Ohtsu's wife tells of a similar experience. She knocked over a kerosene stove. To her great relief, no fire broke out. Chills went down her spine when she later found that the stone had once again turned black. Her husband actually took some pictures of the blackened stone and you can see what looks clearly like a hand print in them . A few hours later, they say, the black faded away.
The Migawari Amida is also renowned throughout the prefecture for helping get rid of ODEKI, which are tumors or pusy fistules. These days it is also believed to be efficacious for traffic safety. Devotees take a pebble from the shrine and keep it for one year before returning it.

There is an interesting legend related to the origin of this allegedly MIRACLE WORKING STONE. In the days when Hanamuro-Jo still stood, one the Lords of the Castle, Ohstu Nagato no Kami, was burning up with a high fever. His vassals were in a panic, and prayed fervently for the intersession of the Gods and Buddhas. Delirious, the Lord had a dream. A voice called to him. "I am the God which protects your family. I will take on all that ails you. Tomorrow, go to the well where the horses are washed on the drilling ground". When he revealed his dream to his retainers the next day, they rushed to the well.
When they peered down into it, they saw something glittering brightly below. They pulled out the stone, and enshrined it on the hill.

Behind the shrine is an old tree, a descendant of a tree which stood by the shrine before the Tokugawa Period. This tree is considered an Important Natural Heritage by Ibaraki Prefecture.

The TenGooz will be in the studio this coming weekend.

Avi Landau

Thomas Mayers and HASE G working on a new TenGooz song

Michael Frei at TenGooz rehearsal

Clear Skies!

There are dramatic and historic moments which have come to define each generation.
I remember my grandparents asking their contemporaries- Where were you when you first heard the news of Pearl Harbour? My parents would ask friends- where were you when Kennedy was shot?
It is common to ask- Where were you when the World Trade Center was hit? While most Americans probably learned of Obama`s victory at home, as it was late at night in the US, those of us in Japan yesterday first heard the dramatic news sometime in the afternoon (because of the time difference).
Thus, we can ask each other- Where were you when Obama won? Well, let me tell you where I was.
I was teaching a Tsukuba City sponsored class called Singing The Songs of The 1960`s. We study (and sing) the lyrics of the great protest songs- anti-vietnam war songs, songs of the civil rights and labor movements etc…

Yesterday, we had just finshed a rousing version of If I had a Hammer( its a hammer of justice, its a bell of FREEDOM….) and were studying the lyrics to Dylans Blowin in the wind(how many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?) It was then I got a call on my cell phone . I knew it was from Rick with news about the election , so I took the call during class. I announced the results to my students.
There were tears in many eyes, and we were all moved by the success of decades of struggle (and the fight still goes on) to create a society as free as possible from hate and discrimination.

When I woke up this morning it was as if I were awakening fro an eight year long nightmare.

Lets hope that all the great expectations bring about actual changes!

Listen to The TenGooz - Clear Skies at

www.jamendo.com/en/album/1876

The TenGooz at Nalu Toy Box, whipping up the surf!

We love playing at the toy box. Not only because of the great staff and good acoustics, but also for its location, which is right on the beach! Even in September Thomas and Mio could get in a little surfing before our gig.
Last weekend, cold and windy afternoon weather kept us from even wetting our feet and to the north and south, hardly a soul could be seen all the way out too the horizon.
We were worried that no-one would show up for our show, put while returning from beach walk-philosophical discussion with Thomas, already cars were pulling up for the gig.
A voice called out- ARE YOU THE TENGOOZ? We then realized that we would not be playing just for the staff that night.

We started a sound check which somehow turned into a first set. We ended up playing 3 sets in all before packing it up, and though this was far from our best show, in some songs, especially TIME FLOW and SAUDADE there was some magic.

Tonight we will be at GUM BALL in Tsukuba for a Halloween gig. We had a couple of rehearsals this week and have added a new song - based on a Thomas riff (highly Levitical), and revived some of our old stuuf (OFURO).

Hope to see you there tonight!

Avi