"Passo", one of Azumi Aiikuen's facilities, is a bright and open space. When I visited, it was just Christmas time and the party was in full swing. Singing songs, dressing up, and the users seem to have a lot of fun. Everyone made a big fuss at the visit of actress Chizuru Higashi! We also mixed together and took pictures.
Afterwards, observe the state of production. The artist I met is Haruka Mori, who draws with a brush between her toes while sitting in a wheelchair. A vibrant, pop, and powerful work. The letters are cool and punky. Since I didn't know that he could draw with his feet, I fell in love with him and asked him to exhibit several times. Mineo Ito, who draws his name and people he cares about, is a famous person in the art industry who has a long career. Letters overlap and connect organically, just like cells and synapses. I knew about the work from before, but I finally got to meet him! I was able to exchange business cards in a polite manner while always wearing a dress shirt and a tie (^O^).
A large mural was installed in "Alba". Koichi Tsuchiya draws leaves that look like ripe fruit. Each shape is subtly different and full of vitality. The composition of colors and forms is so exquisite that you can almost hear the music when you look at it.
For some reason, Kiyomi Hoshi draws on dismantled milk cartons. Draw animals such as zebras, giraffes, birds, etc. with oil pastels vigorously with strong pen pressure. On the contrary, the inability to control fine brush movements leads to a bold touch, resulting in a powerful work. In the car on the way home, I met President Sakuma, who had studied in Italy, and Italian psychiatrist Basaglia, who preached that living freely in the community would be the best cure for mental illness, and was the first in the world to completely abolish mental hospitals. It was also impressive that I was able to talk a little about it. (HN)
Unico means "unique", "individual" and "one" in Italian. It seems that everyone is "unique" regardless of whether they have a disability or not, and various "individualities" including disabilities gather to form a "one" society. We have a long history of sending works to exhibit at art exhibitions, but this was the first time we visited the facility. Today is the Christmas party. Well lively. The users and the support staff are in high spirits.
You can feel this peaceful and warm atmosphere in the work of Mr. unico. Mr. Mineo Ito was wearing a necktie and exchanging business cards with a lot of affection. It seems that he practiced writing his own name, "Mineo Ito," and that led him to "drawing" over time. By repeatedly writing "Ito Mineo", it looks like the letters are dancing and it looks like a stylish design. It is a work that has many fans both in Japan and overseas. (CA)
The “Hajimari no Art Museum” was opened in 2014 by renovating a 130-year-old sake brewery as a “place to enjoy expression and connect” where everyone can gather. We value the power of human expression and the richness that comes from human connections, and aim to open up a tolerant and creative society. Not only are they exhibiting their works, but they also do related events and projects. This kind of project may be one of the charms of the Hajimari Museum of Art.
It was a day to be immersed in art, a place of creation by the "Unico" project and a place to enjoy and connect with the expression by "Museum of Beginnings". I'm glad I came (^^) (TY)
The works of Unico artists are on permanent display at Starbucks Fukushima Yanome store.
Social Welfare Corporation Asaka Aiikuen "Unico" "Museum of Beginnings"
A small art museum located at the foot of Lake Inawashiro. The social welfare corporation Asaka Aiikuen, which is the mother organization, visited this time. The art project in it is called Unico.
52 Kyotan Sasagawa, Azumi-cho, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture
TEL.024-945-0369