Wondering if Amelie Nothomb's book Tokyo Fiancee would be a good topic for my Japonaiserie du jour, I visited her editor's site and instead was intrigued by the fact that Muriel Barbery (The Elegance of the Hedgehog) another author from Europa editions had also spent time in Japan.
She led me to Villa Kujoyama, opened in Kyoto in 1992 but tracing its roots all the way back to 1924 and Paul Claudel.
I was going to call it an artist retreat but this is not quite the case. Resident artists have not withdrawn to the wilderness.
A better description might be an artist den.
Residents from the 2009 Vintage run the gamut from Lucie Almon (cartoons) to Rasim Biyikli (music).
Some of them even blog their experience.
Rasim shares his impressions from Japan in French and in Pictures like the sign below. I hope he does not mind loaning it to me…
As for Lucie Albon, she tells us about a Concert de Dessin (Concert of Drawings) at the French-Japanese Institute on February 25th (her illustration below).
I am not sure what to make of it. Is it a jam session by graphic artists?
Are they playing instruments or will the only sounds heard be those of markers on sheets of paper.
God only knows.
I would not mind having the luxury of such surroundings to follow my inspiration, in a sunnier place maybe.
One for the eyes and the mind on Tokyo Thursdays # 76
My apology for the abscence of Tokyo Thursdays last week due to my being deep into the local Twestival preparations.
More Franco-Japanese Connections:
Japan's Gainsbourg Fever Live in Paris: Jon the Dog, Kenzo Saeki