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“Eternity- Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn”, Tokyo 2019

「無限の未来ー小泉八雲終焉の地」

新宿区, 東京都, 日本

     

    Eternity – Resting Place of Lefcadio Hearn
    Stainless Steel, White Granite, 2.8 m
    Koizumi Yakumo Memorial Park
    Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
    2019
    30 Years Anniversary of Friendship between Lefkada and Shinjuku

    無限の未来 小泉八雲終焉の地
    ステンレス・スチール, 白花崗岩, 2.8 m
    小泉八雲記念公園
    新宿区, 東京都, 日本
    2019
    レフカダ市・新宿区友好30周年記念

     


     

     
     

     

    Press/Media

     

     

    Inscription At Base of Sculpture – For Eternity: The Final Resting Place of Koizumi Yakumo – Bon Koizumi
    Inscription English

    After a remarkable life that started halfway around the world from Japan’s Shinjuku City in Lefkada, Greece, author Koizumi Yakumo (also known as Lafcadio Hearn) passed into the Great Eternity in Shinjuku City’s Okubo area, connecting these two cities forever. This monument, named “ETERNITY—Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn,” was built to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the sister city alliance between Lefkada, Greece and Shinjuku, Japan.

    For Eternity: The Final Resting Place of Koizumi Yakumo. Bon Koizumi

    After a remarkable life that started halfway around the world from Japan’s Shinjuku City in Lefkada, Greece, author Koizumi Yakumo (also known as Lafcadio Hearn) passed into the Great Eternity in Shinjuku City’s Okubo area, connecting these two cities forever. This monument, named “ETERNITY—Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn,” was built to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the sister city alliance between Lefkada, Greece and Shinjuku, Japan.

    In this work, the cross point of feathers represents the crossing between East and West, with the airborne feathers representing the symbolic fluidity of Koizumi’s journeys, while the heart-shaped opening represents the forming of an open mind with no prejudice.

    After visiting the city of Lefkada, artist Masaaki Noda, long fascinated by Koizumi’s creative realm, donated a monument in honor of the writer to the American University of Athens in 2009. Sister monuments were later installed in Matsue City, Japan—another city close to Koizumi’s heart—and in Lefkada. Four cities intimately connected to Koizumi now share the common feature of being home to sculptures dedicated to him.

    With the expectation of realizing a sustainable society where all people are in harmony, we hope this monument will be cherished by all for millennia as a symbol of respect for cultural diversity and the spiritual life of Koizumi Yakumo.

    Bon Koizumi

    Great grandson of Koizumi Yakumo

    September 21, 2019

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    Inscription Japanese 日本語

    無限,未来—小泉八雲終焉の地

    ETERNITY Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn

    無限,未来—小泉八雲終焉の地</P

    ギリシャ・レフカダで生を享け、地球半周を巡り、新宿・大久保で生涯を閉じた作家・小泉八雲(ラフカディオ・ハ-ン)の縁で結ばれる新宿区とレフカダ市。両市の友好都市提携30周年を記念し、モニュメント”ETERNITY-Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn”(「無限の未来―小泉八雲終焉の地」)が設置された。

    この作品には、羽の支点は東洋と西洋の交わりを、飛翔する羽には八雲の漂泊の旅の象徴としての流動性を、開口部のハート形には偏見のない開かれた精神の形象を見出すことができる。

    レフカダを訪ねて以来、八雲の世界に魅かれた制作者・野田正明氏は、2009年にアテネのギリシャ・アメリカン大学に八雲をオマージュするモニュメントを寄贈し、その後、八雲とゆかりの深い松江とレフカダにも設置された。これで八雲をめぐる4都市が彫刻で結ばれることとなる。

    持続可能な共生社会の実現が期待されるいま、文化の多様性を尊重した小泉八雲の精神性のシンボルとして、このモニュメントが人々に永く愛されることを切望する。

    小泉凡

    小泉八雲曽孫

    2019年9月21日

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    Message of Greek Ambassador Mr. Constantin Cakioussis Upon Dedication of Eternity
    Message English

    Greek Ambassador Mr. Constantin Cakioussis Message Upon Dedication of Eternity

    Message by H.E. Mr. Constantin Cakioussis

    Ambassador of Greece to Japan

    Approaching the personality of Lafcadio Hearn one is struck by the capacity of reflection of the Japanese reality he was witnessing. He, contrary to other Japanologists of his time, did not try to alter the reality he was immersed into, so as it could fit preconceived occidental ideas. Like if his heart was an open window to Japanese reality, destined to convey it to western readers. In doing so, he entered along with his works into Eternity.

    The work of Mr. Masaaki Noda’s “Eternity” is exactly visualizing this. Through the open heart of Lafcadio Hearn, it is Yakumo Koizumi who is reflecting Japanese reality without allowing for any egoistic distortion. If one looks through the heart of Yakumo Koizumi, he will perceive Lafcadio Hearn, at the same time, returning the vision to oneself, he will look at the eternal Japanese reality the latter lived in and described so vividly and sincerely to the world.

    click here to close Message Japanese 日本語

    駐日ギリシャ大使

    コンスタンティン・カキュシス閣下メッセージ

    ラフカディオ・ハーンの個性に迫るとき、人は彼が目にした日本の真の姿を映し出す才能に心を打たれます。彼は、同時代の日本研究家達とは逆に、西洋人の先入観に迎合することなく、自身が身を置いている現実を変えようとはしませんでした。彼の心は日本へ向けて開かれた窓で、西洋の読者たちにその真の姿を伝える定めであったかのようでした。そうすることで、彼はその数々の作品と共に永遠の存在となったのです。

    野田正明氏の作品「エタニティー(無限の未来)」はまさにこれを視覚化したものです。ラフカディオ・ハーンの開かれた心を通して、日本の真の姿をゆがめることなく映し出しているのが小泉八雲であり、小泉八雲の心を通して見れば、ラフカディオ・ハーンを感じ取り、同時に、その目で、ハーンが暮らし、鮮やかに、そして誠実に、世界へ向けて描いた永遠なる日本の真の姿が見えてくることでしょう。

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    Statement Kenichi Yoshizumi, Mayor of Shinjuku City
    Statement Japanese 日本語

     

    ごあいさつ

    このたび、新宿区とレフカダ市との友好提携30年を迎えるにあたり、駐日ギリシャ大使のご尽力により、野田正明氏制作のモニュメント「無限の未来―小泉八雲終焉の地」を区立小泉八雲記念公園に設置できますことを心より感謝申し上げます。

    モニュメントの設置に至るまでレフカダ市長をはじめ、小泉凡様や野田正明様など多くの方からお力添えいただきましたこと重ねてお礼申し上げます。

    新宿区とレフカダ市は、小泉八雲(ラフカディオ・ハーン)という偉大な作家を縁として、1989年10月12日に友好都市であることを宣言し、以来、伝統芸術や子どもたちによるスポーツ、絵画を通じた交流を行ってきました。歴史がつないだこの縁を大切に、今後とも、両市がさまざまな形で交流を図り、相互理解をより一層深めていくことを心より願っています。

    新宿区長 吉住 健一

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    Statement English
    Greetings

    As we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Friendship between Shinjuku and Lefkada, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for the installation of the monument, “ETERNITY—Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn,” made by Mr. Masaaki Noda at the Koizumi Yakumo Memorial Park. This installation was made possible through all the efforts of the Ambassador of Greece to Japan.

    I offer cordial thanks to the Mayor of Lefkada, to Mr. Bon Koizumi, to Mr. Masaaki Noda and to many others for all their help towards the installation of the monument.

    Through the great author, Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn), Shinjuku City and Lefkada City established a friendship city agreement on October 12th 1989. Ever since then, mutual exchanges, such as traditional arts, sports and paintings by children, have been held. I cherish this connection, established by history, and I hope that shared projects will further deepen our understanding of each other in the future.

    Kenichi Yoshizumi – Mayor of Shinjuku City

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    Masaaki Noda on His Lafcadio Hearn Sculptures

    “Eternity – Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn” is one of four sculptures that I have created commemorating Lafcadio Hearn, the Greek-born writer who adopted Japan and became the revered storyteller of Japanese folk tales.

    Go to this page for the background of Hearn and my sculptures. Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) 1850-1904.

    “Eternity – Resting Place of Lafcadio Hearn” was donated by Masaaki Noda to the Shinjuku City with the support of the fabricator Noda Metal Working Industry Co. Ltd. in Osaka, Japan and other supporters to commemorate Lafcadio Hearn. Other Supporting Dnor include Issiki Co. Ltd, Shigiya Machinery Works Ltd, Art Printing Co. Ltd, Nobuo Miyoshi, and HORKOS CORP.

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    Shinjuku Memorial Park