目次 / Contents
1) 原田マハ作品 / Maha Harada's Work
2) 感想 / Review
1) 原田マハ作品 / Maha Harada's Work
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『太陽の棘』
装丁 : 大久保明子 (1971 -)
スタンレー・スタインバーグ所蔵
Bookbinder : Akiko Okubo (1971 -)
Cover : 'Stanley A. Sternberg' by Tamanaha Seikichi (1918 - 1984 )
Owned by Stanley A. Sternberg (1924 - ) 
裏表紙 :
"自画像" 玉那覇正吉 画
スタンレー・スタインバーグ所蔵
Back : "Self-portrait" by Tamanaha Seikichi
Owned by Stanley A. Sternberg |
未読の山からの１冊、『太陽の棘』(原田マハ 作)を選びました。
最近、原田マハさんの別の本：『ロマンシェ/ Romancier』( 2015 / 小学館 ) を読んだので、同じ作家の作品に目が留まりました。
『太陽の棘』も『ロマンシェ』同様、原田マハさんお得意のアートに関する物語。
『太陽の棘』は、ある程度事実に基づいた話であることを読後に知り、驚きました。
スタンレー・スタインバーグ博士 (1924 - ) が戦後まもない沖縄に、アメリカ軍兵士のための精神科医として赴任した時の体験をもとにしています。
彼の記憶と資料 (絵のコレクション含む) から原田さんが創作しました。
当時、沖縄はアメリカ領 (1945 - 1972) : 'アメリカ合衆国による沖縄統治'でした。
スタインバーグ博士が沖縄で経験したことは、奇跡に私には思えます。
そう思うのは私だけではないはず、原田さんも、スタインバーグ博士でさえも同様に感じていると思います。
博士の言葉が物語が始まる前に(扉の後に)、下のように載せられています。
「"私たちは、互いに、巡り合うとは夢にも思っていなかった。
スタンレー・スタインバーグ
None of us was prepared to meet.
Stanley A. Sternberg"」
お話の舞台は、実話同様に、戦後 (1939 - 1945) 間もない沖縄、アーティストが集まり暮らしているニシムイ美術村です。
ニシムイは沖縄の言葉で、'北の森' という意味で、首里城から北にその村は作られたと聞きます。
アメリカから沖縄へ兵士のための精神科医として赴任した
'私' (エド・ウィルキンソン) と、ニシムイ美術村の
'Taira' : 玉那覇正吉 (タマナハ セイキチ/ 1918 -1984 / ★) らの交流の物語です。
原田マハ 自著を語る : ★の中に
"アートには、国境などない。いかなる言葉も必要ない。
1枚の絵があれば、それによって心を通わせることができる。
それこそが、アートの本質であり、すばらしさなのである。"
とあります。1枚の絵があれば、それによって心を通わせることができる。
それこそが、アートの本質であり、すばらしさなのである。"
アートの本質とそれを追った人々を世に伝える (残す) ために、彼女は多くの言葉を使用して、一冊の本を書いたのですね。
多少美化されてはいると思いますが、小説ですからそれで良いと思いますし、
そのように描いてもらわないと、読む方もつらいです。
スタインバーグ博士にとってはニシムイ美術村のコレクションは、その経験を含めてのアート作品であり、通常のアート作品とは違うと私は考えます。
けれども、言葉がいらないアート作品は確かにあり、それに触れたときに確実に魂が喜びます。
博士のコレクションの中にも、きっとそのアート作品はあり、その中の二つはおそらく、'タイラ' (玉那覇正吉) の自画像と'私' (スタインバーグ博士) の肖像画 (ブックカバー参照) だったのでしょう。
補足
実際のニシムイ美術村には、安谷屋正義（アダニヤ マサヨシ /1921-1967 / ★) や
安次嶺金正（アシミネ カネマサ / 1916-1998 / ★)、
山元恵一 (ヤマモトケイイチ / 1913 -1977/ ★)、
名渡山愛順 (ナドヤマ アイジュン / 1905 -1970 / ★)、
具志堅以徳 (グシケン イトク / 1912 - 2009 / ★) らがいました。
ニシムイ美術村のアーティストの写真 : ★
戦後[(1939 - 1945 )後 ] の沖縄の美術 : ★
「沖縄近代彫刻の礎 玉那覇正吉展―彫刻と絵画の軌跡―」: ★ / ★
玉那覇正吉は、"ひめゆりの塔" (1951) を設計しています。
戦後、親英米的な国に作り替える方針で、世論操作が行われた事実があったことをここに書くべきかと思います→★。
[戦後、米兵から日本の子供たちにばら撒かれたガムやチョコレートの代金は日本政府が支払っていたと今になって知りました。
沖縄ではアメリカ軍が支払っていたようです→★]
Maha Harada's Work
I selected "Under The Sun And Stars" [Maha Harada (1962 - ) / 2014 / Bungeishunjū from my mountain of unread books.
Nowadays I had read Maha Harada's book "Romancier" ( 2015 / Shougakukan), my eye remained in the work of the same author.
"Under The Sun And Stars" is also about art, her special area, like "Romancier".
After reading, I found out that "Under The Sun And Stars" is based on a real life and I was surprised.
The author heard a story of a Doctor Stanley A. Sternberg (1924 - ),
when he was transferred to Okinawa as a psychiatrist for soldiers from America just after
World War II (1939 - 1945) soon.
And then she used his experiences and his material for the book.
For me, the experience of the Doctor in Okinawa was miraculous.
I think the thought should not be only me but also the author, others even the Doctor
Sternberg .
when he was transferred to Okinawa as a psychiatrist for soldiers from America just after
World War II (1939 - 1945) soon.
And then she used his experiences and his material for the book.
At that time, Okinawa was United States territory (1945 – 1972).
For me, the experience of the Doctor in Okinawa was miraculous.
I think the thought should not be only me but also the author, others even the Doctor
Sternberg .
In the book, there is his comment before the story,
「"None of us was prepared to meet."
Stanley A. Sternberg」
The book is mainly set just after World War II (1939 - 1945 ) as the real life, ' I ' : Edo Wilkinson, who was transferred to Okinawa as a psychiatrist for soldiers from America,
found a Nishimui Art Village by chance, where artists gathered and lived in Okinawa, Japan.
found a Nishimui Art Village by chance, where artists gathered and lived in Okinawa, Japan.
Nishimui means North Forest in Okinawa Prefecture dialect and the Village was located North of Shuri Castle.
Mainly the story is the interaction between Edo and 'Taira' (Tamanaha Seikichi / 1918 - 1984 : ★) and others.
According to a Website : 'Maha Harada talks about her work' : ★ only in Japanese.
Translated by me.
"Art does not have a boundary line and does not need any words.
If there is a picture, people could communicate their thoughts to another.
That is just the essence of Art and Art's beauty."
Even though we say "Art does not need any words.", we must use these words for this message, so words are needed (I mean if we use language, words could have points in common more pictures).
I think she would tell or leave for the world about the 'Essence of Art' and people , who aspired to it, so she made one book using huge numbers of words, didn't she?
I guess the story transfigures the truth a little, but this is a novel so it is alright, if the story does not transfigure at all, the readers including me would feel hard.
For the Doctor, the artists he collected in the Village along with his experiences are art works and I think they are different from normal art works.
However, in my view, there are definitely art works which do not need any words and when I see them my soul is joyous.
I believe some pieces in his collection are purely art and probably two of them are a self-portrait of 'Taira' (Tamanaha Seikichi) and a portrait of Edo (the Doctor, Stanley A. Sternberg), see the book cover.
According to a Website : 'Maha Harada talks about her work' : ★ only in Japanese.
Translated by me.
"Art does not have a boundary line and does not need any words.
If there is a picture, people could communicate their thoughts to another.
That is just the essence of Art and Art's beauty."
Even though we say "Art does not need any words.", we must use these words for this message, so words are needed (I mean if we use language, words could have points in common more pictures).
I think she would tell or leave for the world about the 'Essence of Art' and people , who aspired to it, so she made one book using huge numbers of words, didn't she?
I guess the story transfigures the truth a little, but this is a novel so it is alright, if the story does not transfigure at all, the readers including me would feel hard.
For the Doctor, the artists he collected in the Village along with his experiences are art works and I think they are different from normal art works.
However, in my view, there are definitely art works which do not need any words and when I see them my soul is joyous.
I believe some pieces in his collection are purely art and probably two of them are a self-portrait of 'Taira' (Tamanaha Seikichi) and a portrait of Edo (the Doctor, Stanley A. Sternberg), see the book cover.
Supplement
There were Adata Masayoshi (1921-1967),
Ashimine Kanemasa (1916-1998),
Yamamoto Keiichi (1913 -1977),
Nadoyama Aijun (1905 -1970) and
Gushiken Itoku (1912 - 2009) in the real Nishimui Art Village.
Photograph of the Artists : ★
Okinawa Art After Second War: ★
Tamanaha Seikichi designed the "Himeyuri : Lily Monument" in Okinawa, 1951.
Here, I should refer to manipulation of public opinion after the War by America and Britain, the aim of which was for Japanese not to have negative feelings towards America and Britain.
[Just now I found out that American soldiers freely gave gum or chocolate to Japanese children after the War, the cost of these snacks was paid by the Japanese government, Oh! Dear! (from Japanese Wikipedia)
In Okinawa, American army seemed to pay some cost of food including the snack by Wikipedia in Japanese.]
2) 感想 / Review
う〜っ！しまった！と...
祖母とその姉 (大伯母 : 3人の息子すべてを南方の戦地で亡くしています) から、アカデミックな歴史を習う前に、戦争、原爆の話を幼児期から聞かされて育ったので、戦争への恐怖が尋常でなく私にはあります。
しかしながら、物語はすでに戦後になっており、中心は、主人公、軍の精神科医の '私' (エド) とニシムイ美術村の住人たちの話ですし、戦争に関する描写は極力抑えられ、私の限界をこえず、読了できました。
彼らにとって、沖縄の風土が、土壌が、自己を見つめなおしたり、取り戻したりするのに適した場所だったのかもしれません。
彼らの志は高く、へなちょこな私には眩しい人々です。
エドは、ニシムイ美術村で、人生で最もアートの真髄に近づき、他では得られない精神の置きどころと幸福を経験したと思います。
彼らも、エドも、複雑な感情や環境はあるものの、絵をともに描いているときは、シンプルな想いで時間と空間を共有できたのです。
大切なことは、結構、シンプルなのだと思います。
人はなかなかシンプルな想いを持ち続けることは難しいので、素直に大切なことを受け入れられないか、気がつきません。
エドが滞在した当時の沖縄の環境や、エドがアメリカ軍の一員であることによる制約などを考慮すると、彼らが一緒に過ごした時間は、同時にファンタジー世界を過ごしたようなものです。
エドの肖像画と'タイラ'の自画像は、エドにとって、大切なものであり、アートの象徴でもあり奇跡の時間の証拠でもあります。
きっと彼は、その絵を一生持ち続けるのだろうと思わせる最後でした。
原田マハさんの作品は、4冊めです。
どの作品も比較的明るく終わってくれ、嫌な気持ちをおこさせないので好きです。
『太陽の棘』というタイトルは、物語をシンプルに表現していると思います。
原田さんのこういったわかりやすいセンスも嫌いではありません。
英語のタイトルが、"Under The Sun And Stars"で、直訳すると"太陽と星たちの下で"となり、雰囲気が甘くなる感じで、日本語のタイトルの方が苦味があって好きです。
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カバー
力があって魅力的な絵です。
キーポイントの2つの絵が表紙と裏表紙に使用されて
カバーを取ると真っ赤な装丁の本が出てきます(下)。 カバーデザインと物語が素敵に呼応しているのが感じられます。
作家、原田マハさんがたくさんの言葉で表現したかったアートの本質は、
この二つの絵で表現されていると感じます。
Cover
The pictures have power and attractiveness.
The author, Maha Harada would represent about the 'Essence of Art' by many words which I feel these two pictures depict.The two pictures of the key point are used for the front and back of the cover. The cover is removed and then I see a red book, below. I feel the cover is designed beautifully in concert with the story.  |
Review
When I bought this book, I simply thought this is Harada's book and I did not know anything about the contents or the story.
I found out the story is set just after World War II and also the location is Okinawa and includes the Battle of Okinawa (1945) in at the beginning of the story.
Oh! Dear!...
My grandmother’s sister who lost all her three sons in the southern front in the War, and my grandmother both told me about wars and the 'Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki' since I was a toddler, so before learning history, politics and so on,
I have dreaded wars.
I have dreaded wars.
Even though I do not know the detail about the Battle of Okinawa (1945), I have felt misery for both Japan and USA about the Battle of Okinawa. (Therefore I cannot go to Okinawa even now. )
However, the story is set after the War, mainly about the main character, 'I' , a psychiatrist in the American Army : Edo Wilkinson and dwellers of a Nishimui Art Village and the references about the War were brief enough, so I could finish the reading.
The artists who were born in Okinawa returned from the mainland to Okinawa after World War II (1939 - 1945), and then they made Nishimui Art Village.
The artists who were born in Okinawa returned from the mainland to Okinawa after World War II (1939 - 1945), and then they made Nishimui Art Village.
Okinawa's climate and soil suited them who would reconsider themselves or regain themselves.
They have high aspirations, they are dazzling for me who is weak.
I think that in Edo's life, his time in the Village was when he was most close to the essence of art and there his mind was settled and happy which he could not recapture.
I think that in Edo's life, his time in the Village was when he was most close to the essence of art and there his mind was settled and happy which he could not recapture.
Even though the artists and Edo had complicated feelings and environments, when they painted together their feelings were simple, they shared time and space.
In my opinion, the important thing is simplicity.
It is very difficult for people to have kept simple feelings, so they or we do not accept the important thing easily or we do not realize.
I consider the environment while Edo had stayed in Okinawa and he had restrictions as part of the American Army, the times they spend together is like staying in a 'Fantasy World' at the same time.
I consider the environment while Edo had stayed in Okinawa and he had restrictions as part of the American Army, the times they spend together is like staying in a 'Fantasy World' at the same time.
For Edo the portrait of him and the self-portrait of Taira are important, the pictures are symbolic of art and are the evidence of a miracle.
The end of the story let me think about Edo who will keep the pictures in his lifetime.
For me, this book is the fourth book by Harada.
All the endings of the stories are relatively light and do not make readers uncomfortable, at least for me, so I like the endings.
In my view, the Japanese title : 'Taiyo no Toge' : 'Sun's Prickles' represents the story simply.
I do not dislike Harada's easy sense like that.
Harada's English title is "Under The Sun And Stars", I feel it becomes sweet compared with the Japanese title.
I do prefer her Japanese title which has a bitter taste.
Harada's English title is "Under The Sun And Stars", I feel it becomes sweet compared with the Japanese title.
I do prefer her Japanese title which has a bitter taste.
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