Our Thursday series features must-read books from each branch of the art bookshop NADiff. This week's recommendation is Tanigawa Koichi's "A Messy Mind: A Collection of Essays Filled with Fanciful Thoughts." It's introduced by NADiff modern, our Shibuya branch in Tokyo (Bunkamura, 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo).

■ "A Messy Mind: A Collection of Essays Filled with Fanciful Thoughts" by Tanigawa Koichi

A few years ago, it popped into my head like a monologue: "Ah, this is messy," and before I knew it, it had taken root in my mind. "Zammeku" is a cheerful, uplifting word, a mixture of the words "inspiration," "thrill," and "spring." (Omitted)
This book is a record of 30 years of useful and useless musings.
(Quote from the text)
In the 1960s, Tanigawa Koichi participated in the "Capital Area Cleanup Promotion Plan" organized by the Hi Red Center, and has since been involved in numerous exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, including the 1979 "Art Pop Exhibition." In parallel with his paintings, he has also produced essays, art criticism, and numerous picture books. This is the latest essay by Tanigawa Koichi.
This book is a heartwarming and touching collection of his musings on the Izu Kogen Art Festival, of which he has served as organizing committee chairman from 1994 to the present, his musings on "Tanigawa Koichi's Free Drawing School" organized for the NHK Educational TV program "Hobbies at Leisure," his musings on the mysterious nature of pandas in everyday life and throughout China's 4,000-year history, and his musings on miscellaneous goods (what he calls the "spirit of miscellaneous goods").

The author, who moved to Izu Highlands in 1988, recounts his years of miscellaneous thoughts in a soft, humorous, and light-hearted tone, giving the impression of a "retired man" living a leisurely, slow life, but at times he looks at things from a sharp, unique perspective that will surprise you. In particular, in scenes featuring Ishiko Junzo, Inoue Yosuke, Sugai Kumi, and others, the author's critical eye and the way he openly conveys his thoughts on the works make for a satisfying and moving read.

[Book Information]
"Mixed Mind - A Collection of Essays Overflowing with Fanciful Thoughts"
Author: Tanigawa Koichi
Publisher: Serika Shobo
46-size hardcover / 240 pages
Published: October 2016
Price: 2,400 yen