The aesthetic and lyrical world depicted by Uno Akira has captivated many, including the poet and playwright Terayama Shuji. Uno worked on Terayama's stage productions, promotional art, illustrations for printed materials, and art direction, shaping an era alongside him.

What experiences and memories lie behind his numerous works? Various topics emerged, including childhood memories, the atmosphere of the time, and the influences he received.


■ Sharing the Image of "Girlhood"

--I've heard that what inspired you to consciously draw girls was Terayama Shuji's picture book series "For Ladies" (Shinshokan), aimed at young women.

During the 1940s and 1950s, a man named Nakahara Junichi published magazines aimed at girls, titled "Himawari" and "Soreiyu." My sister used to buy this magazine, and I used to read it often. I feel like my encounter with the image of a "girl" happened in this magazine, rather than in real life.

Later, in 1964-65, Shuji Terayama approached me to help with a booklet series called "For Ladies." Aimed at young women, Terayama wrote poetry and edited reader-submitted poems, and I was in charge of art direction and illustrations.

--What was it like working with Terayama?

Terayama was involved in underground theater and wrote avant-garde haiku and poetry, so I thought he wasn't interested in lyrical writing. However, the writing he wrote in "For Ladies" was lyrical and original.

At the time, I told Terayama, "I really like the pink color used in the American magazine Seventeen." Pink has an obscene image, and I was afraid I'd be ridiculed, but I thought it was a beautiful color symbolizing girlhood. So when I said, "Pink is nice, isn't it?" I got a unique response: "Yeah, peach."

--That's an unexpected comment from you, Terayama.

Terayama commissioned Suzuki Etsuro, who illustrated magazines such as "Soreiyu," to create the cover and text illustrations for his first poetry collection, "May for Me," published in 1957. Terayama had a talent for captivating girls' hearts. Later, when I was talking with Nakahara Junichi's family, I heard that Terayama had submitted poems to the editorial departments of "Himawari" and "Soreiyu." His poems were never accepted, but it made sense to me that he had a penchant for publications targeted at a surprisingly unique audience of girls.

--What did Terayama think of Uno's illustrations? In 1967, Terayama launched a theater company called "Tenjo Sajiki," but instead of asking me to join, he put Yokoo Tadanori on staff and formed a team. At the time, I thought that if he included me, it would seem like lyrical work aimed at young girls. Avant-garde has to be more edgy. I wanted to do something less sweet and more scathing. I think Terayama's analysis was spot on. He understood my true nature well, and I feel that he was, in a sense, developing a critique of Uno Akira.

The Little Prince in the Gallery

■Unforgettable Scenes

--Any memories that you can remember from childhood?

I have many memories, both real and nonsensical, from just after the defeat. One time, a mother was looking outside from the window of the barracks when a homeless child came towards him, looking around restlessly, before hiding himself with a tile and leaving. The mother removed the tile and a large sea bream came out. She probably wanted to sneak back in the middle of the night and grill and eat the sea bream by herself.

My mother came home with the sea bream dangling from her arm, and for the first time in a long while, we enjoyed a feast of sea bream, complete with head and tail. My father grumbled at my mother for her immorality, but she replied, "I'm not some timid homeless girl who'd starve to death over something like that." I was deeply moved by her bold and reckless lifestyle, her feminine energy, and her mental fortitude.

--She lived by her own code, not societal mores.

Even during the war, when we were evacuated, it was a rule that food was not allowed inside, but when my mother came to visit me, she dragged me into the bathroom and gave me some steamed buns. As I ate the buns in the smelly toilet, I was overcome with a sense of immorality, but I also felt a kind of motherly philosophy, distinct from her conscience.


■Drawing Pictures to Communicate with Others

--I heard you continued drawing pictures at your evacuation site.

You sent postcards home from your evacuation site saying, "I'm fine," but you couldn't fill in the gaps with words, so you drew pictures saying, "Today's snack was sweet potatoes," or "Boiled peanuts." Your experience at your evacuation site may have been the beginning of your conscious effort to draw pictures that people can understand. Peanuts are quite difficult to draw.

--Recently, you've been working in a variety of media, including a portrait website called "Majoriga" in collaboration with Majolica Majorca, as well as packaging design.

In the past, it was a lot of work to combine photographs and illustrations. Nowadays, computers make it easy to create fantastical works, and the possibilities have expanded. I'm very happy that people are enjoying your work from various angles.

--It looks like you'll gain more new fans.

I hope that people who thought it was interesting will buy the book. I personally want to continue to explore the possibilities of picture books. I hope that picture books will be thought of as even more interesting, that I can embrace everyone's curiosity, and that I, as myself, can work on books in collaboration with various authors.

Akira Uno

"Wait a Minute!" From "The Girl Who Became a Grandmother" Paper/Colored pencil and watercolor 230×367mm

【Exhibition Information】
■Uno Akira Exhibition "Picture Book Castle"
Venue: Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, 5th Floor = Art Gallery
Address: 3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Dates: December 20th - 24th
Time: 10:30 - 20:30
■Artist Visit to Store Signing Session
Date and Time: December 23rd, 14:00 - 17:00
*From December 20th, numbered tickets for the signing session will be distributed to the first 100 people who purchase framed items or calendars.
*The signing is only available for works or calendars purchased at the venue.

Return to Part 1: "Aquirax Uno: 'Expressions that can only be made in picture books'"

永峰美佳