This is an art and music video by the musician Sizzle Ohtaka and the artist Fumiyo Yoshikawa.
Yoshikawa's recent work, a series of 16 paintings, "Every Life Matters,” was inspired by a set of four scrolls created in the 12th -13th century in Japan, entitled “Choujugiga” or “Animal Caricatures.” The first scroll of Chojugiga shows animals such as frogs, rabbits, monkeys and foxes playing games and simulating human rituals.
Yoshikawa felt Tobanosoujou, who is believed to be the artist of the first scroll of Chojugiga had great affection towards all of these animals. At the same time, this comical and humorous scroll brings to her mind human hierarchy and discrimination in a way that is both timely and timeless. Yoshikawa created the series of 16 paintings, “Every Life Matters,” dreaming of of a peaceful world in which every living thing enjoys life equally and each respects the other.
Drawing her inspiration from the Choujugiga, Yoshikawa painted various animals: big animals, small animals; prey and predator; popular and unpopular - each of them imagined with equal affection. Each work has a story with a sense of the seasons and a hint of Shinto, Zen or Japanese folklore.
A detailed description of each painting in “Every Life Matters” can be found on Fumiyo Yoshikawa’s Facebook pages, as well as on her Instagram account, Art of Fumiyo Yoshikawa.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/art_of_fumiyo_yoshikawa/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Sumie.Nihonga.Mixedmedia
“Sizzle Ohtaka has composed and performed the music that accompanies the paintings of “Every Life Matters.” Her song “IKOR” has as its central motif the word “ikoro,” which is an Ainu word meaning treasure. “Nothing comes down [to earth] without any role” is an Ainu proverb that is woven in as an interlude chorus. Ohtaka and Yoshikawa worked together to produce this video — A Song of Life — melding their music and art.”
Music:
IKOR
Lyrics, composition, vocal and chorus
by Sizzle Ohtaka
Arrangement by Jyoji Sawada
Musicians: Choro Club
Guitar by Shigeharu Sasago
Contrabass by Jyoji Sawada
Bandolim by Oh Akioka
Sizzle Ohtaka
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVnVhzIyBtgdO6G6XxALrkg
Website:http://sizzle-ohtaka.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100036255038140
Art:
The series of 16 paintings“Every Life Matters”
Background paintings
“Yume no Kakera / Piece of Dream”
"Organic Mind"
“Blessing Rain”
Photographs
Video editing
By Fumiyo Yoshikawa
Special Thanks to: Michael Yochum
for presenting the series of “Every Life Matters”
at Arc Gallery, San Francisco, California
Exhibition dates:
August 28 - October 9, 2021
https://www.arc-sf.com/foursquared-2021.html
Art and Music Video, A Song of Life, 2021
Produced by
Fumiyo Yoshikawa
