gackt_army | Word and Image.

Entry tags:

word and image

Word and Image.

"Otaguro's hands were large, though emaciated, and the sharp report of their clapping was as if the palms, like hollowed, rough-hewn cedar planks, had entrapped pure atmosphere, and crushed it with an explosive burst of divinity."

Words quoted from Runaway Horses, the second book of Yukio Mishima's greatest work of art, the tetralogy The Sea of Fertility.
Yukio Mishima, the greatest writer ever, had a soul of a samurai right until his end.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I did a painting once of Yukio Mishima as samurai, I'm not sure if I kept a photo of it, as many of my works from twenty years were destroyed in flooding. But I hope someone does a bio of him in English that 'gets' him, you know?

thanks for posting.

Edited 2008-08-19 00:31 (UTC)

I don't think anyone could truely get Mishima. Like our Dear Gackt, he was an enigma.

Rather beautiful and poignant.

Thank you.

EP

Wow. That's beautiful.
I should look into him~

Please do! You will not be disappointed.

Ah - those hands! (picture) Entirely capable of "an explosive burst of divinity", eh? Especially when attached to a piano.

I liked this quote, though I've never found what I've read about Mishima's life that attractive; this is probably only because I don't know enough about his writing, his art. I came across him because of his interest in martial arts (kendo, I think) and not as a writer.

The extract you chose is full of things (description of appearance, noise, plank image, a poetic recipe for the clap itself) but was presumably in Japanese originally. Did you make the English language version yourself, or do you recommend a particular translator of Mishima's work, please? It's a shame if people receive the wrong impression of a writer's work because of an unsympathetic translation, and it sounds as though you know enough about Mishima's writing to have a good opinion, if you don't mind giving it!

Thanks for posting this.

I myself have the Vintage Classics releases of the series. Michael Gallagher does fantastic translations for this tetralogy. It is important to retain the beauty of Mishima's words (my Japanese teacher agrees, in Japanese, the works are beautiful) and Gallagher does exceptionally well. Many times I've paused in my reading to truely admire the words; if that happens in English, I can only imagine their power in their native tongue.

This extract is just a tip of the iceberg. The first book Spring Snow is beautiful, there are no words to describe just how much. Unfortunatly I've leant it to a friend so I couldn't quote it at the moment.

To really understand Mishima one must read Confessions of a Mask. Although he furiously denied it was an autobiography it does give you a great describtion of who the man was (its too true to his life to not be him.)

Though it is funny you should point out his love for kendo. This flourishes through into Runaway Horses, however in Spring Snow and Acts of Worship, he seems to slate the art, if it were.

Mishima was a great character. Deep, very different and very troubled. And what a glorious way to die!

I encourage everyone who absolutely loves imagery and beauty to read all his work.

Thank you for the good information: if Michael Gallagher's translation is recommended then it's appropriate to have his name highlighted like this when we've enjoyed his words and work in your post. Thanks!

Yes, it is curious if Mishima seemed to be ambivalent about kendo; I've only ever learned of him as a proponent.

I'm very pleased to have your advice on reading the Mishima opus. I'm desperate to get to one of the Gackt R&RII concerts in Japan (but will the tickets ever go on general sale??) so I'll need something to fill up a 14 hour flight!

I did enjoy the novelty of your prose extract post for Word and Image. I can become too poetry-obsessed for a world in which words are used for so many other things Thanks for putting it together and for taking the trouble to explain more. It's wonderful when a genuine enthusiast takes the floor for a while.

Spring Snow was a great companion to me on my 10 hour flight to Japan, and I finished it off in the beautiful setting of Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima. Beautiful book and ending, for a beautiful place.

I must confess, the reason I've never posted a 'word and image' before is because I don't like poetry. If I've ever commented over on Karadin's LJ on one, it's been a blue moon! But instead of sitting and complaining to myself about poetry I thought I'd get in gear and add something from a prose - something I do like.
Who knows, the more I read through his books, the more I'll post an extract?

Oh, yes - please do choose more when something suitably Gackt strikes you.

Actually, some images of Gackt bring to my mind factual writing sometimes e.g. from a travel book or a biography of another musician. Ha - that's almost too easy to do with some of his high Romantic Malice Mizer costumes!

I know that GA isn't a poetry site but it does present a balance of news, creative offerings of all sorts, info and activities which I enjoy very much. I like seeing how people present a topic or technical skill which interests them - Gackt is lucky to have such talented fans! Looking at something presented by someone more knowledgeable and in the context of Gackt is surely a unique way to learn.

And then there's the puzzle factor. Take you, for example. How does someone who describes a novel as "beautiful" and exhibits an artistic passion for words persuade themselves that they don't like poetry? Fascinating ;)

Poetry is too limiting. My imagination cannot fly when I read restrained verse. In prose the only restraint is grammar and even then it can be used effectively for imagery; I like to believe I can do that in my writing. Of course I'm the type of artist to draw, not write, so arguably I don't know what I'm talking about? Its up to the individual.

Hmm. I think you very much do know what you're talking about even if you don't want to admit to the destination where the knowledge might be taking you! I see many restraints with all writing, meaning being the most universal limit.

With poetry, it seems to me that the good writers use the restraints to show that they are nevertheless not restrained (confined), perverse though that sounds.

Yes, art is intrinsically individual but the attributes and the appreciation tend to transcend genre and medium. Language is paint is song etc.

So, you draw. Good! Perhaps I can look forward to you drawing the image then in another W&I post - maybe a Gackt lyric or quote from an interview taken onward & upward by your pencil?
It would be good to see more of your thinking expressed when you felt moved to offer something.

Poetry doesn't let my imagination soar as much as I would like. Sometimes it will still touch me though but the instances of that happening I can count on one hand.

Unfortunatly (?), I am not so inclined to insult Gackt by ever drawing him (realistically, stylised is okay). Perhaps something abstract thats connected to him, but not him himself.

Agreed: art must add something to real life and I can't imagine how it is possible to add anything more to Gackt!

The times I have dared to draw him, my pathetic lack of skills have ruined his face so I've vowed to never insult that beauty again. Though, having said that, I did attempt to draw from his neck down because I couldn't insult his face that way!

That sounds a good solution! I'm sure you couldn't wish for a better model.

Oops - you'll be thinking I made the new poetry post above just to annoy you but really I didn't!

Haha no problem

I can't add much more, besides the fact that I find the quote to be lovely and the combination with the picture to be wonderful. But, this has intrigued me to look into Mishima's work, since I had never heard of him before this. So, thank you for posting and sharing! ^-^

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Word and Image.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject