[Art Appreciation while taking a walk] Aichi Public Art Exploration in Meijo Park

There are ways to enjoy art in the city without going to museums and galleries!

It is "public art". Public art is a work of art that is installed in public spaces such as squares and parks. It's a public space, so of course you can enjoy it for free.

Therefore, Life Designs would like to introduce public art in the city under the title of "Aichi Public Art Exploration". You can enjoy art while avoiding the three Cs, so it's perfect for with Corona.

We used the "Public Art Map" introduced by the NPO "Enbu" as a reference. 18 areas are introduced mainly in Nagoya City. This time, we would like to visit the Meijo Park area. There are many sculptures in the Meijo Park area.

Let's go now!

First, go to Meijo Park

This time, the works are divided into three areas. Let's go to "Meijo Park" first!

Meijo Park is a general term for several parks around Nagoya Castle, Ninomaru, Sannomaru, and Kitaen.

Centered around a grass plaza, there is Ofuke Pond, a remnant from the Edo period, a wisteria corridor, and Meijo Park Flower Plaza, where visitors can enjoy strolls and picnics throughout the four seasons. There is also a running/walking course, providing a blessed environment for runners.

① Masakazu Masuda “Torso of Monument”

Immediately to the right of the entrance is a work by Masakazu Masuda, a sculptor from Hyogo Prefecture, called "Torso of the Monument". This work won the Grand Prize at the 9th Contemporary Japanese Sculpture Exhibition.

② Shoji Ishiguro “Floating”

Right next to it is "Floating" by Shoji Ishiguro, a contemporary sculptor representing Nagoya. The works are displayed in the green, and it looks like an outdoor art museum.

Next, head to Meijo Park Flower Plaza. Here you can enjoy seasonal flowers and greenery. On the day we visited, the hydrangeas were just in full bloom.

③ Sergio Capellini “Dance Steps”

In one corner of the Meijo Park Flower Plaza is the work "Dance Steps" by Sergio Capellini from Italy. The theme of his work is consistent, putting messages of peace, faith and love into his figures.

We headed toward the grassy area in the center of the park. The monument on the way is also a work of art called "Lily Poem," but it was not listed on the public art map.

④ Seibou Kitamura “Seishun”

Standing next to the lawn square is "Seishun", a work by Seibou Kitamura, a sculptor from Nagasaki Prefecture.

Mr. Kitamura is the creator of the famous "Peace Prayer Statue" in Nagasaki Peace Park, and is a great master who has left a brilliant achievement in the history of Japanese sculpture. He created many works with motifs of peace, freedom, and religion.

Go through the lawn area and continue to the back of the park.

⑥ Takeshi Ishida “Seiten”

Several works were exhibited in a small square. This is "Seiten" (sunny sky) by Takeshi Ishida, a sculptor from Aichi Prefecture.

The sharp and sophisticated sculptural expression is called "Ishida Sculpture", and many works are installed in various places in Japan and overseas, such as Hawaii, Tokyo, and Aichi Prefecture. Until 2004, he was also a professor at Nagoya University of Arts.

⑦ Yoshitatsu Yanagihara “Douhyo: Hato”

Yoshitatsu Yanagihara's representative work is a series titled "Douhyo" (guidepost ) featuring crows and pigeons (Hato).

⑧ Sawada Landscape Research Institute Co., Ltd. “Angel”

Is it a work created as a company? We tried to look it up, but Iwedon't know the details.

There is also Yutaka Ishikawa's work "Whispering" in this plaza, but we were unable to take a picture of it because there were people having a picnic in front of the work. Well, such happenings are only possible with public art.

In the back of the square, there was a "children's square"! There are lots of playground equipment that children can enjoy, such as swings, seesaws, and slides. It's perfect for taking a break.

⑨ Kazuo Nonomura “Seinen”

The work "Seinen" (young man) by Kazuo Nonomura stands out with a big bang.

As a symbol of Nagoya's postwar recovery, it was built in 1957, the year after the municipal subway started service, in the front rotary at the east exit of Nagoya Station. It was removed in 1984 for construction of the Sakuradori Subway Line, and moved to Meijo Park in 1986. So the statue has long been familiar to citizens as a symbol of Nagoya City.

⑩ Takeshi Ishida “Mai”

A large pond spreads out in front of Takeshi Ishida 's work "Mai" (dance). The Japanese iris is beautiful!

⑪ Churyo Sato “Musume”

Well, this is the last work in the Meijo Park area.

"Musume" (young girl) is a work by Churyo Sato, a representative sculptor of Japan from Miyagi prefecture. The latter half of the 20th century, when Churyo Sato was active, was the bubble period for Japan. It was a time when many bronze sculptures were making their way into open-air spaces. Therefore, you can see Churyo Sato 's works all over the country.

Let's leave Meijo Park and head towards the Noh theater.

⑫ Shinsuke Yamamoto “Dark Green”

I found a work next to the bus stop! Be careful not to miss it.

⑬ Kato Shizuo “Kato Kiyomasa”

A statue of Kiyomasa Kato stands in front of the Noh theater. Kato Kiyomasa was a warlord from the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the early Edo period. Possessing outstanding military strength, he accumulated military exploits and rose from a mere soldier to a daimyo. It is a bronze statue that expresses such bravery.