Sumo Art

[Irakusamaru 77]

What do you think of these everybody? I don't know what to think.

You can find them here http://www.mikedorseytattoo.com/paintings/ among a huge number of other paintings, the others not sumo-inspired, all irreverent, erotic, grisly or whatever. Here's his homepage http://www.mikedorseytattoo.com/ He really does tattoos too, and sculpture.

I'm kinda torn on these - they're nice enough to look at, but not sure where he's going with it. He can draw in a ukiyo-e style, but isn't really doing anything with it.

[egparis18 622]

What do you think of these everybody? I don't know what to think.

You can find them here http://www.mikedorseytattoo.com/paintings/ among a huge number of other paintings, the others not sumo-inspired, all irreverent, erotic, grisly or whatever. Here's his homepage http://www.mikedorseytattoo.com/ He really does tattoos too, and sculpture.

I'm kinda torn on these - they're nice enough to look at, but not sure where he's going with it. He can draw in a ukiyo-e style, but isn't really doing anything with it.

I know what you mean. He makes pictorial witticisms, with a very confident hand, but you wonder when the next shoe's going to drop.

[egparis18 622]

Daniel Favre, sculptor, to celebrate the final day. http://www.daniel-favre-sculpture.fr/galerie/lutteurs

From this:

To this:

Right through to this:

Plenty more on his site.

Because anything can happen in sumo.

Edited November 22, 2015 by egparis18

[egparis18 622]

Kitanoumi. Farewell.

http://www.japanprintart.com/art.cfm?rec_id=2959&art-title-is-Kitanoumi%20in%20Dohyo-iri

Edited November 22, 2015 by egparis18

[Dwale 419]

Posting here because I don't see anywhere more suitable, but I have wanted to discuss sumo in the abstract as an art in and of itself. ^.^;

[wuli 67]

Posting here because I don't see anywhere more suitable, but I have wanted to discuss sumo in the abstract as an art in and of itself. ^.^;

you're certainly not alone

the beauty and art of sumo attracts a lot of us

have a go, friend

start it up... :-)

(if there is another place more appropriate, we'll find out soon enough)

[egparis18 622]

Posting here because I don't see anywhere more suitable, but I have wanted to discuss sumo in the abstract as an art in and of itself. ^.^;

Let's go.

We could start by discussing the dramatic elements like character, plot, setting, symbolism, catharsis, pathos.

Or why don't you just throw something into the post and see who joins in?

Or have a look at Yishai Judisman's work (must be on page 2 or 3) and tell everybody what you think?

Do rikishi create their sumptuous velocity, or are they possessed by it? Is Harumafuji poetry in motion, and why do Franz Kline's abstract expressionist works remind me of him?

Have fun.

[Irakusamaru 77]

Maybe its Kline's line work - while I'd say I don't see Harumafuji's style as angular as that, its pretty dynamic.

Maybe a Francis Bacon figure study would get the right feel.

[egparis18 622]

Maybe its Kline's line work - while I'd say I don't see Harumafuji's style as angular as that, its pretty dynamic.

Maybe a Francis Bacon figure study would get the right feel.

This is the one that does it every time. More here http://www.brooketestoni.com/2015/07/franz-kline/

Edited November 23, 2015 by egparis18

[Kasutera 258]

One could argue at a higher conceptual level that sport serves the same psychological function as art: the sublimation of urges and desires. A sporting game is a sublimation of the desire to beat and conquer another human as our ancestors did for the sake of controlling resources and social status. Art helps express feelings that can't be done in everyday society. Both can be seen as two sides of the same psychological coin, so why not analyze them through the same lens?

[Irakusamaru 77]

@Kasutera - I'd argue whether art is sublimation, I mean it can be, but you can also have transgressive art which is definitely just a limation(?) (say, Goya's black paintings, or Paul McCarthy's performance works). That being said, I think you can analyse sport through the lens of aesthetics. Sumo is probably very good for this, considering its origins and its continuing rituals.

@egparis18 - I think I see what you're getting at. There's something 'fast' about that picture, it has speed, like its a primitive Futurist work. Like it maps out Harumafuji's half-henka.

[Naganoyama 5,948]

...

@egparis18 - I think I see what you're getting at. There's something 'fast' about that picture, it has speed, like its a primitive Futurist work. Like it maps out Harumafuji's half-henka.

I think that in addition to the speed it also has an element of control, almost like a spider's web being spun.

[Dwale 419]

Well, I just had this thought that at the moment of the tachi-ai, the rikishi achieve a sort of exaltation or apotheosis...they become armies and gods and forces of nature, the eternal drama of yin and yang in opposition, legends writ with an ink of flesh on the parchment of the dohyo.

It's this intersection of aesthetics, symbolism, mysticism and athletics that makes it so compelling for me. I've seen matches that've brought tears to my eyes. For me personally, tears have always been the purview of art, not athletics. Sumo is...I don't know. It's just special. And it is beautiful.

[egparis18 622]

Sumo and music

Akinomaki has put up a great post of a music video with Harumafuji in it here:

http://www.sumoforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=32145&page=13#entry293218

I can't explain why, but John Coltrane's playing (2:39 to 4:20) on this video always makes me think of Harumafuji. Apologies to those who don't like semi-difficult jazz, or don't like jazz at all, but the whole piece is worth listening to. Miles Davis on trumpet, John Coltrane on tenor sax, Wynton kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums.

The first 45 seconds of this one (Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax, and it's not Moanin', it's the Haitian War Chant), make me think of Aminishiki. I can explain better here. High-class henka.

Speaking of sumo and music, the counterpoint between the rikishi and the gyoji can be brilliant.

Edited November 28, 2015 by egparis18

[egparis18 622]

I've been trying to find Harumafuji's paintings. Celebrate his victory. It's no pushover.

He's sharing an exhibition with Zaiyasaikhan Sambuu at the Nichido Contemporary Art Gallery from December 23 to 27.

I got this information here;

https://www.facebook.com/Zayasaikhan/timeline?ref=page_internal and those of you who are of the Facebook persuasion could perhaps find more information by signing in.

Here's the artist's site;

http://www.artzaya.com/

and the gallery's

http://www.nca-g.com/exhibition/en/ , but I can tell you now, that this exhibition isn't on the 'coming soon' list yet, and I'm going to go back nearer the date to see if something's there.

I found this;

on a 100% froth site, which includes a very humourous interview with Harumafuji. Worth a visit http://tylerraiz.com/2013/02/23/arashi-ni-shiyagare-2013-02-16-review/

Now, according to a post here;

http://www.webtrek.com/pipermail/sumo/2013-January/021345.html

"Some of Harumafuji's kimono and at least one of his kesshomawashi have his paintings on them. The white horse on a hot pink kimono he wears in autumn and a Mount Fuji on a kesshomawashi are his own work.

During a basho I saw an NHK segment on Harumafuji's painting skills in which he dashed off a painting of a mountain view while the reproter was chatting to him."

So I went looking;

? ?

Here's the page http://kesho-mawashi.blogspot.fr/2012/04/harumafuji-ama.html

Does anybody recall a hot pink one with a white horse on it? SEE LINK IN AKINOMAKI'S POST BELOW

Lastly, this is not by Harumafuji, but by Kohei Nawa, but it represents him;

You can find Kohei Nawa here http://theredlist.com/wiki-2-351-382-1160-1284-view-japan-profile-nawa-kohei.html

I like his stuff.

Edited December 19, 2015 by egparis18

[Akinomaki 40,781]

A different kind of sumo art, not about but from sumo. Harumafuji is often describes as a semi-professional painter.

Harumafuji will cut back on his hobby painting to concentrate on sumo.

He often gets requests for paintings, Asashoryu published a portrait of

his by Harumafuji on his twitter and got a big echo.

A remaining article with 2 of his paintings: http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2012/11/21/kiji/K20121121004599880.html

The one he gave to Asashoryu, from Asashoryu's blog

the newest article

Harumafuji is in a music video.

The new song from KUNI, his 3rd single "Negai kanau nara" (if a wish comes true) is dedicated to Harumafuji's memory of his late father. The CD jacket shows a painting from Harumafuji.

His pre-yokozuna kesho mawashi are also on the heya's page

http://homepage2.nifty.com/ajigawa-beya/ama/ama.htm

Edited November 29, 2015 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,781]

The new song from KUNI, his 3rd single "Negai kanau nara" (if a wish comes true) is dedicated to Harumafuji's memory of his late father. The CD jacket shows a painting from Harumafuji.

a better photo of the CD jacket

some other pics from http://eruptioetpropagatio.air-nifty.com/makiemon/2012/10/post-1890.html

It would be interesting to find the video from which these pics were taken.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Akinomaki

[wuli 67]

thank you so much, egparis18 and akinomaki,

and other contributors here (and mods)

the strands of art and sumo are inseparable

this is a most beautiful and favorite thread

<3

[egparis18 622]

The Harumafuji show goes on.

http://kotokango.osakazine.net/e480873.html

http://mwatanabe.exblog.jp/iv/detail/index.asp?s=12620168&i=201101/04/52/d0116552_14502661.jpg

http://mongol.blog.jp/archives/51739766.html

http://yaplog.jp/kaorinomikoto/archive/1342

http://eruptioetpropagatio.air-nifty.com/makiemon/2013/06/post-c8c0.html

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ko_nya_nigaoe/folder/482319.html?m=lc

more here http://ameblo.jp/illustrator-matsushima/ and here http://ameblo.jp/okayo-3/entry-11715032500.html

and here http://ameblo.jp/ohzumouzinku/entry-12019085473.html

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/moritax01/19932575.html

http://www.tis-home.com/takayuki-ino/works/105

Never mind Marilyn Monroe. From an interesting site

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119573

Enjoy!

Edited December 4, 2015 by egparis18

[egparis18 622]

Philippe Blanchard, paintings and drawings:

http://www.artmajeur.com/fr/artist/philippeblanchard/collection/japon/1487275/artwork/lutteurs-de-sumo-2/7710256?collectionId=1487275

Four paintings like this one:

and four pen-and-ink drawings like this one.

Facebook:

https://fr-fr.facebook.com/philippeblanchardpeintre/

and his site: http://blanchardpeintures.free.fr/

I hope you like them.

Edited December 6, 2015 by egparis18

[egparis18 622]

Rummaging through Internet to see what sumo art I can find, I often pull out a single painting that someone's done, or not more than three. They're usually called 'Sumo', sometimes 'Sumo 1', 'Sumo 2' etc. I get the impression that the more accurate and knowlegeable the artist's sumo vocabulary, the better the works are (see Daniel Favre above).

Here's a selection of one-offs and small outputs.

http://www.lorenzonidominique.com/artiste.php

https://www.artmajeur.com/fr/art-gallery/gallery/an-depraetere/1588456

https://www.artactif.com/rene75/galerie/l-apprenti-sumo_169037.htm#.VmhkC7jhDIU

One of three http://www.artmajeur.com/fr/artist/nelpertus/collection/peinture-acrylique/645/artwork/sumo-1/57094?collectionId=645

Plenty of movement http://www.cyril-leysin.com/album-1871600.html

This one's very good, and for sale http://www.livegalerie.com/Peinture,Sumo,cecile_guiard,129967.html

I like this one very much. It's one of only two watercolours of rikishi, but the page is full of other excellent works:

http://www.artmajeur.com/fr/artist/ibara/collection/arts-martiaux-peintures-dessins-calligraphies/1580368

Back soon.

Edited December 9, 2015 by egparis18

[wuli 67]

going on in towada city

https://aomorimori.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/sumo-art-in-towada-city/

[egparis18 622]

You know, it's surprising how sumo can dovetail not only with art, but your other passions too.

Stamp collecting http://blog.stampmagazine.co.uk/2012_07_01_archive.html

Scooters http://www.scooterlounge.com/mt/mt-search.cgi?blog_id=1&tag=fuji&limit=20

Snacking http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/izumi4nya/GALLERY/show_image.html?id=4037038&no=0

Trading cards https://www.flickr.com/photos/saintplan/2427655209/in/faves-42573918@N00/lightbox/ and http://www.thewvsr.com/sumo.htm

Raising the wrist https://www.etsy.com/fr/listing/256514328/suntory-whisky-royal-1971-vintage

Posters http://pinktentacle.com/2010/08/vintage-tokyo-subway-manner-posters/

Or just p*****g about https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/9267876678/in/photostream/

Edited December 12, 2015 by egparis18

[wuli 67]

toyonoshima lovers, do not miss this video

http://www.fubiz.net/2011/05/16/sumo-lake/

suitable for ballet lovers, too

from fubiz

[Akinomaki 40,781]

Another use: New as cover illustration (+info inside) on the 2nd of the Japanese traditional culture series (after kabuki) of the widely used Japonica exercise books (especially for primary school) from Showa-Note - sales start on shonichi, Jan. 10th, in the kokugikan and bookstores. http://www.sankei.com/photo/daily/news/151215/dly1512150041-n1.html