Calming gradient stairs mural in Japan
I painted this mural in sumoto artisan square. (September 2020)
洲本アルチザンスクエアには壁画を描きました。(2020年９月）
Near the dragon quest monument!
ドラクエタクトのモニュメントの近くです！
I painted the plain white steps in a colourful gradation of blues and
greens.
I chose the colours to reflect Awaji Island’s sky, sea and plant life. I
also wanted them to complement the reds of the old bricks of the
surrounding buildings.
色の選択は淡路島のそら、海、と植物を表現。また、周りのきれいな赤い煉瓦とのバランスも考えました。
The surrounding buildings used to be a thread factory called ‘kanebo’, so I
included a pattern of threads on the steps. Watching waves is a relaxing
feeling so I made the threads flow like gentle waves in the sea.
建物は元々はカネボウ紡績工場なので、糸の模様も書きました。海のゆらゆら波を見るとリラックス感触があるので糸は波の形に書きました。
The address is:
Sumoto Civic Square
1 Chome-1-17 Shioya, Sumoto, Hyogo 656-0021
洲本市市民広場住所は：
〒656-0021 兵庫県洲本市塩屋１丁目１−１７
The 3 circle mark is the logo of Sumoto city.
some newspaper cuttings:
This project was part of my work as a “regional revitaliser” for Sumoto city.
What is a “regional revitaliser” (地域おこし協力隊 – chiiki okoshi kyouryokutai）- in Japan?
It is a contract for 3 years with a regional “city” (not usually urban, just an area of countryside) that is supposed to bring life and interest to places that have a declining population. The aim is to bring tourists in, as well as encouraging people to relocate from the big cities. They also want to make the places desirable so that people don’t leave, 0r if young people go away to university, they want to come back to their “hometown”. In order to do this the city employs “regional revitalisers” to create events, projects, open businesses, make improvements etc. I was employed from 2019-2023 and in that time I started my indigo business https://aiaii.blue/
as well as creating murals and various other projects. There are thousands of these positions across rural Japan and at least a hundred or so are non-Japanese people, as far as I know.
sumoto city’s “regional revitaliser” facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/sumotonews/
Thank you to Tatsuki paint for your help and support!
立木ペイントさんにアドバイス・協力をいただきありがとうございました！
