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“Think and Look from the Other Person’s View”

Today’s story teller is a calligrapher, Souun Takeda.

Having a calligrapher mother, he started learning calligraphy when he was very young, although he was more into sports than calligraphy.

After graduated from university, he was employed at a company but he realized that he wanted to set up himself as a calligrapher, so he quit the company and started practicing calligraphy on a street.

His calligraphy style after the restart is self learned.

With the strong mind that “I want to practice calligraphy that moves people’s hearts rather than well calligraphy”, he actively collaborated with artists in different fields; however, there were a lot of troubles because it was beyond example, Takeda confessed.

Through him groping his way, he met this person who engaged in the conducting concerts of big name musicians and bands such as X-Japan.

His name is Tsuyoshi Masuko, and Takeda said he learned a lot from him.

One day, Masuko went to see Takeda’s performance, and he left a severe word on Takeda.

Takeda described the moment.

“It was seven years ago. I gave a public performance for the deaf and the blind, and after the performance, Mr. Masuko who was sneakily watching the show murmured to me ‘that doesn’t convey’.”

At first, Takeda was shaken and felt down by the word but when he calmly looked back his performance, he realized that it wasn’t for the audiences but it was just self-satisfaction.

Another impressive word Takeda got from Masuko was “as long as you play an active role, there will always be bashing. No bashing means its end.”

Takeda said he was very moved by the word from the person who had been working with many talented artists.

Takeda considers calligraphy as pop art like pop music.

He concluded,

“I have never taken technical teaching from Masuko, but he is my great teacher of expression when I try to strike many people’s hearts.”

The NIKKEI Jul/2/2009 by Souun Takeda (calligrapher)

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