Lecture “Lafcadio Hearn in the Present Day”
Lecturer:
Bon Koizumi (Lafcadio Hearn’s great-granson)
“In recent years, there has been an increasing re-evaluation of Hearn in Japan and in places around the world that are associated with him. Hearn is no longer merely a target of literary research. He is becoming more relevant to the needs of contemporary society as a multi-faceted figure with an open mind. As a descendant of Hearn’s, this has great significance for me.”
Bon Koizumi
Calligraphy Live Performance “Oma—The Twilight Hour—An Encounter between Hearn’s Spirit and Calligraphy”
performers:
Nanami Nanasawa（Calligrapher）
Kyoji Yamamoto（Guitarist）
“In the time between day and night,
the time that connects this world with the other,
the time when humans encounter demons,
at the boundary connecting the realm of the gods,
the world of Oma, the twilight hour when nothing can be seen, will be created on paper.”nanami nanasawa
date:
Wednesday, 23rd October, 2019
venue:
The Nippon Club
145 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019
https://www.nipponclub.org/news/koizumi-yakumo-150y-event/?lang=en
fee:
Nippon Club Member $10
Guest $15
organizers:
The Nippon Club
The Hearn Society
contact:
Yasuko Honda
Tel: 212-581-2223
Email: info@nipponclub.org
Schedule
6:00pm
Door open
6:30pm
Lecture
at 5th floor Sakura Room
Calligraphy Live Peformance
at 7th floor The Nippon Gallery
ラフカディオ・ハーン（小泉八雲／1850-1904）渡米150年記念イベント | The Nippon Club
『知られぬ日本の面影』『心』『怪談』『日本―ひとつの解明』などの十数冊の著作で、日本人の精神文化を世界へ伝えた、ラフカディオ・ハーン（小泉八雲）は、ちょうど150年前の1969年に、アイルランド移民として単身ニューヨークに到着しました。当時19歳のハーンは、幼少からの度重なる苦難を乗り越え、渡米後はジャーナリストとして、シンシナティとニューオリンズで約20年間の取材生活を続け、トップクラスの…
Profile
Bon Koizumi
Bon Koizumi is from Tokyo. He is the great-grandson of Lafcadio Hearn.
He studied Folklore at Seijo University and graduate school, and moved to Matsue in 1987. He explores cultural resources from the perspective of ghost stories and the supernatural, and conducts practical research, which is used in tourism and cultural experiences. He introduces the “open mind” of Lafcadio Hearn to society in places around the world that are associated with Hearn. Along with the actor Shiro Sano and the musician Kyoji Yamamoto, he participates in the Lafcadio Hearn Reading Performance. In July, 2017, he was a recipient of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation for contribution to the cultural exchange between Japan and Ireland. He has published works including Minzoku Gakusha—Koizumi Yakumo (Kobunsha, 1995) and Kwaidan yondaiki—Yakumo no itazura (Kodansha, 2014) He is a member of The Japan P.E.N. Club.
Koizumi is the director of the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum, and the honorary director of the Yaizu Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum. He is also an honorary professor of the University of Shimane Junior College.
Nanami Nanasawa
Nanami Nanasawa is a calligrapher and ink painting artist. She is from Toyama Prefecture.
After studying calligraphy at Tokyo Gakugei University, she worked as a graphic designer. Later, she became an ink painting artist. In addition to traditional calligraphy, she combines ink painting and calligraphy, and ink painting and photographs to create unique art. She has held exhibitions in Japan and overseas. She has also produced calligraphy for products, packages and brand logos.
Her “Calligraphy Live Performance”, in which she draws on a large piece of paper to music, is performed with elegance and beauty, and is highly rated. In November 2018, she made her overseas debut with a solo exhibition in Singapore. Her collaborative work in apparel, architecture and stage design is also attracting attention.
She has written the calligraphy for the titles of the Lafcadio Hearn Reading Performance for six consecutive years from 2013.
For two years, starting in 2018, she is in charge of the cover of Kyodo Weekly, the membership magazine of Kyodo News. In June 2019, she held an exhibition of Kyodo Weekly covers, featuring the four seasons, in the head office of the company. She also drew the title of a photography collection commemorating 30 years since the enthronement, and 60 years of marriage, of the Heisei Emperor.
Kyoji Yamamoto
Kyoji Yamamoto is a musician from Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture.
He started playing the guitar when he was 15, and entered the Yamaha/Nemu Music Academy. At that time, he was hailed as a genius guitarist, and while still a student, was selected as the lead guitarist and lead vocalist of BOWWOW. At the time of his debut, his tour with KISS and Aerosmith attracted much attention. He has constantly led the Japanese rock scene with his dynamic and powerful sound and guitar technique. He later formed the band VOWWOW, which was based in London and was active in Europe and the USA for around four years. The band was highly rated overseas, and had a chart entry in the UK. It also had a large influence on famous artists from overseas.
In addition to activities with the band, Yamamoto has released a guitar instrumental album, held sessions with jazz fusion musicians, and sung and played acoustically. In recent years, he has been in charge of the music for the reading performance with Shiro Sano, and has produced other artists. With wide-ranging musical experience, he plays an active role on the global music scene.
