JDP Election Rally, July 11, ’07

By beagarth on December 9, 2008 • ( 0 )

by Erik Kaye

watercolor

by Erik Kaye, copyright 2008

Note: the above picture is one of Erik’s paintings of the Japanese landscape and people. Erik and his his wife Corinne have been teaching English there for the last few years.

Here’s what Erik says about this painting:

“The real name of the painting is printed clearly on the white lower crossbeam. (Erik is referring to my imagined title of “Cars Under Bridge”.) It says, “JDP [Japan Democratic Party] Election Rally, July 11, ’07”. There are no bridges in this picture; the Japanese love to build 2- or-3-story crosswalks in and around major train stations like this one in Fujisawa. The crosswalks connect the second floor of the station to three Department stores on the south side; on the north side there’s actually a little park with a fountain with sculptures on the second floor. Very Flash-Gordon inspired, or at least, Astro-boy.

This painting was of a significant rally in which the opposition party,
the JDP, speaking atop the white van in the lower right corner, took
the upper house of the Diet from their rivals the LDP, Liberal Democratic Party, for the first time since their constitution was written in 1945. You’ll see crowds in silver watching the rally from the street and two different crosswalks; it sort of looks like a depiction of social class strata. Down on the street just behind the taxis is a mascot dressed in a green frog costume, because the Japanese just love cute mascots. Even though its not perfectly clear whats going on in this picture, I think its one of my very best
because of its mood, and mysterious nature.”

December, 2008