Art House, South Osaka • ART HOUSE、南大阪



In the bubbling area of Horie, Osaka, there's a very good Zakka and Exhibition space called Art House. I've always walked past it, but never gone in. I've always been shy. I'm naturally shy. I'm a shy guy.

賑やかな堀江の中で『ART HOUSE』と呼ぶ雑貨屋と展示スペースがあります。何回も通ったことあるけど、入ってなかった。シャイやし。自然でシャイ。シャイガイだオレ。

Art house is cool for a number of reasons. Of course it has it's own network of artists and illustrators, but it's also the product of it's own network. All of the Zakka items for sale inside are the products of the artists. If you've been to a Zakka you'll know what to expect (it translates roughly as 'variety store' in English, but that explanation DOES NOT do it justice).

なんでART HOUSEがかっこいいって理由はいくつか考えられる。もちろんアーチストやイラストレーターのネットワークがあって、やけど、そのネットワークの産物ですよ!商品はそのアーチストやイラストレーターの産物だ。雑貨屋って行ったことありましたら、何を期待すべきか分かる。『雑貨』は英語で『variety store』と言うけど、その翻訳の良さを十分に発揮させないで。難しいなぁ、日本語。

There's 2 exhibition spaces, the left hand wall of the shop, which you can see in the picture above (or below), and on the 2nd floor there's a whole room. Apparently they have ukulele lesson there too! Running the shop is a very nice lady called Yoshitake San. I had a good chat with her, she's very friendly and keen to promote all that's going on.

展示スペース2つあります;入ってすぐ左のかべです。上の写真に見える(または下の写真)、そして2階の部屋。そちらでウクレレの教室もありみたい!吉竹さんが商店を経営しています。とてもフレンドリで活動の促進をがんばってます。


On the 1st floor, I saw Mayko Yoshimoto's exhibition, 'Sincerely Yours'. She's got some pretty cool stuff.

1階で『Sincerely Yours』と呼ぶ展覧会(吉本真依子)を見ました。カッコいい商品あるで。


Climbing the stairs, I found myself in the 2nd floor gallery speaking to Yutaka Miyashita • 宮下裕生. He's a nice young lad. Pictures of young girls, draw in outline. The coolest thing was the prints of the hair and sometimes clothing, which almost seemed like woodblock prints. The dark areas of these prints contrasted with the thin lines of the drawing. Composition was good. Miyashita San said he wasn't an illustrator or an artist, or a designer... Just a guy who liked to do this stuff.

階段をあがって、2階で宮下裕生と話をしました。いい人。若い女の子、輪郭で書いています。一番面白いとこは、髪の毛と服のプリントは本間に版画って感じ。このプリントの面積は輪郭の薄い線でコントラストよかった。構図もいい。宮下さんは自分が美術やイラスト/デザインではなく、ただこの絵を作るのが好きでした。

You know I notice that in Japan the lines between of illustration, art and design are more blurred than they are in Australia. In Australia, people usually say with no hesitation what they are, but In Japan, the more people I speak to, the more people just tell me what they do. There's less focus on the profession and more on the results of it. I like that. I find myself following these lines.

日本で、美術・イラスト・デザインの境界線はオーストラリアよりぼやけている。オーストラリアでは、人々は率直で自分の専門的職業をすぐ言いますが日本で、みんなは今やっている仕事を説明する。職業の焦点よりは産物の焦点がメーン。今僕もこの考え方。

He told me that he's just wrapping up university, and will be looking for a job soon. I wished him the best of luck.

彼はすぐ大学を卒業で、仕事を探しますって。がんばって!

Next time you're in Horie, you should drop past Art House and checkout the place, it's well worth the visit!

今度堀江へ伺うとき、も伺ってチェックアウトした方がいい。価値あるで!


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