Marcestel and Ko-ji-ki (Records of Ancient Matters)

In March 2006, "Ko-ji-ki series" or "Records of Ancient Matters", Marcestel’s lifework, is about to be published as is his art collection.
This collection, which is going to be available worldwide in six languages, communicates the diversity and variety of his artistic world. In addition, far beyond the astonishing fact that Marcestel, as a French artist, came to write "Ko-ji-ki", it is noteworthy that his artistic works are the fruits of his passion and emotion, which turned into a fusion between the West and the East, and came to be the record of the milestones of his achievement. And the exhibition of his works, "World Exhibition of Myth Vol.2" will be held according with this memorable release. All of his artworks, mainly from the art collection, will become available for the first time in Japan.

Origin of Marcestel

Marcestel’s spiritual "wake-up" towards art arrived relatively early. He was born in Côte d’Azur, where famous artists came and went in luxury hotels, and was familiar with art in his childhood.
Marc Chagall lived in his neighborhood, so he was artistically educated face to face. Through his Russian Jewish origin, he taught him philanthropy, the spirit of equality and what he meant by Eastern values. The town of Eze, filled with legends and romanticisms, inspired him and structured his artistic senses and viewpoints. Since he was born in a noble family, his educational path was designated by his family, with strong expectations to go to the Faculty of Economics at the University of Paris. Wanting a future career as a diplomat, he obtained degrees in Chinese and Russian at the Institute in Foreign Languages and Oriental Cultures or Languages (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales), therefore his interest in the East grew significantly. After that, as he worked for French Embassy in Laos, he obtained an opportunity to collaborate with the Royal Family in the construction of a school. In the collaborative relationship with the Royal Family, he strongly felt that his native mindset and an oriental mindset became harmonious and attracted each other compassionately.

Encounter with Japan

His first visit to Japan, when the people were crazy about Osaka EXPO, came about with his career as a secretary of Foreign Minister Shuman in 1970. When he saw "ka-ke-ji-ku" or a Japanese roll screen displayed as Kiyomizu-dera temple’s treasure, he was stunned with a fateful culture shock. His surprise derived from "Su-i-bo-ku" technique or the Japanese ink’s natural spreading technique used in the masterpiece. This technique (the ink-spreading effect), is considered as "uncontrollable" and rather trouble-making in Western painting, and had to be suppressed by ink-spreading prevention techniques such as canvas modification, (for example, tempera and fresco). However, the piece of art in front of him did not follow any of the western theories that he had ever seen. In fact, he had eagerly learned architecture at Bozar and the decorative arts rather seriously at Camondo museum simultaneously while he was studying at the University of Paris. Believing that the revival from the time of renaissance meant the victory of science, he had strongly felt that a pursuit of art meant a challenge to God and ruling the world of nature. However, this Japanese fine art rather had lived with nature, and he found those factors, which are considered to be uncontrollable in the west, had been expressed as a mysterious beauty. At that point, he found out that this very part IS the secret of the oriental art.
He was wondering, "What if a greater variety of vivid colors could express this oriental ink-spreading technique?" At this moment, something within him was dramatically changing. Van Gogh, since he encountered Millet’s "A man sowing", continued drawing it as his lifetime mission, longing "I want to give a life with never-fading colors to this painting by spending my whole life on it". This is exactly the same as how Marcestel felt. Therefore, his destiny, being an artist for the rest of his life, was being formed. And, within four years, he mastered a unique technique to combine oil painting with the transparency and currency of tempera’s characteristics.

Taro Okamoto’s inspiration in his "Living Art"

In his first visit to Japan, there was another first contact. It was an encounter with Taro Okamoto, who expressed distinctive and identical shapes of art in his masterpiece, "Tower of the Sun" at the EXPO. Coincidently they were born on the same date and studied at the University of Paris together, but, more importantly, he presumably saw his youth in this 32 years younger man with an immeasurable talent. They became best friends, celebrating each other’s birthday every year since then. Taro Okamoto must have seen today’s Marcestel as he said to him, "Marcestel, you are the son of revolution born on February 26th." He mentioned two unique points of Marcestel’s art. Firstly, Taro Okamoto described the core value of his painting as "rich and precious just like a current liquid staying in nature, appearing as if wind blows in festivity, and the current continues to spring out" and this would lead his artistic world to "communicate beyond frontiers and keep spreading out into the world and expanding further into space". Secondly, Marcestel, in his artwork, means to express "a passion deep inside the human heart, love and joy, and sorrow and nostalgia", and he also applauds of his expressing "a mysterious attractiveness just like magic that appears in children’s drawings and the inspiration of a fusion of the magic and nostalgia coming into your heart". This is exactly what he saw as "life" in Marcestel’s artistic world.

Truth in the world of "Ko-ji-ki"

Marcestel’s first Japanese textbook was "Ko-ji-ki". Although it was excluded from the curriculum designed by the Ministry of Education, it was his Bible or sacred treasure that taught him instinctively what the core value of the Japanese culture was. Because the Japanese kanji or Chinese-origin characters were rather familiar for him as a degree holder in Chinese, he jumped into the world of "Ko-ji-ki" as he compared it with Biblical and Greek legend. His message can be observed in his poem, "Legend" as follows.

"The ideal of man in thinking in words and image is the pursuit of a God figure. Although its shape differs from race to race, in respect of goodwill and a mind of appreciation, they are always the same."

Yes, he saw a vitality or vigor of life that human beings originally had in "Ko-ji-ki". And he instinctively knew that this is a common ground for human beings beyond the difference between Western and Eastern Europe. This spirit had already appeared in a twenty-four-square-meter giant masterpiece completed in 1980, "Encounter of Europe and Asia" that insisted on the importance of "Legend", which is a hope of the common ground regardless of skin color or race. And in 1994, a paired masterpiece (a size of 1.72m * 4m each) displayed in the"1200th Commemorable Year Since Move of Capital Japanese Modern Art Exhibition" contained the concept of legend.
Now, many voices of appraisal are rising from "Ko-ji-ki" specialists towards Marcestel’s "Ko-ji-ki series". Since volunteers in Ise city, Mie donated his work to the Ise Grand Shrine, it was also donated to Dewa-sanzan Shrine, Izumo Grand Shrine and many other historical shrines. Each time a donation was made Shinto monks almost always said to us, "This very color is the essence of "Ko-ji-ki", "Legend must be structured dynamically like this.", "Legend is supposed to be lively and vigorously like this." and so on. They admit that Marcestel’s "Ko-ji-ki" has that spirit. This perhaps is the true opinion of the people who have been protecting shrines. Many legends were lost during the postwar period, however in fact, even before that, legends did not sound that fascinating. Most of them were rather more dogmatic than a story. If a legend is expected to be an origin of mankind, it should contain a more primitive message, namely aggression, sophistication, love, and richness.

Message from an innocent God figure

Today, Marcestel’s "Ko-ji-ki series" is regarded as his representative art collection. Actually, three years ago in 2003, before "The World of Legend Exhibition" held by GALLERY-BS or World of Art, his works had always appeared discretely. The reason of which was a reluctant view of gallery hosts to give his fans the impression that Marcestel and "Ko-ji-ki" were synonymous, and a misjudged view that the"Ko-ji-ki series" would not sell that much. However, the visitors’ honest sense of art let Marcestel’s uncontrollable passion which had grown within him completely awake. And the chance he obtained was reflected onto the canvas without losing any part of the inspiration burned into his brain. Consequently, that exhibition successfully drew the attention of both gallery hosts and fans, and countless appraisals were given to him.
Marcestel, greatly talented in sense of color expression, has been respected as a magician of color. Nonetheless, his artworks never consist of any strategic sense or calculated views. The way of his color expression is a fruit of his innocent spirit and spiritual power of expression emerging from his own universe.

(President of Gallery BS or World of Art, Bijutsu-no-mado or Window of Art, article on March, 2006)

Marcestel Spuarciafichi

Born in Paris, France 1943. Graduate of the University of Paris. Educated in Bozar and Camondo Museum simultaneously during his undergraduate studies. First visit to Japan in 1970. Exhibition at Tokyu Department Store. Exhibition at Sony Building in Ginza using whole building with the title of "Art and Architecture" in 1989. World of Legend Exhibition at Gallery Bijutsusekai. Exhibitions held in Paris, New York, Munich, London, and many other cities worldwide. Salon d’Automne Member, and representative of the Asian department.