«I belong to the land, not to a particular land.». Yoshiro Tachibana(Kobe, Japan, 1941) used to say that he had lost his homeland. Born in Japan he started to paint with his father and later attended the School of Fine Arts in Tokyo. He traveled to Europe, visiting Russia, the Scandinavian countries, and finally reached Spain. He arrived in Muxia, a coastal town in A Coruña, in 1974 when he was 28 years old. He was so captivated by this land that he built a house where he painted for many years until melancholy descended over him in 2012 and he stopped painting. He passed away in 2016.
I had the opportunity to meet him years ago and visit his house/studio in Muxia. His house was built in a minimalistic style on the outside but very bohemian inside. He was an exceptionally mystical man dressed in plain clothes, a ponytail and a hat. He had a permanent smile and would listen to you more than talking himself. However, when he spoke he left no one indifferent: «Religion and art are very similar, both are lies». «I paint so I don’t have to think. If you think, you are not happy». «Before I die, my goal is to have more freedom so I can paint like a child». «Social media can be a controlling instrument but I’m not afraid because I have nothing». As you can see he was a true character!
If you are interested in learning more check out this video: https://concellomuxia.com/en/item/espazo-para-a-creacion/
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