パラレルワールドから
ここにご覧に入れるのは、ほとんど全員がいわゆる素人で、手紙を書くための普通の文房具で描いたものだ。
何百 枚もの中でエネルギー発信力の激しいものを選別した。もちろん、もう一つの括りはある。全員、重大な理由、また、嫌疑により家族や社会から隔離された人達だ。人は皆、自分と他人、社会の関わりの中で人生を編んでいく。絵画の面白さはダイコンを描こうが富士山を描こうが本人と他者との関わり合いがあぶり出されてくる事だ。
それは言葉では説明できない何か、でも確実に感じられるものだ。関係を遮断されても彼等は胸の中で社会を見続け、生きている証拠を発信し続ける。確実に、薄っぺらな紙の向こう側にだれかが居る。まるでパラレルワールドからの誘いのように。
昨年、クシノテラスが開いた『極限芸術 2 ~死刑囚は描く ~』展に感嘆して今回、アツコバルーでも開催することを 決めた。我々はまた独自の選別で「死刑廃止のための大道 寺幸子・赤堀政夫基金」が 2005 年から公募で集めた多く の作品群の中から選ばせていただいた。

「死刑廃止のための大道寺幸子・赤堀政夫基金」とは?
生前、多くの死刑囚や獄中者に面会し、励まし、「生きて償う」ことを共に模索し、死刑囚の母として、社会、国際機関、メディア に対して、日本の死刑制度の実態、死刑囚処遇、死刑囚の人権に ついて語り続けてきた大道寺幸子さんが 2004 年 5 月に亡くなり ました。
「死刑制度をなくしたい」「死刑囚の人権は保障されなければなら ない」という幸子さんの遺志を生かすため、遺された預金を元に、 基金が創設され、死刑囚の再審請求等への補助金、死刑囚の表現 展の開催と優秀作品の表彰のために使われることになりました。 当初の予定だった10 年間が過ぎましたが、冤罪事件の元死刑囚 赤堀政夫さんからも資金提供の申し出があり、2 015 年からは「大 道寺幸子・赤堀政夫基金」として5年間の予定で再出発すること になりました。「死刑囚の表現展」へ応募された文芸作品は何冊 も出版され、絵画作品は多くの展示会で紹介され注目を集めてき ました。毎年10月の「響かせあおう死刑廃止の声」の集会で、そ の年の応募作品の講評や展示が行われています。

協力:死刑廃止のための大道寺幸子・赤堀政夫基金、クシノテラス、松本健次さん再審連絡会

From a Parallel Universe

The works in this exhibition are mainly by amateurs using regular stationery.

We selected drawings from hundreds of works, choosing the ones that were brimming with energy. Another common thread running through them is the works are that they were created by those who were incarcerated and isolated by society .*

Each human being constructs their life through interactions with the outside world and a drawing can reveal a relationship between the artist and others.

What makes drawing interesting is that it can reveal a relationship between the artist and others on a level beyond what can be communicated through words.

Despite being isolated, these people continue to have a relationship with society and carry on expressing the fact that they are alive. There is clearly a sense of someone present on the other side of the flat surface of paper, much like a door to a parallel universe.

I saw the exhibition, 'Extreme Art 2, Drawings by Death Row Prisoners', at Kushino Terrace Gallery last year and was moved to put on the exhibition at atsukobarouh as well. We devised our own selection criteria from many works submitted to an Open Call made by Sachiko Daidoji/Masao Akahori Foundation for the Abolition of Death Penalty in 2005.

*In Japan, death row prisoners are kept in isolation and are forbidden from any form of verbal communication. They are only allowed to exercise thrice a week for 30 minutes each time and are only informed of their execution at 8am on the fatal day.

What is Sachiko Daidoji/Masao Akahori Foundation for the Abolition of Death Penalty?

Sachiko Daidoji passed away in May 2004. As a mother of a prisoner on death row, she met with many prisoners including those on death row in order to encourage them, and to explore the notion of making amends through living. She also spoke about the reality of capital punishment in Japan, and on the rights and the treatment of prisoners on death row to the world, international organizations and the media.

The Foundation was set up with the savings left behind by Sachiko Daidoji, whose dying wish was for capital punishment to be abolished and to secure death row prisoners' human rights. The Foundation provides grants to prisoners, including towards the cost of requesting a retrial. The organization also funded an exhibition entitled: 'Expressions by Death Row Prisoners', and awarded prizes for outstanding works. The Foundation was initially set up for the period of 10 years but a former death row prisoner, Masao Akahori, who was freed for wrongful conviction, has offered to provide further funding. In 2015, it was re-born as 'Sachiko Daidoji/Masao Akahori Foundation', continuing its work for another 5 years. Literary works submitted to 'Expression by Death Row Prisoners' exhibition have resulted in many publications, and drawings have also been shown in many exhibitions, attracting attention. Works submitted each year are reviewed and exhibited at 'Let's spread the Voice of Opposition Capital Punishment' meeting held in October of every year.

Cooperation by: Sachiko Daidoji/Masao Akahori Foundation for the Abolition of Death Penalty; Kushino Terrace; Kenji Matsumoto Retrial Liaison Group