2005年9月、札幌市教育文化会館にてその展覧会は開催されました。
久留米市からやってきた末安サヨ子さんはその時すでに90歳。
陶芸をはじめたのは72歳からだそうです。

息子さんである末安茂喜さんは元ニ紀会会員で、九州では名のあるアーティスト。
そして奥様もご主人の影響で個展を開くほどなんですね。

さらにこの年24歳になるお孫さんの心太くんは、3歳頃からお地蔵さんを作りはじめ、毎日作らないと食事がもらえなかったらしいんです。
中学生ぐらいになってその数は数千体になっていたようで、地元の新聞にも取り上げられたということでした。

この展覧会の目玉は心太くんのお地蔵さんをおばあちゃんのサヨ子さんが作った祠（ほこら）にセットした作品でした。
もちろんご家族それぞれの作品も個性が全然違っていて楽しいものでした。

この展覧会は、お父さんの茂喜さんが九州でライブを行った黒岩静枝と出会って意気投合し、
歌手生活40周年を応援しようと家族みんなで開催したんですね。
家族全員が同じことで競い合うというのは珍しいと思いますが、とても羨ましかったですよ。
ホントひとつになってる感じでした。

ポスターのヴィジュアルは見てのとおり、火の中で焼かれるお地蔵さんです。
今見ると、造形的にもレイアウト的にもまだまだやれたなと思ってしまいますが。

しかし、いくらご飯をもらえないとはいえ、毎日作り続けた心太くんは偉い。
そんな子ども時代をおくったせいなのか、しっかりしていて性格もいいし、何よりイケメンなんですね。
お父さんには似ていなかったような…。

In September 2005, the exhibition was held in Sapporo Education and Culture Hall. Sayoko Sueyasu, who came from Kurume City, was already 90 years old that time. She started the ceramic art at the age of 72.

Her son, Shigeyoshi Sueyasu, is the former member of NIKI-Kai and well-known artist in Kyusyu. Even his wife holds a private exhibition of her art works because of his influence.

Furthermore, Sayako’s grandson, Shinta, who will turn 24 this year, started making stone statues of Jizo at 3. He couldn’t take a meal every day unless he made one. By the time he entered a junior high school, he had already made thousands of the Jizo statues. Even the local newspaper covered the story.

(Jizo is one of the most popular Buddhist bodhisattvas in Japan. Jizo is believed to be the guardian of the Earth who saves all living things after the death of Buddha, before the appearance of the benevolent bodhisattva.)

The main artwork at the exhibition was the joint piece of Shinta and his grandmother, Sayoko. The Jizo statue produced by Shinta was placed in the small shrine made by Sayoko. I enjoyed seeing all the art pieces made by each family member with different characteristics.

This exhibition was held by the family in order to support Suzie Kuroiwa’s 40th anniversary of her singing after the father, Shigeki and Suzie, who held a live performance in Kyusyu, met and found a congenial spirit in each other. It is very rare that all the family members compete in the same field. But they seem strongly unified as a family. I really envy them!

The visual in the poster is the Jizo statue that is burned in the fire. When I look at the poster now, I feel I could have done more with the design and layout.

By the way, I feel so proud of Shinta, who kept making the Jizo statue every day, while he had no choice in order to get his meal. Also, he is very mature and has a good personality. Above all else, he is a good-looking guy. From what I remember, I don’t think he looks like his father…