「なれのまなざしは，くまなく
はてしなき広がりを見はるかす」
——ゲーテ『愛の詩集』「月の女神に」より
高橋健二訳 1953 年 人文書院
20 世紀スペイン具象彫刻の巨匠フリオ・ゴンザレスが，彫刻家が解決すべき課題は見目 好くバランスのとれた調和的作品を目指すことに終始するのではなく，素材・かたちとそ れが影響しあう空間との本質的なマリアージュにあると考えたように，今日，彫刻におけるかたちと空間は，実際のところ極めて緊密な関係にあるとされている。慎重に選び抜か れ練り上げられた彫刻の素材の質感とかたち（湯川隆のテラコッタと存在感の強い古木と の組み合わせによる人体は，この観点抜きには語れない。）は，周囲の空間に影響し，対して空間はその場にある彫刻を規定し意味づける。素材や技法，理念などあらゆる分野で 革新と再定義が進められた20 世紀以降の彫刻について，かたちと空間のこうした相互的 関係に全く触れることなく言及することができないのと同様に，わたしたちは，彫刻と対 話するときに，かたちと理念や精神との不可分の関係を措いて進めることもまたできないのである。
さて湯川隆の彫刻。 近年わたしは，彼の寡黙なたたずまいをみせる女性像と向き合って対話を試みようと見 つめていたときに，作品の醸し出す静謐な空間に浸る感覚に包まれるとともに，彼女の遠い目線の先，すなわちわたしの真後ろ上方へと広がっていく回廊を強く意識させられた経験がある。一つは，例えばかつて師の舟越保武が吉田茂像で見せたように，余計な付属物 をはぎ取ることによって立ち現れる合一的なフォルムと精神がもたらしたものであることはまちがいないが，おそらくもう一つは，至高の何かを求めるかのような彼女の遠い視線 によってそう促されたのだと思っている。以前わたしは彼の作品が孕むエロースについて言及したことがある。ギリシア神話におけるエロースはガイアとウーラノスから生まれた 原初の神の一人であり，人間（生物）の根源―すなわち生殖にかかわる存在である。わたしはこうした体験をした今でも，彼の作品からその核心であるエロースが消え去ることは ないと考えている。が，このときわたしが体験した空間は，まちがいなく，聖性を帯びた 穢れのない愛（アガペー）に支配されていた。あるいはわたしが後ろに広がるように感じ た回廊は，肉欲を伴う愛（エロース）を突き抜けて，至高の愛（アガペー）へと至ろうとする彼の道だったのかもしれない。
舟越保武のエッセイ集『巨岩と花びら』（1982 年 筑摩書房）に，次のようなくだりが ある。アッシジの聖フランチェスコ寺院を出てにわかの夕立にあい，回廊の軒下にたたずんでいたとき，とびこんできた若い修道女の美しさに魅了され，後に忘れられないその顔をもとに聖クララ像を制作した。しかし同行していた妻は，そんな人はいなかったという。そういえば，彼女が立ち去るときの小砂利を踏む足音も聞こえなかった。でも，確かに見たのだ――今，わたしには，モデルそのものの個性を超えて普遍的なアガペーへと至ろうとする湯川の作品と，聖クララにまつわる師舟越のこのエピソードが，深いところで 等質のものに思われてならないのである。
佐々木吉晴
宇都宮美術館長，斎藤清美術館長
What Takashi Yukawa sees before him
Looking downward far and wide,
Hidden things thou dost discover.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, (1902). To Luna (Cobb, John Storer, Trans.). In Dole, Nathan Haskell (Ed.), Goethe: Poetical Works, vol. 1., Boston: Francis A Niccolls & Company. (Original work published 1769)
Julio González (Juli González i Pellicer), an old master of Spanish abstract sculpture in the 20th century, thought that what matters most to sculptors is the essential interplay between material, shape and space, not the pursuit of balance and harmony in appearance. Likewise, shapes and space are now considered deeply connected in sculptures.
With carefully selected texture of material and shape, sculptures influence the surrounding space, while on the other hand, the space defines and attaches significance to them. (Yukawa’s sculptures—made with a combination of terracotta clay and old wood—are impressive from that standpoint.) The appreciation of sculptures made after the 20th century, within which materials, techniques, philosophy and other various elements were innovated and redefined, is impossible without fully understanding the interaction between shape and space. In fact, perceiving the inseparable link between shape, philosophy and spirit are key to an understanding of art.
Yukawa’s recent works are remarkable. While examining his sculpture of a woman with a distant look on her face, I was overwhelmed by the mysterious and holy atmosphere that was expressed within it. Simultaneously, I strongly sensed that there was an invisible corridor right behind me leading far above. It was truly an extraordinary experience. This feeling surely arose out of the developed simplicity found in his forms by eliminating the extraneous, as is also found in the work of his former master Professor Yasutake Funakoshi in his statue of former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida. And I think another reason, perhaps more importantly, was that the distant eyes of the woman in the sculpture which seemed to be seeking after the supreme prompted me to do so.
Previously, I had referred to Eros, which I sensed was included in much of his work. In Greek mythology, Eros is a primeval god and the son of Gaea and Aphrodite. Most importantly, Eros is associated with human nature and all life—reproduction or sexual love. I still firmly believe that Eros love lies at the heart of Yukawa’s creations. That will remain unchanged. However, when gazing into the eyes of the woman in the sculpture, I realized it was certainly Agape love (the unconditional, holy, sacred love) that overpowered all of the surroundings by its beauty. It makes me wonder if the invisible path I sensed then could be the path that Yukawa was proceeding on after going beyond the expression of Eros love, towards the realization of ultimate, or Agape love.
Prof. Yasutake Funakoshi writes in his essay book Kyogan to Hanabira (A Massive Rock and A Flower Petal, published by Chikumashobo, 1982) the following (translated into English): At the Basilica of San Francesco of Assisi, my wife and I were sheltering from the rain under an awning by the corridors. Then, suddenly, a young nun ran into the place where we were. She was too beautiful to forget. Later, I could not help creating a sculpture in her likeness; that’s how St. Clara was born. My wife who was next to me, however, says she never saw her, that no such person was there. Looking back on that day, it honestly seems that I didn’t hear the sound of gravel beneath her shoes when she left. No matter what, I saw her with my own eyes. It was just strange.
Right now, in my mind, Yukawa’s sculpture that depicts a universal love that transcends its subject and Prof. Funakoshi’s story about St. Clara, both share a common core value. They might be seeing the same Agape love in front of their eyes.
Director of Iwaki City Art Museum and Utsunomiya Art Museum
Yoshiharu Sasaki