Flower

Some days ago, while walking through the exhibition of the late Maruyama Tsuneo’s works, I was completely captivated by a small painting of cosmos flowers, no larger than size 4. Beside it was inscribed the word “Last Work”. In the centre of the painting, a single, deep pink cosmos firmly occupies its place, while the surrounding flowers, white or dimly coloured, are subdued in their presence. Could it be that this single pink flower represents Maruyama himself? This painting seems to depict the place he finally reached—having burnt out entirely, freed from the sad, unwavering gaze of the red crab, and liberated from all the fetters that once bound him. (the Owner of Daihitsu-kan, Reflections on Viewing the Maruyama Tsuneo Posthumous Works Exhibition, Part I)