My Dog Lassie: The Yamakawa Collection
We visited an exhibition drawn from the collection of Hiroko Yamakawa, a Kanazawa-based homemaker collector.
The venue was “Kanazawa Art Gummi,” a gallery in the area of the Omicho Market in Kanazawa.
This exhibition, “My Dog Lassie,” is a collection show featuring only works that take Hiroko Yamakawa’s pet dog Lassie (a dachshund) as their motif.
The exhibition space overflowed with various kinds of artworks all featuring the beloved dog Lassie as their motif.
The number of works came to over 100 pieces.
The character for “dream,” inscribed inside the doghouse installed at the center, touches the heart.
Collector Interview
We conducted an interview with Hiroko Yamakawa.
art on: How long have you been collecting?
Hiroko Yamakawa: I’ve been collecting for about 10 years.
art on: How many works are in your collection overall?
Hiroko Yamakawa: The overall collection is around 140 works.
art on: Do you have any commissioned works other than of Lassie?
Hiroko Yamakawa: No, I don’t have any commissioned works other than Lassie ones.
art on: Could you tell us about your collecting policy or the things you particularly value?
I try to set aside biases like whether an artist is famous or unknown, or whether their value might rise in the future, and instead I look at the work together with the artist’s character and dignity when making a request. It’s like—when I think, “I’d like to see this person’s Lassie work!!”—I ask them.
art on: Could you tell us about the motifs you like or the tendencies of your collection outside of commissioned works?
Hiroko Yamakawa: Outside of commissions, I like fantastical works.
art on: Who is your favorite artist, or the artist you collect the most?
Hiroko Yamakawa: For deceased artists, Kyosai Kawanabe and Takeo Takei. Among living artists, there are so many that it’s hard to single out particular names.
art on: Are there any artists you’d like to collect from in the future, or artists you’d like to commission?
Hiroko Yamakawa: I value each encounter that comes my way, so it’s hard to say, “This person, right now!”
art on: Yumi Nakada is an artist I know well too. Could you tell us your “way of asking” when you request works from abstract artists (or artists whose work makes it hard to use Lassie as a motif)?
I show them images of Lassie works from my collection and say, “I collect works like this,” and if they become interested, I ask them, on the principle that the theme and motif are Lassie, “Please express it freely in your own world.”
A wide range of commissioned works from various genres were on display, and one could feel not only Ms. Yamakawa’s love for Lassie but also her passion for art.
