Flying Elephants

Hideki KIMURA, also known as “Ki-yan,” was originally a man of rock and roll. He was a senior to Kenji Sawada and used to produce rock festivals, but at the age of 60, he suddenly switched careers to become a painter.

When I had dinner with the Mayor of Kyoto and told him, “The greatest thing I’ve discovered in Kyoto recently is an artist named Ki-yan,” the Mayor exclaimed, “What! He is my friend!” He immediately called Ki-yan on the spot, and we arranged to meet. That’s how I eventually came to commission works from him.

This original painting was used as the cover for my own book, titled Hajimete Tetsugaku Suru Hon （A Book for Starting to Philosophize）. The concept of an elephant taking flight （”an elephant dancing in the air”） is truly wonderful.