Mi nascondo nel mare di notte

This was the very first piece of artwork I purchased, over 40 years ago.
Kuni Sugiyama and I worked part-time at Recruit during the same period.
He later studied abroad in Italy. Since he was an artist of the same generation studying woodblock printing, I bought the work partly to show my support.

It was later revealed that this same work was beloved by Mr. Arthur Dunkel, the Director-General of GATT（then an international trade organization that held a strong stance toward Japan at the time）, and that it was also presented to the Japanese Imperial Family.

After Mr. Sugiyama returned to Japan, we worked together on a project for the Kids Earth Fund, and we have remained close friends even after he established his atelier in Kawaguchiko and moved there.