Dafu Shen Introduction
Daifukujin, in Japanese written as "大福神," was originally conceived to convey the beauty of white marble, rich ideals, abundant spirit, and the emotional wealth, tolerance, generosity, and contemplation of people. Creator introduction: Tetsuo Harada Personal background: After World War II, Harada was born in a small village called Niitsu, surrounded by rice fields (which has now become part of the actual Niigata City). The Harada family were farmers, and his father became a blacksmith who built structures using metal. His elder brother Shigeo served as chairman and is now managed by his son Hisao, who is an architect. Niichiro and Kikuno Harada have three boys and three girls, with Tetsuo ranked sixth. His father was the chairman of "Harada Tekojio," who was very aware of the importance of education. Therefore, Nichiro Harada allowed him to purchase any books he wanted to facilitate his education while choosing his own path. Tetsuo is well-versed in art, which means philosopher, and studied jazz music and songs, personally learned guitar, and sang music by The Beatles among a group of friends. Creative process: The creator was inspired by the seven deities in Japanese faith that are believed to bring good fortune and wealth: Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamonten, Jurōjin, Fukurokuju, Benzaiten, and Hotei. The concept of Japan's "Shichifukujin" bag was used, and the work "Daifukujin" was created using white marble. The piece features a round shape resembling Japanese fortune deities, aiming to display feelings of abundance, a vibrant spirit, and conveying images of tolerance, generosity, and the essence of joy, peace, hope, and friendship.
