Dafu God Introduction
Daifukujin, in Japanese "大福神", conveys the aesthetic of white marble, rich ideals, abundant spirit, and the emotional wealth, inclusiveness, leniency, generosity, and contemplation of people. Creator Introduction Author: Tetsuo Harada Personal Experience After World War II, Harada was born in a small village named 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, later building structures with metal. His first older brother Shigeo served as chairman, which is now managed by his son Hisao, who is an architect. Niichiro and Kikuno Harada have three boys and three girls respectively, with Tetsuo being the sixth. His father was the chairman of "Harada Tekojio" and understood the importance of education, allowing Nichiro Harada to purchase any books he wanted for his education while choosing his own path. Tetsuo is proficient in arts, meaning philosopher, studied jazz music, songs, and personally learned guitar, singing among friends, interpreting music by The Beatles. Creation Process The work is inspired by the seven deities believed to bring good fortune and wealth in Japanese beliefs: Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamonten, Jurōjin, Fukurokuju, Benzaiten, and Hotei. The concept of the Japanese "Shichifukujin" bag is represented in the creation of "Daifukujin" using white marble as the material. The piece features a pleasing, rounded shape reminiscent of Japanese deities and aims to embody emotions of abundance, a rich spirit, and the imagery of inclusiveness, leniency, and generosity, while transmitting joy, peace, hope, and friendship.
