The Art of Kozu by James Edgecombe
The Takayanagi family of art dealers have long been associated with the artist Yuichiro Kozu (1878-1953). In Paris, the founder of the Midori Gallery knew him when he painted his tragic, married lover, Yumiko. Even more controversially, Kozu's painting in Indochina during the Japanese occupation 'looks past the cruelty - to see the horror'. He had no compunction in using people, whether servants or lovers, to set his scenes, no fear of dissection or execution. His paintings testify to a criminal indifference. With the war over interest is renewed in the art of Yuichiro Kozu, but can the truth really be understood from a painting? Is direct observation and accuracy enough? Perhaps a story is also required.
The Art of Kozu is a stunningly well controlled piece of writingStartlingly ambitious in its geographic and temporal range and in its subject matter, the writing makes remarkable use of voice and deployment of detail. This work deals with art, death, aging, beauty, race, war and memory - and it's a testament to the skill of its writer that after finishing it, I immediately read it again. The novella was absolutely a stand-out piece, memorable, difficult, haunting and intelligent - never underestimating the reader and demonstrating with absolute clarity that a shorter work can have the thematic and emotional complexity of a full length novel. Jenn Ashworth Chair of the Judging Panel
James Edgecombe lives with his wife, Yuko, and their two children, Rintaro and Hinako, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in southwest Devon. Having lived and taught in Hokkaido, Japan, he now teaches at Tavistock College, while also pursuing his PhD in creative writing at Plymouth University, where he is assistant editor of Short Fiction: the Visual Literary Journal. The tension between the visual and written arts has long fascinated him.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781910124000 |
| ISBN 10 | 1910124001 |
| Title | The Art of Kozu |
| Author | James Edgecombe |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Sandstone Press Ltd |
| Year published | 2014-09-19 |
| Number of pages | 144 |
| Prizes | Winner of MMU Novella Award 2014 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |