Similar to Elimination of Beauty and Sound, this work utilizes a horizontal composition with a gray background. However, while the characters in the former are concentrated toward the lower end of the composition, evoking a somewhat dark and brooding mood, the artist here uses the entire surface, applying quirkier and more deeply saturated brushstrokes. The various ink splashes are similar, but in Daraku, a sort of centrifugal energy seems to be at work, imparting a sense of vigorous motion.

Daraku means “depravity” or “degradation.” Like “elimination,” the word does not describe the unraveling of an event but rather its immediate aftermath. It suggests a scene observed from above, where some force has violently collided with the ground. In a way, the composition resembles a forensic photograph, documenting the immense kinetic energy of gravity pulling objects downward and the resulting force of the impact.

Ishikawa featured this work as the cover design for his own book, Reading Thought, Reading People, Reading Era (2021).

Ishikawa Kyuyoh (calligrapher; b.1945)

Born in Fukui Prefecture, Japan in 1945. Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University. After serving as a professor at Kyoto Seika University and the director of the Institute for Writing and Civilizations, he is now an emeritus professor at the same university. Ishikawa has elucidated the concept that “calligraphy is the art of hisshoku (taction),” and interprets the structure and history of calligraphy. As a critic, he is also active in discussions on the Japanese language and culture, which have had a significant impact across various fields. In both his artistic creations and written works, Ishikawa continues to produce cutting-edge expressions and insights. His body of work includes over 2,000 calligraphic pieces and more than 100 published books.