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Winning Works from the 13th Contest (2022)
Thoughts and Wishes in the Paintings
“eco together” - Planet Earth Grand Prix:
Help to plant mangroves
Age: 10
Mangrove forests are inhabited by various animals, and prevent the washing of the sea as well. We are proud of our efforts in my painting to protect the mangrove forests, I promise I will be environmentally friendly.
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
the case for environment and land
Age: 9
We should be diligent in preserving the environment and my painting was about giving a message to my friends to love the earth. In my painting someone is cleaning the earth and every person is doing something to make the planet happy.
It is quite interesting that the earth in the center is drawn beyond the common sense. The work is excellent to express that the earth has feelings and emotion just like us. This work shows the message to try working on the global environment issues positively.
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
Nature of life
Age: 9
Nature and environment such as tree, river, wind, sky, and air are part of life. They are related. It is a contributing factor to life balance. So, nature and environment are very important to every life.
It is very interesting how trees and clouds are each depicted repeatedly in the same way. This repetition shows an energetic expression, and it makes the painter's thoughts on the painting more impressive. The work encourages us to think about why the painter has drawn it in this way.
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
In sync with nature
Age: 9
I have depicted two hands - human and natural. In the human hand there are people and garbage, and in the natural there are plants and animals. The human hand holds the universe, and the natural hand holds the sea. I drew this to show people that they can help make nature more sustainable by stopping polluting it.
This work appears to show two hands are supporting the earth, but it also resembles two trees. It expresses a message on how different these two groups are, despite the fact that they are all living things, and also a story that how animals in nature are working hard to cleanse the earth polluted by humans.
"I love how the person's nails are painted in such bright, cheerful colors, and the beautiful green background has this lovely pattern on it. It's just delightful!” —50s
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
Shade
Age: 11
My painting depicts the shade from the trees, the shade from the buildings, referring to our world that grows and develops with nature still in tandem. People and animals sleep peacefully because they are happy, people have compassion to animals, love animals, love nature and live together without fear.
This work exactly depicts the concept of living in harmony with nature. It expresses the message “coexisting with nature is a very happy thing” very well, and it makes our heart warm just looking at the work. It is finely depicted from the painter’s eye how wonderful it is to spend time together.
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
Friendship
Age: 6
I like to make friends. You can be friends with boys or girls. And you can make friends with animals. I dream of making friends with a bear. It is not for nothing that animals are called our smaller brothers. Our friendship will be permanent and strong.
This work depicts a simple and direct message about being friends with nature. It is interesting that a human is cuddling close to a bear. We generally tend to draw more gentle animals, but it is extremely unique to see a human smiling and standing close to a bear that looks stronger than humans, and the bear standing close to the human friendly.
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
The future of the world that we all support together
Age: 10
The Earth does not just belong to people, and is also home to other animals, plants, fish and insects. In this picture, many different living things are supporting the shining Earth in harmony together. I expressed my feelings in this painting that people need to think seriously about coexisting with many different creatures.
The center of the painting resembles the earth, the sun, or perhaps a flower. Inside this, we can find many different colors and objects from nature like humans, animals and plants. The work expresses dreams and hopes for how things should be, and it simply depicts a bright future. This work seems to fit a phrase "return to nature."
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
DISPLACED
Age: 10
The betrayal is upon ourselves, human beings, yet we feel displaced and threatened when we are the ones encroaching into the habitats of the other living things such as animals and displacing them. Our human activities have threatened many into potential extinction or already into extinction. Who is displacing who?
This work has a highly unique idea with animals inside the building and humans outside. This is an inversion of the regular relationship between humans and animals. This work can serve as a starting point for thinking about the obvious, but highly important thing that the earth is not just for human beings.
“eco together” - Kao Prize:
BIRDS IN THE GARDEN
Age: 8
I want to live in harmony with nature. People should provide greenery place to them as a substitute for the stolen land. I think all animals around the world deserve to have a happy home like people.
Despite being a block print with a monochromatic and extremely simple presentation, it spontaneously drew our attention. The painter draws themself on this work, with a tree in the garden and house with windows. The work simply shows that the painter really enjoys such ordinary daily life. It conveys a desire to live closely and in harmony with nature.
Chair of Juries Fumikazu Masuda Selected
beautiful nature
Age: 10
This work brings us into the world a deer seeing. We can recognize and empathize with the deer is feeling comfortable. The work sends out the message that nature belongs to all living things.
Jury Sumiko Okubo Selected
Pets
Age: 10
The vivid orange color is impressive and has the impact. The spider drawn large in the foreground is attractive, and perspective is expressed well. The painting evokes an atmosphere by pure expression based on the painter’s keen observation of elements in everyday life.
Jury Kei Matsushita Selected
I feed my birds
Age: 6
This work utilizes each individual color without mixing or blurring them. It expresses a message for the future, encouraging us to respect the individuality of each living thing while working to create the same world together.
Jury Yoko Oyamada Selected
Mother Earth
Age: 12
The figure in the center appears to be the goddess of the earth modeled as rivers flowing down a mountain. The work brings us an excitement and the imagination when we wonder if the plants and fruits on the mountain grow and may become the goddess's hair ornaments.
Jury Andreas Schneider Selected
We will protect the greenery in cities
Age: 7
This work guides us to take simple actions in our everyday life, such as to clean the space around them and water to trees. At the same time, it expresses the gratitude and joy of being able to spend a daily life as usual.
Jury Yasunori Hosokawa Selected
Water keeps the baton going in the relay of life
Age: 13
This work expresses the importance of water. The painter is from Japan, a country that is blessed with relatively clean water. It is remarkable that focusing on this theme indicates that the painter is turning eyes to the world and is thinking about the earth as a whole.
Jury Naoto Katahira Selected
The sick Earth
Age: 11
This quite humorous work shows the earth receiving care on a bench that looks like it is used for a nap. The work tells us to take care of the earth as something with emotions just like humans, and a desire for the earth to feel better.
Eco Friend Prize:
Take care of life
Age: 12
The painter turns to the future and environment of the earth, and fully includes the environment itself into the painting. The work sends out a quiet, yet powerful message that we can overcome if we believe in hope and possibility.
Eco Friend Prize:
I love nature and I love trees
Age: 11
It is generally difficult to depict nighttime scenes, however, this work expresses well the smell of trees and roasted marshmallows by the bonfire, and the cold night air under the moon. Expressions on the work are excellent, such as depicting of the darkness and people’s face lightened by the bonfire.
Eco Friend Prize:
Rethinking the Importance of the Sea
Age: 14
This work has a unique composition with a child imagining the feelings of marine life. The painting seems to depict the child going into the sea and witnessing that single piece of light plastic piles up together, then they can lie on as a heavy problem.
Eco Friend Prize:
land of love world
Age: 9
A person unified with plants at the center appears with a slightly confused face. This work reminds us that humans are not special but are a member of the ecosystem just like other living things.
Eco Friend Prize:
Gorgeous Nature
Age: 12
This work brings a tremendous power, almost breathtaking impact from the greenery. The painter’s passion moves our heart that a person tries to plant more despite plentiful enough greenery. The small pink flower nearby a girl’s foot serves as a good accent in the painting.
Eco Friend Prize:
My Thoughts on Unity in Space
Age: 10
It seems showing the future that environmental issues in the earth get worse, and that a human goes to space for preserving species. The painter may convey a message that while space development is in progress, it would be better to allocate the technology and time more toward living things on the earth.
Eco Friend Prize:
hand in hand to protect the environment
Age: 9
This work depicts a multi-layered world that is home for living things. The connections between each layer have been thought out carefully for the composition of the work. It resembles a mandala in some ways. The work is highly detailed, and it leaves a stronger impression the more we look at it.
Eco Friend Prize:
Our happy home
Age: 15
At first glance, this work appears a pangolin parent and child, but on closer look, we can find human hands are surrounding various creatures in the center. It seems to appeal that the world is as one. This work shows brilliant descriptions with concentrating the painter’s wishes on the painting.
Eco Friend Prize:
Life as a duck in a farm
Age: 13
The work has remarkable expressions. It makes us feel as if the clouds in the center of the work are moving, and we can almost hear the sound of them coming up rapidly. We sincerely wish for such a peaceful future.
Eco Friend Prize:
Seed Bombing
Age: 9
This work depicts a scene with an imaginary machine sowing seeds to grow good plants. It is quite unique with the contrast between slightly futuristic ideas and a traditional artistic patten, as well as with the use of color for human and nature.
Eco Friend Prize:
Indigo, living with nature
Age: 8
The traditional culture such as indigo dyeing of natural fibers is gradually being declined. Meanwhile, the painter expresses an important issue based on habits around them with hope for future environment and lifestyle that we can keep the indigo dyeing.
Eco Friend Prize:
There is a heaven in my bamboo village
Age: 13
The bamboo forest is depicted in green and brown features a panda, a giraffe, an elephant, and other animals. An accent of color to the pieces brings an excellent sense. The work deftly expresses a desire for a lifestyle of respecting and living in harmony with nature.
Eco Friend Prize:
Happy in nature
Age: 8
Black is a rare color for flower petals. This striking flower placed in the center of the work makes the painting highly impactful and interesting. It also conveys a message to take care of nature.
Eco Friend Prize:
Care for Our Home Earth
Age: 10
The color combination is impressive to contrast complementary green and blue based on pink tone. The painter has clearly paid attention to colors, composition, and other elements in a planned, systematic manner. The work directly expresses the painter's dream for a bright future.
Eco Friend Prize:
Artistic Mothers
Age: 8
There are still many issues in the world that cannot be solved immediately. Even so, the painter expresses an earnest wish that every living thing holds each other’s hand and to build a peaceful world. It is remarkable to be expressed purely them as the painter’s honest wish through the eyes of a child.
Eco Friend Prize:
Live in harmony with nature
Age: 7
The painter draws thoughtfully balanced with powerful brushwork using warm colors for artificial objects and cool colors for nature. This work seems to be expressed by this selection of colors as an awareness of society and the earth. It conveys a message that we should turn our mind to that balance in the real world as well.
When we draw nature, we tend to feature the regular colors of trees and leaves, but this work presents it using extremely unique colors for attracting attention to the activities of the people in the background. It is a profound work and sparks inspiration in many ways.