Wada Moe, "Mexico Collected by My Grandfather"

Takayoshi Ito, a painter who lived in Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, continued to paint Seto and Mexico throughout his life. From 1965 until his death in 2011, he visited Mexico approximately 80 times, continuously sketching the local scenery. Each time he returned from his travels, he brought back a trunk full of local goods, and his passion led him to leave behind an immense collection of folk art, enough to fill an entire house.

This book is an art book created by Moe Wada, Ito's granddaughter and a documentary filmmaker, as she confronted, organized, and compiled these "relics" into a single volume. From earthenware and clay figures to ceramics, masks, ethnic costumes, and intricate toys, the more than 240 items of "humor and beauty" that the painter stumbled upon were not collected with any particularこだわり (meticulous care), but rather accumulated from accidental encounters and impulse purchases. This very nature highlights the unique individuality of each piece, conveying the charm of art born from the people of that land in an unprecedented way.
Photographer Munemasa Takahashi meticulously captured the vivid, humorous, quirky, and endearing charm of Mexican folk art. The book's design, featuring a cover with a color scheme reminiscent of Mexico and bold letterpress printing of the painter's sketches and notes, was crafted by Shohei Yoshida, known for his work on publications like "Kurashi no Techo."

"As I traveled, I came to realize that the land of Mexico was rooted in an ancient civilization completely different from that of our century, and that the blood shed by a people who sought freedom in revolution permeated it. This main current of life drove me mad, captivated me, and held me captive," wrote the painter. This volume includes text by Wada, who re-encountered the painter's life and passion across time, placed before and after the photographs. It is a preservation-quality edition in both content and volume.