The exhibition "Outcry of City - Satoshi Koyama" had started on March 11, 2011 and the Tohoku earthquake occurred on that day. A foriegn person who was that exhibition said "City is same situation as this picture, now. Koyama's works stay ahead of the curve."

"Life City" series which is the lifework of Koyama was borne accidentally in late 1970s. Aerial photograph of Tokyo and a view from Kasumigaseki Building which was the tallest building in Japan at that time were the starting point. Since his work became the cover picture of "Coin Locker Babies" written by Ryu Murakami in 1980s, Satoshi Koyama's name and works came to be known well. His fame became firm after he was awarded the Yasudakasai Art Fundation Encouragement in 1978, prize of scholarship association of the Art Exhibition of Kanagawa and the 3rd Prize of the Exhibition of Shell Art in 1979 and the Grand Prize of the Koiso Ryohei Award in 2000.

Koyama who born and grew up in Amakusa, Kumamoto with great nature, came up to Tokyo in his early twenties. He was really shocked and said "My first impression of the huge city is unforgettable." The huge city which continues increasing perpendicularly horizontally and filling crevices. There is his own serious cry behind his works named "Life City" series. The screen was filled with buildings, cannot feel a human's life, though.

He stated "All the people are trying to seek and eat up all of the feeds in front of them. Politics, economy, education and so on... Are these really right?" when he was awarded the Grand Prize of the Koiso Ryohei Award. The image of increasing buildings is a self]assertion and desire of human. An influence never ends. Reaching to the summit of mountain and even covering the whole trees and island.

Koyama's exhibition which is held in the "War of Desire" of Japan, China, Korea and Russia entraps all the people to the labyrinth of deep gloomy thought. After you see his works and struggle in quest of a meaning, you would get the global view of the present world. Steep yourself in Koyama's world might be the better way to watch the times.

Suguru Igarashi / Curator of Sompo Japan Museum of Art