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MARTIN:
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Ishikawa, are you an American? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Oh,
yes. I was born in San Francisco. My father was Japanese. Ishikawa
is our family name. I didn't like my other name, so I just use
Ishikawa for my work. |
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MARTIN: |
May
I ask what your other name is? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
No,
I don't like it. |
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MARTIN: |
I'm
interested in names. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Martin is a nice name. |
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MARTIN: |
Do
you like it? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Yes. Your name sounds good. Martin Learner. Mine wasn't a good name.
Do you like what I've done with the building? |
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MARTIN: |
I
like it very much. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Do
you remember it? |
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MARTIN: |
Yes, it was just an ugly brown building. Why did you paint this side
green? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
It
faces the park. Do you like that idea? It brings the color of the
park into the street. |
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MARTIN: |
I
think that's a great idea. The street needs more color. Is that the
way you decide on color in your paintings? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Sometimes I like the colors to go together, to be similar. But
sometimes I like them to stand out, to be different. |
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MARTIN: |
Can
you give me an example? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
I
painted a mural in Smithville. Do you know that neighborhood? |
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MARTIN: |
Yes, I do. On the northwest side of the city. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Yes. It's all white. Everything is white. The houses. The shops. The
hospital. Everything. I painted a mural on the hospital. I painted
the side of the building red. Then I painted the mural on that.
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MARTIN: |
It
sounds beautiful. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Do
you think so? I thought it was very good. |
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MARTIN: |
Do
you paint a small picture before you start a mural? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Usually I draw a picture. I don't paint it. |
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MARTIN: |
How
do you know about colors then? |
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ISHIKAWA:
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I
do examples. I see the colors in my mind. I try the colors. But I
don't paint a picture. |
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MARTIN: |
Why
not? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Why
should I? It's in my mind. My drawing is enough. Would you like to
see the drawing for this mural? |
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MARTIN: |
That would be very interesting. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
How
do you like it? |
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MARTIN: |
That's wonderful. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Thanks. |
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MARTIN: |
You've written all over it too. Is that Japanese writing? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Yes. |
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MARTIN: |
What does it say? |
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ISHIKAWA: |
Those are the colors. |
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MARTIN: |
I
see. Each area is marked with a color. Why do you write it in
Japanese? |
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ISHIKAWA:
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If
I lose the paper, most people can't read it. I don't want people to
know my ideas. What do you think about it? |
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MARTIN: |
I
think you're right. Most Americans can't read Japanese. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
I
should get back to painting. Would you like to watch? |
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MARTIN: |
I
can't. I have another place to go. I'll see you before you finish
the mural. |
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ISHIKAWA: |
OK.
See you later. |
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