I depicted a scene from a travel destination that makes you forget the fatigue of daily life in the same way that a casually placed oshibori soothes the body and soul. When opening the door to your room at the inn, you are greeted by a broad veranda near the window that is about the size of two tatami mats. Beyond the simple table and chairs is a spectacular view of the mountains and the sea. Rather than stretching out on a futon, the small incidental sensation of the open-air space seems more luxurious. I regularly use travel as a motif in my paintings. The root of my imagery of enigmatic travel villas and hotels comes from the Eagles’ classic song Hotel California, which I heard years ago. For the title of this painting, I arranged the phrase “‘Relax,’ said the night man” from the lyrics of this mysterious song, which evokes a paradise with no way out—an eternal vacation. Now you too can relax!
Meo Saito
Recommended artist
Painter. Born in Tokyo in 1973. Blending fact and fiction, Meo Saito creates meticulous depictions of scenery witnessed during her travels. Her paintings are characterized by a preoccupation with relics of an era in mourning, and a literary style created through the arrangement of poetic words. She also produces text-only works and videos. Major exhibitions include Labyrinth of Lines III: Mei Saito and the Temple of Flora (2019, Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo). Publications include The Encyclopedia of Abortive Flowers (Geijutsu Shinbunsha). She is currently professor of oil painting at the Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts.
Meo Saito
Recommended artist
Painter. Born in Tokyo in 1973. Blending fact and fiction, Meo Saito creates meticulous depictions of scenery witnessed during her travels. Her paintings are characterized by a preoccupation with relics of an era in mourning, and a literary style created through the arrangement of poetic words. She also produces text-only works and videos. Major exhibitions include Labyrinth of Lines III: Mei Saito and the Temple of Flora (2019, Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo). Publications include The Encyclopedia of Abortive Flowers (Geijutsu Shinbunsha). She is currently professor of oil painting at the Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts.
