Chapter 10

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## Art That Doesn't Know What to Say

**Art That Doesn't Know What to Say** (言 (い) いたいことも言 (い) えないこんな絵 (え) じゃ, *Iitai Koto mo Ienai Kon'na E ja*?) is the tenth chapter of Tsubasa Yamaguchi's Blue Period.

## **Synopsis**

Upon being approached with completing an F-100 painting, Yatora denies completing the piece as being too much to do before the exam, entwined with how he believes he cannot even handle anything smaller. Saeki-Sensei responds by saying that’s precisely why he should complete this large scale piece; as he has only been drawing things in preparation for the exam as of recently. She goes on to say each of the holiday homework assignments were given to build an artist’s skills in creating *art,* finishing with advising Yatora to learn *how* to create ‘art’. After short consideration, Yatora rejects the proposition to complete the F-100 painting – reminding himself that his abilities with drawing fall short if he doesn’t have a model.

At cram school, the artists are presented with the prompt of drawing something in the room. Immediately, Yatora is intrigued with the topics concrete idea. He begins eager to paint with a motif and thought out composition, yet when he actually begins the piece, he feels that the brush is *heavy*. In his process of recomposing himself, Yatora bumps into Maki and looking at her painting, feels the same feeling as when he saw Mori’s painting. That feeling of being *sucked into* a drawing, which he realises is something he hasn’t experienced with his pieces. Yatora understands Ooba’s question ‘string’ coming from bond’s and Yotasuke’s comment of Yatora missing the point. Finally making sense of this, Yatora decides that he wants to break out.

In the light of this realisation, Yatora takes back his decision on not completing an F-100. He approaches Saeki-Sensei to begin the large scale canvas piece. Although he comes to the sudden realisation that it is no easy feat to complete such a big artwork, and how with his current state, as well as abilities, will even allow him to attempt painting on it. Sensei interrupts his thoughts by saying there is no such thing as failure in art, reminding him of his first ever painting – the blue Shibuya. She reminisces how he wasn’t concerned about failing but just painting his thoughts and perspective onto the paper, speaking the language of art. Her advice to him is to put aside the thought of failure, as doing so will allow him to utilise his past techniques and this piece to become his strengths in the future.

Yatora decides to repaint his ‘bonds’ piece with a different concept onto the F-100 canvas, however he takes the time to rethink and pick apart the idea – as previously he was short for time and found strings to be the most straightforward motif. He decides to ask his peers about the theme, to develop his own ideas and broaden his horizons. Asking Maki, she argues bonds are about ‘encounter’ and ‘timing’ – using her experience of meeting Yatora during the pre-exam period as ‘timing’ and being in the same class as ‘encounter’. He goes on to ask others around him, solidifying his idea of bonds, before reflecting himself what the concept means to *him.*

The story then pans to the Ayukawa household, with Ryuji’s father demanding to know if Yuka has been skipping cram school classes. Yuka says they’ll pay back the fees for the missed classes, however this is only met with their father angrily banging on the door and aggressively storming away. After he leaves, Ryuji’s grandmother approaches the door with oranges, asking if they’re okay. Yuka says they want to be alone now, sliding to crouch behind the door as they check their phone to see a message from Mori to visit her university campus.

The next day, as he walks to school, Yatora continues to contemplate the idea of ‘bonds’ and if he will be able to come up with an answer to paint. Entering the art room, he sees Ryuji’s inside. Yatora offers to listen to Yuka’s troubles, to which the latter becomes grateful and declares Yatora is actually a nice guy. Ryuji also asks Yatora if he would like to accompany them to Mori-senpai’s university. He agrees.

As they approach the destination, Yuka says as they get off the train that they just didn’t feel like going home – and they’ll instead wait for Yatora outside the university. Going solo, Yatora explores the campus and comes to Mori’s atelier, standing frozen as he is struck in a daze by his senpai’s painting, which sits inside the room. At first, he’s confused as to the motif of Mori’s painting, being two hands distinctly symbolising Buddhism, however he remembers her statement of her paintings being a form of a prayer. Yatora realises that she didn’t change her original objective, Mori simply changed how she *expressed* ‘prayer’. It comes to his attention that his fixation on composition isn’t what he wants to say, as composition is only a tool. Yatora shows an intrigued expression as he comes to this understanding. As he reconvenes with Yuka, he says seeing Mori’s painting really made him want to get back into drawing.

The next day, Yatora comes to school with a determined mindset and focused aura. As he paints, Yatora dissects what ‘bond’ means to him – which is that it comes in many forms. He makes the connection to bonds being like metal, as both have similar features and attributes. Painting passionately, Yatora doesn’t consider if the artwork coming together is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, instead concentrating on creating a sense of captivation from the painting.

## **Characters in Order of Appearance**

Yatora Yaguchi

Masako Saeki

Shirai

Umino

Mr. Fujii

Mayu Ooba

Haruka Hashida

Maki Kuwana

Yuka's Father

Ryuji Ayukawa

Yuka's Grandmother

Maru Mori

## **Trivia**

### Cover Reference

The information below is not confirmed by an official source.

    Around the Circle by Wassily Kandinsky served as reference for the cover of Chapter 10.