Year: 2020
Medium: acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 60.6 x 72.7 cm (23 7/8 x 28 5/8 in.)
Acquired from NADiff, 2023
Two houses stand side by side on a base with wheels, resembling dollhouses for children. The brown house with a blue roof and the white house with a red roof are drawn close together, which may represent the diversity and coordination that Kondo has often depicted. A large rainbow arches over as if covering both houses, while another rainbow emerges from the window of the red-roofed house. Rainbows have been considered a good omen in many countries. In the Old Testament, the first rainbow appears as a sign of God's covenant with Noah (mankind) after the great Flood. Since the rainbow in nature was defined by Newton as having seven colors, it is generally believed that they are arranged in the order from the outside: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. However, the order of the colors in this work is different. This distorted rainbow that Kondo depicted is indeed typical of his paintings, which are themed on the joy of living. As a rainbow is a sign of covenant for all human beings, an ideal rainbow is assumed as a promise of happiness for tomorrow. On the other hand, Kondo’s rainbow appears to encourage people to seize happiness through their efforts. Kondo depicts the power of sharing the pain of living with someone, supporting each other, overcoming hardships, and transforming them into joy. He does not innocently cling to the superstition that a rainbow simply brings happiness.
