Hiromi san kindly asked Mutsumi, Eri and I to renovate a float used last year.  The stipulations included:

1. Keep within budget
2. Must be waterproof
3. Original structure/framework must be used

We purchased some plastic sheeting, plastic folding flowers in various colours and some flexible metal mesh (chicken wire).  We realised that making a humourous decoration would be the best way to go since the materials and the time-limit were quite restrictive (originally we wanted make a large fibreglass diorama featuring a mountain covered in sudachi and smoke cannons but there just was not enough time to produce something like that).  After days of soul searching an agreement was reached; we must make a face of some sort.  After many attempts to create a noble face we felt dispondant.  They all looked pretty weird.  I had a micro-depression at this stage and skulked off to hammer the ivory keys of my Yamaha portable organ.
The next day I heard the sad news that Sigmar Polke had past away.  I found his creativity tremendously inspiring and so as an homage to Polke san we resolve to create his likeness.

Unfolding the plastic flowers.

Attaching the folding flowers to the mesh.

Fail.  But this has kawaii sensibilities.

Fail.  Grotesque!

Fail.  Beret?

Fail.  Tears.

Moving in the right direction now.

This is more like it.  You’ll have to wait to see the final piece, unfortunately.

Adding some painterly flourishes.

Tokushima TV called by and were clearly moved by Polke san’s presence.

In the next (exciting) installment (Part B) of Shimobun Tanabata Festival 2010 we will see how they hang the large floats.