MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE CENTER
July 3–5, 2026 

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Makoto Tatsuda

たつだ まこと

Makoto Tatsuda is a Japanese pastel artist and a member of the Japan-Europe Palace Art Association.
His works have been exhibited not only in Japan, but also in countries around the world. Through soft colors and a delicate sensibility, he creates dreamlike worlds that gently embrace the viewer’s heart.

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 Red Thread 

 赤い糸 

Artist’s Statement

This work was inspired by the theme of the “red thread,” an invisible bond that gently connects countries across great distances and brings people’s hearts together.
Even when we live far apart, the sky above us and the oceans between us remain connected. I believe that our hearts, too, can become one.
As I spread pastel pigments with my fingertips, I entrusted this belief in the power of connection to the soft gradations of light within the work.

In the painting, small living beings carefully carry and weave the red thread, linking one another until they gather within a large heart at the center.
It is a vision of harmony, where everyone supports one another and lives together in peace.
No matter where we are in the world, I hope that people can join hands and share lives free from conflict. This work is imbued with that heartfelt wish.
I sincerely hope that the warmth flowing from this painting will travel along the red thread, cross oceans, and reach someone precious in a distant place, allowing circles of happiness to continue spreading without end.

Message from the Artist

Thank you for taking the time to look at my work.
If you are feeling lonely or uncertain, even for a moment, I hope you will remember that we are all connected by invisible threads of warmth and kindness.
Through this painting, I would be happy if you could experience a gentle sense of comfort and reassurance—a quiet reminder that you are never truly alone.

 

 Yumeiro no Hoshi (“Dream-Colored Planet”)  

 ゆめいろの星 

Artist’s Statement

Yumeiro no Hoshi (“Dream-Colored Planet”) is a world born from a simple wish: What if a place like this could truly exist?
Using my beloved pastels, I tried to shape a gentle little universe where humans, animals, and every living being smile together, care for one another, and live peacefully side by side.

The large circle at the center represents a “ring of happiness” — a symbol of how all lives are connected. As I softly blended the pastels with my fingertips, I poured my hope into every color, wishing that this kindness might quietly reach the hearts of those who see it.

The rocket drifting through the sky, the moon watching over the night, and the playful notes floating through the air…
I would be truly happy if the melody inside this painting could travel across the sea and gently reach the hearts of the people of Malta as well.

May the kindness within this little star continue to spread outward — to the children who will shape the future, and to people all around the world — growing ever wider as a circle of happiness.

Message from the Artist

Thank you so much for finding my artwork.
While looking at this painting, I hope you can let your shoulders relax, take a deep breath, and drift for a moment into a soft and “dream-colored” feeling.

May countless smiles find their way to you.

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Japan-Europe Palace Art Association Commentary

Makoto Tatsuda’s paintings express a warm vision of connection through the gentle texture and luminous softness of pastel. Running throughout his work is a quiet wish for compassion and mutual understanding rather than conflict or division, allowing each composition to emerge as a serene space of reflection and prayer.

In Red Thread, invisible bonds that transcend distance and national borders are symbolically woven together, as small living beings carry a narrative of harmony and coexistence. In Yumeiro no Hoshi (Dream-Colored Planet), a peaceful world unfolds where humans and animals share a life of gentle balance, embracing the viewer with a sense of warmth despite its dreamlike nature.

What unites Tatsuda’s work is a gaze that seeks to reconnect the world through kindness. His softly blended colors and familiar motifs quietly illuminate the compassion and hope that dwell within everyday life, leaving a lingering sense of tranquility in the hearts of those who encounter his art.