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Some months ago I was working on a project where I enjoyed a lot and now it finally comes to light. All those who like Japanese aesthetics and sports, especially martial arts, may be interested in this story.
Last year I received a call and to my pleasant surprise I was asked if I would be interested in preparing Japanese style drawings for a line of products from Brazilian Jiu JitsuHow could I not, being a tattoo artist with a passion for the Japanese style, a Brazilian and a former practitioner of this sport?
The invitation to work on this project was made to me by Marc Llull Bergas, a former training partner from Madrid. When I lived there I had the pleasure of sharing tatami with him in his first years of training. BJJI am glad to see that he continues to train and compete hard and has made it to brown belt.
For those who do not know the Jiu-Jitsu Brazilian or BJJIt is a martial art, contact sport and self-defense from Brazil, as its name says, very well known and practiced there.
This sport has strong roots in the Jiu-Jitsu Japanese, which in turn descends from India and ancient China. In Brazil, since the beginning of its history the Jiu-Jitsu was changing and took on new dimensions. A series of new movements and techniques have emerged that distinguish it from the Japanese modality.
He liked the Jiu-Jitsu Marc, who gave his brother Lluis, and his friends Juank and Tomeu a try. A short time later, these four boys from Mallorca, now fully hooked to the BJJcreated Gaman in 2017.
Gaman is a new brand aimed primarily at the practitioners of Jiu-Jitsu Brazilian, that is, boys and girls like them, with the same hobbies and needs. The garments they make are perfectly suitable for the practice of other sports, such as Grappling y MMA. And they also offer a casual line.
These four fighters are attracted to Japanese culture and philosophy, as are many martial arts practitioners. Hence the name of the brand.
The Japanese term Gaman carries within itself an important teaching of the Buddhism Zen. It is often translated as self-control, perseverance, patience, tolerance, self-denial. But it speaks of a way of being, it means much more.
Surely, the Gaman concept represents all those who have a warrior spirit. And many will identify with the idea that this new brand wants to personify.
And being aware that Japanese iconography is loaded with symbolism related to Eastern philosophical lines that have so much to do with the warrior spirit, to inspire and motivate those who wear or see the garments made by Gaman.
There are infinite ways to do it and we are just getting started. I present here the first two illustrations I have prepared for Gaman. And some of the garments and accessories they have been able to make with these designs.
Perhaps those who are not familiar with the Jiu-Jitsu do not quite understand this drawing of the frog making a mata leão to the snake. However, for those who train, it portrays a common scene that one frequently experiences or witnesses at championships and tatamis.
This illustration is inspired by a viral video that was very successful among the practitioners of BJJ.
This is a real scene where a small frog is being attacked by a snake. Surprisingly, the frog succeeds in mastering the snakewho gives up and runs away.
The funny thing is that the frog in the video defends itself just like a wrestler would do. Jiu-Jitsuusing very basic and well-known movements among those who practice this sport.
The drawing of the frog and the snake accompanies a phrase that identifies him perfectly, and which has become very popular in Brazil in recent years: "Foco, força e fé" (Focus, strength and faith). It is written in Portuguese, the original language of the expression and of the BJJ.
Focus, strength and faith. We all need it to evoke what is needed to move forward, especially in the most difficult moments.
I wanted to use this scene and phrase as inspiration for the first design prepared for this brand as it is a highly honest (yet fun) way to represent the Gaman concept and the martial art in question.
Here you can see the rashguard that Juank, Gaman's designer, has prepared with the drawing of the frog and the snake. I quite liked the detail of the black to gray gradient on the sleeves with the phrase Foco, força e fé on the outside of the wrist accompanied by the kanji of Gaman.
The phrase and the kanji placed in this part of the body almost acquire the power of a tattoo in the same place. Being within the reach of the eyes, it manages to constantly remind us of all that the idea of Foco, força e fé and the Gaman concept mean.
The second drawing prepared for Gaman is a composition of sakura y kazethese traditional elements of Japanese culture.
Cherry blossom, sakura in Japanese, is appreciated worldwide and has a vast and complex symbology.
You can access several articles through the search engine on my website to learn more about this special flower. You can also visit the glossary to learn more about the meanings of sakura y kaze.
Apart from everything that has already been published in the previous posts, it is worth remembering here one of the main reasons why I have chosen this motif for Gaman.
To live, these warriors needed to understand the transience of life. Hence the choice of the sakura as an insignia. The cherry blossom has the peculiarity of falling suddenly after the moment of flowering, without going through the stage of degradation that normally occurs with most beings. Its ephemeral nature is strongly linked to the samurai philosophy.
Nowadays many people identify with the image of the samurai and the famous Bushidō code. Among them, many wrestlers, military, police, firefighters, administrative leaders and competitors of all kinds. Hence one of the reasons why cherry blossoms continue to be so popular.
It is important to note that, especially in the West, we have a rather idealized view of the samurai and the Bushidō, a code that underwent various modifications over the centuries.
Likewise, it seems to me that the vision we have today of the samurai, although unrealistic, is very valid and inspiring. And the philosophy preached by the Bushidowhich is deeply associated with many martial arts, among them the Jiu-Jitsuis admirable and worthy of all respect. If only more people would pay attention to cultivating the moral values that constitute this precious code of ethics.
Japanese proverb
Initially, this design was conceived for a rashguard. I thought of a piece simulating sleeves tattooed with sakura y kazeThe front and back are apparently white, but in reality they have a print in very light tones. It is a pattern that I am passionate about, the kawari bishamon kikko kawari bishamon kikkowhich symbolizes the armor of one of the seven gods of fortune in Japanese folklore, Bishamonten, the protector of wrestlers.
The rashguard from sakura y kaze by Gaman is available in two models: for boys with cherry blossoms in red and for girls in purple.
I already have mine and it is made on a whim. The fabric allows perspiration but is not too thin, it is firm enough to withstand friction and the seams are reinforced. It does not have the typical uncomfortable label on the neck and is provided with non-slip rubber on the waist, indispensable in rashguards for contact sports.
Then Juank, working with my drawing of sakura y kazedid a great job coming up with two more pieces: the spat leggings and the kimono. Also available in the same colors as the rashguards, to match everything.
Those of you who liked the new Gaman collection made with my drawings, you can access their website where the items are for sale and to see all the clothes in more detail.
