Marcus Pfister Exhibition
Aug. 3-15
 A
summer treat for the kids as Daimaru puts on an exhibition of Marcus
Pfister's work. Born in Berne, Switzerland, he began his career
as a graphic artist in an advertising agency. In 1983, he deci-ded
to dedicate more time to artistic pur-suits, and began to write
and illustrate his first book, The Sleepy Owl, which was published
in 1986. His best-known work to date is The Rainbow Fish, which
has remained on bestseller lists across the United States since
1992. Marcus does most of his illustrations for children's books
in watercolors. He begins each book by stretching watercolor paper
over a wooden board so that it won't warp when wet. He then copies
his rough sketches onto the paper in pencil. At this point, he is
ready to begin painting. For backgrounds and blended contours, he
uses wet paint on wet paper to get a softer effect. For sharper
details, he first lets the paper dry, then paints the final picture
layer by layer. When the illustration is complete he cuts the paper
from the wooden board. Over 130 of his work will be displayed.
Daimaru Museum, Umeda
JR/Hankyu/Hanshin Umeda stn. 15F
Open: 11am - 7pm
Admission: ¥800/¥600/free for children
Tel: 06-6343-1231
The Age of Sakamoto Ryoma
Thru Aug. 28
Sakamoto Ryoma (1835-67) is one of the best-known
revolutionary figures from the bakumatsu era, the end of the long-ruling
Tokugawa regime.
This special exhibition, The Age of Sakamoto Ryoma,
commemorating the 170th anniversary of his birth, traces his life
and time through historical paintings and artifacts from the end
of the Tokugawa period (also known as the Edo period, 1616-1867).
In 1931, Descendents of Ryoma donated a large
number of artifacts from his life to the Kyoto National Museum,
including his correspondence to his family, the genea-logy of the
Sakamoto clan, records of his shipping company Kaientai, and swords.
The Iguchi family, descendants of the owners of
Omiya, the soy sauce shop in Kyoto, which Ryoma used as a hideout
and where he was assassinated, donated to the museum his kimono
with family crest, a standing screen stained with his blood, and
his letters. In 1999, these materials were deemed invaluable to
understanding the ideas and activities of this historical figure
and were designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
Sakamoto Ryoma continues to fascinate many even
today because of several historically important contributi-ons,
the most significant being his role as mediator in the alliance
of the power-ful Choshu (now Yamaguchi Prefecture) and Satsuma (today
Kagoshima) domains, which led to the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate
and the rise of the Meiji Restoration. In the tenth month of 1867,
through his home domain Tosa, Ryoma pushed the Tokugawa regime for
and actualized the restoration of Imperial rule. His personal endorsement
from this time written on the back of a docu-ment from the Kido
family, in the colle-ction of the Imperial Household Agency, is
a historical monument.
His Eight Articles for a New Governmental Platform,
which will also be exhibited, is an important document in shaping
the policies of a modern nation state, in which the framework for
the new government, the establishment of a consti-tution and the
inauguration of a national assembly, were designed.
Kyoto National Museum
Keihan Shichijo Stn.
Open: 9:30am - 5pm, closed Mon • Admission: ¥1,200/¥800/¥400
Tel: 075-541-1151
Masterpieces from the Louvre:
19th Century French Paintings — from Neoclassicism to Romanticism
Thru Oct. 6
The Louvre Museum holds 200 years of history and
its collection is of the highest quality among the world's museums.
Seventy three pieces will be displayed from the collection, focusing
on how modern art came to be, going as far back as the French Revolution.
Features major works by Jean Auguste Dominic Ingres, Eugene Delacroix,
Jacques-Lois David and Jean-Francois Millet.
Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art (Kyoto Shi
Bijyutsukan)
JR Kyoto/Hankyu Shijo Kawaramachi/Keihan-Sanjo stn.
Admission: ¥1300/¥900/¥500
Tel: 075-771-4107
Gundam: Generating Futures
Thru Aug.31
In the quarter-century since Mobile Suit Gundam
was first aired
on TV, the Gundam science fiction anime series has taken many different
forms, including movie versions. Through its success in terms of
modeling and in terms of its story, it has exerted an influence
on many different domains of culture, triggering a boom in plastic
model kits based on the mecha appearing in Gundam, and resulting
in many different game products.
Why has Gundam won such wide-reaching acclaim?
Probably because the message carried by the original Mobile Suit
Gundam raised questions that are still relevant today. Mobile Suit
Gundam was Japan's first anime to depict war as a struggle between
people, and it told a story of human evolution attained by extending
our intellects and our physiques through Newtype and Mobile Suit
techno-logy. It also presented ideas for the natural environment
of space colonies and for new life where human intellect has even
achieved control of time.
In this exhibition, curators, artists and creators
of the Gundam generation turn their attention to key concepts of
Mobile Suit Gundam — war, evolution, life — and to the
cultural phenomena that the anime generated. Through these, they
attempt to help us read the message it contains. For people of our
generation, this exhibition is not just about science fiction; it
is about the future.
Suntory Museum Tenpozan
Subway Chuo-line / Technoport line,
Osaka-ko stn, exit #1
Open: 10:30am-7pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥900/¥630/¥450
Tel: 06-6577-0001
Kansai Art Listings AUGUST
| Osaka
Thru Aug 6
Nomart Project Space, Cube & Loft
Young Artist Cultivation and Exhibition Project —
An exhibition by Mayumi Kimura
Subway Chuo Line, Fukaebashi Station, exit #1
Open: 11am-7pm, Sat: 1-7pm.
Admission: Free
Tel: 06-6967-1354
Thru Aug 17
Osaka Municipal Museum of Art
All Kansai Art Exhibition
JR/subway Tennoji stn.
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥700/¥500
Tel: 06-6771-4874
Thru Aug 28
Graf Media GM
Melo. Thai manga artist Wisut Ponnimit exhibition
Yotsubashi line, Higobashi stn.
Open: 12-8pm, closed Mon
Admission: Free
Tel: 06-6459-2082
Thru Sept 4
Kirin Plaza Osaka
Naniwa Music Museum
Shinsaibashi stn.
Open: 11am-9pm
Admission: free
Tel: 06-6212-6578
Thru Sept 4
Osaka Shiritsu Toyo Toji Bijitsukan
Japanese, Korean and Chinese Porcelain from the museum collection
Subway/Keihan Yodoyabashi stn.
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥500/¥300/free
Tel: 06-6223-0055
Thru Sept 4
Museum of Oriental Ceramics Osaka
Masterpieces of Oriental Ceramics — Exhibition from
Korea, Japan and China.
Midosuji line, Yodoyabashi Station
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥500/¥300, free
Tel: 06-6223-0055
Thru Sept 7
DDD Gallery
2005 Tokyo Art Directors Club Exhibition
Nishi-Umeda stn or Higobashi stn.
Open: 10am-6pm, closed Sat/Sun /National Holidays
Admission: Free
Tel: 06-6347-8780
Thru Sept 27
Kokuritsu Minzokugaku Haku-butsukan (Museum of Ethnology)
Street Art in Africa — Over 450 pieces including toys,
posters and a reconstructed coffee shop.
Inside Expo '70 Park. Subway Banpaku Kinen Koen stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Wed.
Admission: ¥420/¥250/¥110
Tel: 06-6876-2151
Thru Oct 10
Kokuritsu Kokusai Bijutsukan
(National Museum of Art Osaka)
Positioning: The New Reality of Europe — Art from Poland,
the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary.
Subway Yotsubashi line, Higobashi stn, exit #3.
Open: 10am-4pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥420/¥130/¥70
Tel: 06-6447-468
Kyoto
Thru Aug 28
The Museum of Kyoto (Kyoto Bunka Hakubutsukan)
Exhibition of the works by deceased art students killed in
WW2
Kyoto subway Karasuma line, Karasuma-Oike stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,000/¥700/¥400
Tel: 075-494-2238
Thru Aug 28
Kiyomizu Sannennzaka Museum
Makie lacquerware from
the Edo and Meiji Periods
City bus #207 Kiyomizu-michi stop
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Mon/Tue.
Admission: ¥500/¥300/¥200
Tel: 075-532-4270
Thru Sept 4
The National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto
Kobayashi Kokei Exhibition —
60 of his most representative paintings.
From JR/Kintetsu Kyoto stn, take bus #5, get off at Kyoto-Kaikan-Bijyutsukan-mae.
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,200/¥900/¥600
Tel: 075-561-4111
Thru Sep 11
Hosomi Museum
Exhibition of the Hosomi Collections selected at the request
of visitor
Tozai Subway line, Higashiyama stn. On the corner of Nijo-dori
and river.
Open: 10am-5:30pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥700/¥500
Tel: 075-752-5555
Thru Sep 19
Kyoto Kogei Senii Daigaku Bijutsu Kogei Shiryokan
Colani-Bach in Japan — German industrial designer, Luiji
Colani's exhibition of original drawings, furniture, cars
and other products. Products designed for Japanese companies
will also be exhibited.
Matsugasakai Gosho Kaido-cho, Sakyo-ku.
Open: 10am-4pm closed Sat/Sun
Admission: Free
Tel: 075-213-2939
Thru Sept 25
Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Bijutsukan
Art depicting water lillies from the museum collection
JR Yamazaki/Hankyu Oyamazaki stn.
Open: 10am-4pm closed Mon
Admission: ¥700/¥500/free
Tel: 075-957-3123
Thru Sept 25
Koryo Museum of Art
Korean Fine Arts —
Tiles from the Silla Dynasty
From Kyoto stn, take but #9 to Kamogawa Chugaku Mae.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥500/¥400/¥300
Tel: 075-494-2238
Hyogo
Thru Aug 7
Nishinomiya-shi Otani Kinen Bijyutsukan
A Drop of Water: Eiji Okubo
Aug 20 - Sep 25
Bologna Fiera Del Libro Per Ragazzi —
International Children's Book Exhibition
Koroen stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Wed
Admission: ¥500/¥300/¥200
Tel: 0798-33-0164
Aug 3 - 15
Daimaru Museum — Kobe
50 Years with Miffy exhibition
JR/Hanshin Motomachi stn, Daimaru Dept. Store 9F
Open: 11am-7pm
Admission: ¥800/¥600
Tel: 078-331-8121
Aug 6 - Sept 19
Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History
Skills and Fascination for Patterns
JR/Sanyo Himeji stn.
Open: 10am-4pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥200/¥100/free
Tel: 0792-88-9011
Aug 13 - Oct 10
Hyogo Prefectural Museum
The New Silk Road Exhibition
Hanshin Iwaya stn.
Open: 10am-5pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,300/¥900/¥500
Tel: 078-262-0901
Nara
Thru Sep 4
Nara National Museum
Ko-Mikkyo — The Incipient Stages of Japanese Esoteric
Buddhism.
Kintetsu Nara stn. inside Nara Park
Open: 9:30am-5pm, closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,000/¥700/¥400
Tel: 0742-22-7771
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ART section compiled by Maki Nibayashi
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