The recipients of the 22nd Kokka Award, an award for remarkable research on Japanese and East Asian art, were announced. The Kokka Award was given to a monograph titled ‘Beifutsu “gashi” chūshaku’ (Chūō kōron bijutsu shuppan) by KOHARA Hironobu, and a monograph titled ‘Shari shōgon bijutsu no kenkyū’ (Seichi shuppan) by NAITŌ Sakae. (Japanese)
On October 9, the exhibition titled ‘The World of Buddhist Kasaya’ opened at the Kyoto National Museum (until November 23). It showcased kasaya robes worned by renowned monks who left their mark on Chinese and Japanese Buddhist history, such as Wuzhun Shifan and Musō Soseki. The exhibition consisited of eight chapters: Chapter 1 ‘Kesa no hajimari – ritsue to funzōe (The Origins of the Kasaya: Vinaya Robes and Robes of Rags)’; Chapter 2 ‘Tennō ke to kesa (The Imperial Family and the Kasaya)’; Chapter 3 ‘Kamakura bukkyō to kesa (Kamakura Buddhism and the Kasaya)’; Chapter 4 ‘Denpōe ni miru higashi ajia kōryū I (East Asian Exchange Seen in Robes Passed Down in the Temples I)’; Chapter 5 ‘Dōkyō Shintō to kesa (Taoism, Shinto and Kasaya)’; Chapter 6 ‘Denpōe ni miru higashi ajia kyōryū II (East Asian Exchange Seen in Robes Passed Down in the Temples II)’; Chapter 7 ‘Kesa to meibutsu gire (The Kasaya and Famed Textiles)’; and Chapter 8 ‘Denpōe ni miru higashi ajia kōryū III (East Asian Exchange Seen in Robes That Passed Down in the Temple III)’. It explored the kasaya from multiple perspectives. (Japanese)
On October 2, the exhibition titled ‘Treasures of the Owari Tokugawa Family including works “Returning home”’ opened at the Tokugawa Art Museum (until November 7). It gathered together artworks passed down through the Owari Tokugawa Family, comprising the core collection of the Tokugawa Art Museum, donated by Yoshichika, the nineteenth head of the family, alongside artworks now in the collection of elsewhere yet whose provenance reveals them to be artworks originally handed down through the Owari Tokugawa family. The exhibition consisted of four categories: ‘Denrai no meihin (Treasures from the Legacy)’; ‘Samazamana meihō (Various Treasures)’; ‘Satogaeri no meihin (Returning Home Treasures)’; and ‘Arata ni kuwaerareta meihō – Kōnyūhin to kizōhin (Newly Added Treasures: Acquisitions and Donations)’. It displayed 290 items passed down through the family, including armor, swords, tea ceremony utensils, artworks that adorned the reception room, and Noh masks and costumes. The exhibition showcased the meticulous outcomes of research and offered a glimpse into the essence of Edo culture. (Japanese)
On September 22, the exhibition titled ‘Sumidagawa – The Beloved River of Edo’ opened at the Edo-Tokyo Museum (until November 14). It traced how the Sumida River flowing through Tokyo had been depicted from the Edo period to modern times, approaching the relationship between the Sumida River and its people from broad perspectives including history, folklore, archaeology, and art. The exhibition consisted of five chapters: Prologue ‘Koten kara gense e (From Classics to the Present Day)’; Chapter 1 ‘Funa asobi no sumidagawa (The Sumiga River for Boat Pleasure)’; Chapter 2 ‘Sumidagawa o nagameru (Viewing the Sumida River)’; Chapter 3 ‘Sumidagawa no fūbutsushi (Seasonal Scenes of the Sumida River)’; and Epilogue ‘Kindai e no renzoku to hirenzoku (Continuity and Discontinuity into the Modern Era)’. Admist heightened attention on the changing landscape along the Sumida River due to the construction of Tokyo Skytree, it proved a particlularly meaningful exhibition. (Japanese)
On September 18, the exhibition titled ‘Edgar Degas’ opened at the Yokohama Museum of Art (until December 31). It traced the artistic career of Impressionist artist Edgar Degas through approximately 120 works of art. Centered around 46 works from the Musée d’Orsay collection and featuring artworks from both Japan and abroad, the exhibition consisted of three sections: 1. ‘Koten shugi kara no shuppatsu (Beginnings in Classicism)’; 2. ‘Jikken to kakushin no jidai (The Era of Experimentation and Conviction)’; and 3. ‘Sōgō to saranaru tenkai (Synthesis and Further Development)’. Through oil paintings, pastels, sculptures and photographes, it demonstrated Degas’s journey towards his unique style, confronting an era of advancing modernization while grounded in French artistic tradition. (Japanese)
On September 14, the laureates of the 22nd Praemium Imperiale in Honor of Prince Takamatsu (organized by the Japan Art Association), which publicly honors individual world artists, were announced. In relation to art, Enrico Castellani (Italy) in the Painting category, Rebecca Horn (Germany) in the Sculpture category, and Toyo ITO (Japan) in the Architecture category. (Japanese)
On September 11, the exhibition titled ‘Eisai to Chūsei Hakata ten’ opened at the Fukuoka City Museum (until October 31). It featured the life of Eisai (1141 – 1215) and medieval Hakata, which flourished as a hub for international exchange, through 152 works and materials, including National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. Eisai who twice travelled to Song China in 1168 and 1186 and established Japan’s first Zen Buddhist temple, Shōfukuji, in Hakata. The exhibition consisted of two parts: Part One ‘Eisai no sokuseki (The Footsteps of Eisai)’, explored Eisai from perspectives of his appearance, faith, tea appreciation, and skill in establishing sub-temples; and Part Two ‘Shōfukuji no sōken to chūsei Hakata no hanei (The Founding of Shōfukuji temple and the Prosperity of Medieval Hakata)’, highlighted medieval Hakata as an international city of life through archaeological and historical materials, and imported artworks brought by ship at the time. Reflecting recent research findings on newly discovered historical materials related to Eisai, the exhibition offered a rich and comprehensive display. (Japanese)
On September 4, the exhibition titled ‘Ceramics of Medieval Japan: The Six Old Kilns and Their Envisions’ opened at the MIHO MUSEUM (until December 12). It featured works from the six ancient kilns known to have operated continuously from the medieval period to the present day – Seto, Tokoname, Echizen, Shigaraki, Tanba, and Bizen – alongside pieces from medieval kilns across Japan which were revealed by recent excavations. Research into the pre-war history of active kilns heightened interest in ancient kilns, leading to the introduction of the Six Ancient Kilns. The exhibition displayed approximately 170 works from various medieval kilns, building on the achievements of excavations to date, which had revealed the existence of around 80 medieval kilns throughout Japan, including those at Sanage, Mino/Mino Sue, Atsumi, Kosai, Iga, Kaga, and Suzu. It showcased the diversity of clay, techniques, and forms unique to each kiln, presenting a comprehensive exhibition that demonstrated the breadth of medieval pottery production. The exhibition subsequently toured to the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum (January 2 – March 21, 2011), Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum (April 2. May 22, 2011), Fukui Prefectural Museum of Ceramics (May 28 – July 31, 2011) and Hagi Uragami Museum (August 13 – September 25, 2011). (Japanese)
On August 28, the award ceremony of the 12th Venice Architecture Biennale was held in Venice, Italy. Architect ISHIGAMI Junya won the Golden Lion Award of the best project, the highest award in this category. His exhibition, constructed out of carbon fiber pillars and thread as materials, was praised for ‘pursuing the limits of architecture with an ultra-lightweight design’. In addition, the late architect SHINOHARA Kazuo was posthumously awarded the Gold Lion in memoriam. (Japanese)
On August 21, the exhibition titled ‘Tanaka Isson – Aratanaru zenbō’ opened at the Chiba Art Museum (until September 26). This was a retrospective exhibition of nihonga artist TANAKA Isson (1908 – 1977), who, though virtually unknown during his lifetime, was thrust into the limelight after his death when featured on a television program. It garnered significant attention as an initiative to re-examine and re-evaluate Isson’s artistic career. It focused on his early works and archival materials, moving beyond the tendency for his legacy to be defined primarily by his later works depicting the unique flora and fauna of the southern islands, created during his time residing on Amami Ōshima Island. The exhibition subsequently toured to the Kagoshima City Museum of Art (October 5 – November 7) and the Tanaka Isson Museum (November 14 – December 14). (Japanese)
On August 21, the art festival ‘Aichi Triennale 2010: Arts and Cities’ opened (until October 31), aiming to establish the Aichi region as a cultural and artistic contributor to Japan and the world. Multiple venues centered on Nagoya City served as exhibition sites, including the Aichi Arts Center, Nagoya City Art Museum, Chōjamachi Site, Nayabashi Site, Nagoya Castle, Oasis 21, and Chūō-Hirokōji Building. Based on the basic concept announced in March 2008, the following policies were decided in October of the same year: ‘Cutting-edge – Introducing contemporary art trends with a focus on fine art from an international perspective’; ‘Festivity – Creating a sense of exaltation as an urban festival’; and ‘Hybridity – Actively incorporating performing arts with contemporary art as the core’. Following three years of preparation with TAKEHATA Akira as Artistic Director, approximately 130 artists from around the world participated, creating a notable art festival where multiple artistic spaces were simultaneously generated throughout a single city. (Japanese)
On August 7, the exhibition titled ‘Hashimoto Heihachi and Kitasono Katsue: Unusual Pair of Brothers, a Sculptor and a Poet’ opened at the Mie Prefectural Art Museum (until October 11). For the first time, it brought together works by sculptor HASHIMOTO Heihachi (1987 – 1935) and his younger brother KITASONO Katsue (born HASHIMOTO Kenkichi, 1902 – 1978), who emerged as an avant-garde poet and pursued diverse activities spanning literature and art. This significant exhibition highlighted how the seemingly contrasting creative paths of Heihachi, who expressed the spiritual essence residing in natural objects like stone and wood through wood carving, and Katsue, who embraced Futurism, Dada, and Constructivism in his poetry and design, were rooted in their shared upbringing and era, as well as mutual exchange of ideas and dialogue. The exhibition subsequently toured to the Setagaya Art Museum (October 23 – December 12). (Japanese)
South Korean civic groips demanded the return of a five-story stone pagoda in the collection of the Okura Museum of Art in Minato Ward, Tokyo, marking the centenary of the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. On July 21, Mayor Cho Byeong-don of Icheon City, where the pagoda once stood, visited the museum to hand over a petition for its return and signatures from over 100,000 people. The pagoda is believed to date from the early Goryeo period. It was moved to Japan after the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910 and was designated as a National Important Cultural Property in 1933. In response to the request, the museum stated that it could not comply with the request at this stage. (Japanese)
On July 19, the contemporary art festival ‘Setouchi International Art Triennale 2010’ opened (until October 31). It staged across seven islands in the Seto Inland Sea including Naoshima and Shōdoshima Islands, and the surrounding area of Takamatsu Port in Kagawa Prefecture serving as its home port. FUKUTAKE Sōichirō (Chairman, The Fukutake Foundation) served as General Producer, with KITAGAWA Fram (Art Director) as General Director. The festival featured the works of 75 artists from 18 countries and regions, alongside 16 events. Amidst a movement to utilize contemporary art for regional development, it garnered significant public attention as a newly launched international exhibition together with the Aichi Triennale 2010, recording a total attendance of approximately 940,000 visitors. Furthermore, preceding the art festival, the Lee Ufan Museum, operated by the Naoshima Fukutake Art Museum Foundation and designed by ANDŌ Tadao, opened on June 15 on Naoshima Island. (Japanese)
On July 16, the Council for Cultural Affairs (Chair: NISHIHARA Suzuko) submitted a report on five people to be designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Living National Treasures) to KAWABATA Tatsuo, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The List includes KATŌ Kōzō for his setoguro; TSUCHIYA Yoshinori for his monsha; FUTATSUKA Osamu for his yūzen; NAKANO Kōichi for his makie; and TAMAGAWA Norio for his tankin. This marked the first designation for artists who create monsha. It thus brings the total number of Living National Treasures to 116 individuals, with 58 in each of the performing arts and traditional crafts (kōgei). (Japanese)
In July, the recipients of the 5th Western Art Foundation for Promotion Award, which publicly honor individuals and institutions involved in curating exhibitions that have contributed to the understanding of Western art and academic research in the field of Western art, were announced. The Academic Award for Individuals was awarded to KOHMOTO Shinji (for his curation of the exhibition titled ‘Wiliam Kentridge – What We See & What We Know: Thinking about History while Walking’, held at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto) and ARAYASHIKI Tōru (for his supervision of the exhibition titled ‘Renoir: Tradition and Innovation’, held at the National Art Center, Tokyo). The Cultural Promotion Award for Institutions was given to Bunkamura (for the exhibition titled ‘Tamara de Lempicka et son époque’, held at the Bunkamura The Museum) (Japanese)
On July 10, the exhibition titled ‘ROBOTS and the ARTS: Visual Images in the 20th Century Japan’ opened at the Aomori Museum of Art (until August 29). It traced the relationship between humanoid robots and art. The exhibition consisted of four chapters: Prologue ‘Robotto izen: ugoku “hitogata” no yume (Before Robots: Dreams of Moving “Human Forms”)’; Chapter 1 ‘Senzen: Robotto no tanjō to dōjidai bunka (Pre-War: The Birth of the Robots and Contemporary Culture)’; Chapter 2 ‘Sengo I: Taishū bunka no kōryū to sengo āto no dōkō (Post-War 1: The Rise of Popular Culture and Post-War Art Trends)’; and Chapter 3 ‘Sengo II: Robotto imēji no genzai – robothikkusu kara āto made (Post-War II: The Robot Image Today – From Robotics to Art)’. The prologue introduced documentary predating the birth of the word ‘robot’ and its concept, followed by three chapters that ambitiously presented actual robots alongside a display of robot imagery spanning paintings, manga, animation, and even toys. The exhibition subsequently toured to the Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art (September 18 – November 17) and the Iwami Art Museum, Shimane Prefecture (November 20 – January 10, 2011). (Japanese)
On May 26, the exhibition ‘Post-Impressionism: 115 Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay’ opened at the National Art Center, Tokyo (until August 16). It featured French art from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries, following the Impressionists, through 115 works of art from the collection of Musée d’Orsay, renowned for its collection of modern French art. This large-scale exhibition chronologically traced works from the final Impressionist exhibition in 1886 to those by the Nabis in the 1920s. It consisted of ten chapters: Chapter 1 ‘Les impressionnistes autour de 1886’; Chapter 2 ‘Seurat et le Néo-Impressionnisme’; Chapter 3 ‘Cézanne et “cézannité”’; Chapter 4 ‘Toulouse-Lautrec’; Chapter 5 ‘Van Gogh et Gauguin’; Chapter 6 ‘L’Ecole de Pont-Aven’; Chapter 7 ‘Les Nabis’; Chapter 8 ‘Sonorités intérieures’; Chapter 9 ‘Le “douanier Rousseau”’; and Chapter 10 ‘Triomphe du décor’. The exhibition was made possible by the loan of 115 artworks from the Musée d’Orsay’s collection as a single package, in conjunction with the museum’s major refurbishment in 2010. (Japanese)
On May 21, the Council for Cultural Affairs (Commissioner: NISHIHARA Suzuko) submitted a report on one place to be designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, eight places to be designated as Historic Sites, and two places to be designated as Places of Scenic Beauty to KAWABATA Tatsuo, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes the Garden at the Eastern Palace of Heijō Palace (Nara City), which was discovered and restored in the southeastern part of the Heijō Palace site to be designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty; the ruins of the Chōshū Domain Shimonoseki Maeda Battery Sites (Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture), the scene of the Shimonoseki bombardment in 1864 during the Bakumatsu period, to be designated as a Historic Site; Wakanoura Bay, celebrated in the Manyōshū, to be designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty; two places such as Ogawa’s Garden Kansuien (Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture) to be registered as Registered Monuments; and two places such as the waterfront of Harie and Shimofuri (Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture) to be registered as Important Cultural Landscapes. (Japanese)
The recipients of the 4th Yomiuri Aoniyoshi Award (sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun with special support from the Japan Society for the Conservation of Cultural Property), which publicly honors individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements in the fields of conservation science and restoration, were announced. The Aoniyoshi Award was given to YAMARYŌ Mari, who has long been involved in restoration of modern paintings such as oil and watercolors. The Encouragement Award went to KITANO Kazunari, who manufactures susa (plant fibers for plaster reinforcement). The Special Award was given to the Gangoji Institute for Research of Cultural Property, which has long been engaged in developing excellent conservation and treatment methods for excavated wooden artefacts. (Japanese)