《Kuya Kamito Statue》 Kamakura period, 13th century Kyoto, Rokuharamitsuji warehouse
Kuya was one of the first to spread the Amida faith to the people in the middle of the Heian period.
A special exhibition "Sora and other superiors and Rokuharamitsuji" is held at Tokyo National Museum, where famous treasures of Kamakura sculptures such as the statue of a superior who is handed down to Rokuharamitsuji Temple built by Kuya Shonin and the statue of the four heavenly kings built under him are gathered. The curtain opened at the museum.
Venue entrance
At the Tokyo National Museum, a special exhibition "Kuya Jonin and Rokuharamitsuji"is being held, focusing on the famous treasures of Kuya Shonin and Rokuharamitsuji.
As you know, Kuya Shonin is a monk who spread the Amida belief that if you sing Namu Amida Buddhism, the paradise Pure Land will come true.
The time when this Kuya superior lived was in the middle of the Heian period. This era was also a time when society was hit by great turmoil, such as the loosening of the Ritsuryo system itself and the resulting turmoil in Johei and Tengyo.
Many people were sick due to the pandemic that spread to the capital of Kyoto in the 5th year of the Tenryaku era (951). He showed the way of salvation.
And time has passed, and this year marks the 150th anniversary of the death of the sky and others. Curiously, the world is in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic called the Corona Sorrow.
I'm not the only one who feels the sign of a mysterious era and the timing of this exhibition.
In this exhibition, the statue of Kuya Kamito was exhibited in Tokyo for the first time in half a century, and the statues of the four heavenly kings produced under Kuya Kamito, the Jizo Bodhisattva statue by Jocho, and Unkei's work. Masterpieces of sculptures from Heian to Kamakura, such as the sitting statue of Jizo Bodhisattva, are gathered together.
Venue sceneryFrom the exhibition scenery. In the foreground is the "Enmaou sitting statue" (Kamakura period, 13th century)"Jizo Bodhisattva statue" (Heian period, 11th century)
The exhibition venue is 5 special rooms in the main building of the Tokyo National Museum. Since it is an exhibition space with only one room, the site area is not so large, but the space where masterpiece sculptures from the Kamakura period gather is just a masterpiece. In addition, depending on the exhibited works, including Kuya Kamito, the statue can be viewed from 360 ° in all directions, so there are many things to see.
In particular, you can take a closer look at the halo part (a visual expression of the light emitted from the gods and Buddha), which you rarely see on a daily basis, so please try to find your own "pushing angle".
When you step into the venue, the Jizo Bodhisattva statue , which sits in front of you, is a masterpiece of Heian sculpture with graceful coloring, and the well-balanced body balance and the three-dimensional composition of the gentle curved surface shine. The clothes are decorated with pretty chrysanthemum flowers, which makes you feel the skill of the Great Buddha Jocho.
With the sitting statue of Yakushi Nyorai, an important cultural property, in the center, the statues of the four heavenly kings are lined up.Overcoming repeated hardships, the treasure of Rokuharamitsuji that is handed down"Denbei Kiyomori sitting statue" (Kamakura period, 13th century)
Rokuharamitsuji Temple was located outside Heiankyo at that time, and is the entrance to Toribeno, the place of funeral procession in Kyoto. For this reason, it is a special place that has been regarded as the boundary between "that world" and "this world", but Rokuharamitsuji has been hit by many disasters and wars since its construction.
What is exhibited in this exhibition are miraculous items that have been passed down to the present day after overcoming those disasters. It may be good to think not only of its artistic value but also of the depth of faith at that time through the work.
The sitting statue of Taira no Kiyomori is believed to have been created by a Buddhist priest of the Kei school, and although there is no evidence, it is said to be a statue of Taira no Kiyomori. It is a mysterious statue.
Kiyomori sits in the form of a shaved monk, holding a scroll in both hands and crossing his legs as if looking at it. According to one theory, it was made to prevent Kiyomori's grudges, but while looking at the books, a meditative expression is impressive. What was Kiyomori, who once enjoyed the world, thinking at this time?
《Kuya Kamito Statue》 Kamakura period, 13th century Kyoto, Rokuharamitsuji warehouse
The statue of Kuya Kamito , owned by Rokuharamitsuji Temple, made in the early 13th century is one of the most famous portrait sculptures in Japan.
It is a work that is well known to the younger generation who do not know the achievements of Kuya Shonin and the official name of this statue because the unique modeling that the Buddha appears from the mouth is eye-catching.
The author is believed to be Kosho, the fourth son of Unkei, a Buddhist priest who represents the Kamakura period. It is said that this statue was created about 250 years after the death of Kuya, but it is characterized by its realism as if it had been created by witnessing him. The figure of a slim priest who beats a shoko, chanting a Buddhist priest, and walks while sticking a deer wand. The creativity that shaped the intangible voice is nothing but a hat.
This exhibition can be viewed from 360 ° in all directions. The shins and calves trained by walking around the city, the expression as if listening to the voice asking for help … I would like you to appreciate the work while remembering the appearance of Kuya's superiors. ..
Outline of the special exhibition "Kuya Kamito and Rokuharamitsuji"
Legislative session
March 1st (Tuesday) -May 8th (Sunday), 2022
venue
Tokyo National Museum Main Building Special 5 Rooms
Opening hours
9: 30-17: 00
closing day
Monday, 3/22 (Tue) * However, 3/21, 3/28, 5/2 are open
Organizer
Tokyo National Museum, Rokuharamitsuji Temple, Asahi Shimbun, TV Asahi, BS Asahi
Johannes Vermeer “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” (after restoration) circa 1657-1659
“Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” by Johannes Vermeer, a painter representing the 17th century Holland. The exhibition“Vermeer and 17th Century Dutch Painting Exhibition in the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum” will be held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum for the first time in the world to show the “original appearance” restored by the large-scale restoration work. It is being held.
The session is from February 10th (Thursday) to April 3rd (Sunday), 2022.
Since I participated in the press preview held prior to the event, I will report on the contents of the exhibition.
* All works without special mention are in the collection of the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum.
Venue sceneryVenue scenery
Cupid’s painting that appeared in “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window”
“Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” in the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum, where a large-scale restoration project was carried out from 2017 to 2021. Johannes Vermeer (1632-75) is an early masterpiece shortly after turning from historical painting to genre painting. It is a turning point where the Vermeer-like style that we know today, such as the expression of light coming in through the window and the image of a woman reading a letter indoors, has been established.
This is the figure before restoration. Sabine Bentfeld << Replica: Girl Reading a Letter at the Window (Based on Vermeer’s Original Drawing) >> 2001 Private Collection
The biggest change in this modified work was the restoration of Cupid’s painting, which was hidden behind the wall.
Originally, the existence of the painting itself was revealed by an X-ray survey conducted in 1979, but it has been thought that the artist himself painted it. However, in the process of the restoration project, it turned out that it was overcoated by a third party after Vermeer’s death.
A team of experts has decided to bring the film back to a state close to 1658 from Vermeer’s atelier. After the restoration, it was first unveiled at the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum, and then it was to be exhibited at this exhibition ahead of the rest of the world.
Cupid, the god of love depicted in the painting, has a somewhat proud expression while trampling on the mask that symbolizes lies and deception.
Johannes Vermeer “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” (after restoration) circa 1657-1659Johannes Vermeer “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” (after restoration) (part) 1657-1659
According to the exhibition commentary, the prototype of this Cupid is in the iconography collection that was popular at that time. The implication is that “honest love overcomes lies and hypocrisy”, and it is clear that the letter that the woman is reading is a love letter, and she can receive a message related to allegory.
Next to this work, a replica before restoration is displayed, so you can enjoy comparing the differences.
The woman before the restoration had a mysterious impression that her emotions could not be read, and she received some gloomy signs such as sadness and disappointment. When I watched this work after restoration on the premise of a love letter, I noticed redness on my cheeks, and I felt that the gently dropped eyes had a deep feeling for the other party of the letter. The appearance has changed considerably.
Johannes Vermeer “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” (after restoration) (part) 1657-1659
It is also noteworthy that the varnish and stains that have discolored due to aging have been removed, making the entire screen brighter. The white of the wall is remarkable, but the Vermeer blue of the window frame and the red of the tapestry spreading in front of the screen are also vivid. The expression of light by Vermeer’s specialty pointier technique (a technique of drawing light reflections and highlights with white dots), which is seen in female blonde hair, seemed to shine more beautifully.
The balance of the standing figure of the woman surrounded by curtains, tapestries, window frames, chairs, and paintings is calculated, giving the impression that the depth is emphasized without cluttering the screen. It’s also interesting that Cupid is arranged so that he can open the curtain and secretly look into the female figure.
By the way, I was thinking that it would be unavoidable to feel that the screen became narrower due to the appearance of the in-picture image that occupies about a quarter of the screen … Actually, before and after the restoration, I noticed that the screen was really narrow. The edges of the screen are gradually disappearing from the top, bottom, left, right, and all four sides.
Looking at the upper side, the space continues above the curtain rod before the correction, but after the correction it is completely gone. [Top] Sabine Bentfeld << Replica: Girl Reading a Letter at the Window (Based on Vermeer’s Original Drawing) >> (Part) 2001 Private Collection / [Bottom] Johannes Vermeer “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” (after restoration) (part) 1657-1659Why? When I checked the official catalog, it seems that the four sides were also removed because it was discovered that it was a top coat by a third party. Originally, that part was unfinished, or it was just left unerased from the painted wine glass and just uneven shades.
Uta Knighthardt, a senior curator at the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum, may have originally hidden the four sides with a picture frame. I speculated that elements that now seem to be missing, such as the top of the curtain rod, were drawn directly on the frame for the purpose of enhancing the optical illusion effect.
I don’t know the truth, but in any case, the long-loved Girl Reading a Letter at the Window has undergone a dramatic transformation. Those who like the clean atmosphere of the uncorrected painting may have mixed feelings about this restoration, but if you look at the real thing, you will surely find not only the feeling of loss but also the new charm of the revived masterpiece. Should be.
Why has Cupid been erased?
Video about the restoration project
In this exhibition, a large space is used to introduce the entire restoration project in detail with explanation panels and videos showing the restoration. It seems to be daunting to see the details of the work of removing varnish and dirt little by little with an anatomical sword while looking through a microscope. It is an exhibition that shows how carefully the restoration work that took four years was done.
Video about the restoration project
In the first place, it’s interesting to see why “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” was so modified by whom. However, it remains a mystery even after extensive research.
Since Cupid’s paintings are in good condition, there is a possibility that they may be maintained not for preservation reasons but for aesthetic considerations such as temporary hobbies and changes in fashion. How careless, it’s scary from our current sense, but Vermeer at that time wasn’t as famous as it is now …
In fact, when this work was added to the collection of the Electorate of Saxony, which was the basis of the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum in 1742, it was considered to be Rembrandt van Rijn’s work, not Vermeer’s. Isn’t the painting erased in order to bring it to the style of Rembrandt, who was extremely popular in Europe? There seems to be a view that.
Anton Heinrich Riedel << Woman Reading a Letter at the Window (Based on Vermeer’s Original Drawing) >> 1783 Dresden Edition Pixel Drawing Museum Collection
In the same space, we will also introduce four duplicate prints of “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” of different ages, such as 1783, 1850, 1893, and 1907. According to the exhibition commentary, the person misidentified as the author of “Girl Reading a Letter at the Window” was not only Rembrandt, but also Rembrandt’s disciple Govert Flinck and Pieter de Hooch depending on the times. And twists and turns. It’s surprising that it was recognized as Vermeer’s work in 1862. It turned out that it was something unfortunate when the author changed around and changed here and there.
Gem paintings that colored the golden age of the 17th century Holland
Jan Steen 《Expulsion of Hagar》 Around 1655-57Warran Weiyan << Self-portrait >> Around 1645Gabriël Metsu 《Bird-Seller Man》 1662Hendrick Avercamp “People playing on sleds and skates” around 1620Jacob van Ruisdal “Waterfall in front of Shiroyama” around 1665-70
The Netherlands in the 17th century was one of the first countries in Europe to realize civil society, and many of the painting patronage were citizens rather than churches and royal aristocrats. Small genre paintings (indoor paintings) that are familiar to people on a daily basis in private residences are preferred rather than exaggerated historical paintings. Established as one. Portraits that reflect the rise in social status have also made remarkable progress.
Using realistic depictions in every detail and sometimes symbolic pictorial rhetoric, he portrays Dutch life and culture in a realistic or surpassing reality. It was a time when rich painting expressions that could be called the golden age of painting blossomed.
In this exhibition, about 70 paintings from the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum, such as Rembrandt, Gabriël Metsu, and Jacob van Ruisdal, who were active at the same time as Vermeer, which color the golden age of 17th century Dutch painting, will be exhibited. doing.
Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of Young Saskia, 1633
Many portraits, including Rembrandt, are striking with their skillful depictions of light and shadow.
Rembrandt’s portrait of his wife, “Portrait of Young Saskia,” is a fictional head study rather than a general portrait, due to its ancient costumes and shadows on the upper half of his face. It is thought that it is. The dynamic light and dark depiction of Rembrandt’s spotlight makes the suspicious smile even more mysterious. If I see this picture in the middle of the night, I’m afraid I can’t sleep …
Michel van Mielefeld “Portrait of a Woman” Production year unknown
Michiel Janszsche Felt, who painted “Portrait of a Woman”, is considered to be the most popular and influential portrait painter in Delft, the Netherlands. It was a great honor to have him write a portrait, and he received many requests from aristocrats and wealthy citizens.
The portrait of a woman depicts a wealthy aristocratic woman, whose dignified standing and gaze are impressive. The expression of the glossiness and transparency of the white ruffs also makes me groan, but what I want you to pay attention to is the color and texture of the skin! It seems to shine lively while being elegant, and it is full of charm that can be convinced by the popularity at that time.
Gerrit Dou “Dentist” 1672Gerard ter Borch “Woman washing hands” circa 1655-56Peter van Slingeland, an old woman presenting a chicken through a window to a young woman, 1673
In genre paintings, especially indoor paintings, elaborate works based on accurate observations of daily life are lined up. At the same time, many of them, like Peter van Slingeland’s “Old Woman Presenting a Chicken from a Window to a Young Woman,” add a deeper artistry to her work with lessons and depictions of allegory. At first glance, it seems to depict a slightly eccentric scene of buying and selling, but in reality, the depiction of the birds handed over and the shoes on only one side hides the nuances of mediating prostitution and inviting sexual intercourse.
It’s good to taste it with your own sensibility, but it seems interesting to appreciate it intellectually while grasping the meanings of those things.
Egbert van der Pour 《Great Fire in the Village at Night》 After 1650
Although it is very small and unobtrusive at 18.5×23.5cm, Evbert van der Pour’s “Great Fire in the Night Village” is a genre painting dealing with a rare “fire”. Van der Pour is a person who has been passionate about creating fire and fire works throughout his life from the experience of losing his fellow painters and daughter in a fire. In the middle of the night, the only light source, the flame, illuminates people trying to protect their families and household goods in front of a burning house. It is a work that draws in awe of flames and impermanence.
Melchior d’Hondecoutel “The hen resting its wings” Production year unknownWarlan Weiyan, Letter, Penknife, Red Ribbon with Quill Pen, 1658Jan de Heem “Vases and Fruits” circa 1670-72
In the still life, Jan de Heem’s “Vase and Fruit”, which is a mixture of two kinds of tulips, which were expensive at that time, had an outstanding presence.
This work meets the needs of collectors in the latter half of the 17th century for still life with rich decorativeness and aesthetic sophistication. The powerful contrast of light and darkness and colors is wonderful, but the drops on the flowers and leaves, the windows reflected in the vase, the luster of the fruits … I have no choice but to admire the painter’s own overly precise observation eyes and the transcendental technique of being able to perfectly reproduce what he has observed.
Original goods in collaboration with MiffyOriginal goods in collaboration with Miffy
This exhibition is a collaboration with Miffy, who was born in the Netherlands. As original goods for the exhibition, various products with the theme of “letter” such as two kinds of stuffed animals and sealing wax set were developed. If you are a fan, don’t miss it!
Outline of “Vermeer and 17th Century Dutch Painting Exhibition in Dresden National Classical Painting Museum”
Legislative session
February 10th (Thursday) -April 3rd (Sunday), 2022
venue
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Planning Exhibition Room
Opening hours
9: 30-17: 30 (Admission is 30 minutes before closing)
* Friday 9: 30-20: 00
Closed days
Monday (* Open on March 21st), March 22nd (Tuesday)
Admission fee
General 2100 yen / College student / vocational school student 1300 yen / 65 years old and over 1500 yen * This exhibition requires reservations by date and time. For details, please check the ticket page of the official exhibition website. https://www.dresden-vermeer.jp/ticket/
Organizer
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Sankei Shimbun, Fuji Television
Pompeii, a city of the Roman Empire that once existed in southern Italy and disappeared with the eruption of a volcano about 2000 years ago. A special exhibition “Pompeii” is being held at the Tokyo National Museum Heiseikan in Ueno, Tokyo, which introduces the prosperity and people’s lives with about 150 excavated items. The session will be from January 14th (Friday) to April 3rd (Sunday), 2022.
Since I participated in the press preview held prior to the event, I will report on the state of the venue and the exhibited works.
* All works not mentioned in the caption are in the collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Introducing about 150 masterpieces including the first public release in Japan!
Pompeii, a provincial city of the Roman Empire, was a scenic land where about 10,000 people lived and was suitable for the production of wine and olive oil. In 79 AD, a large eruption occurred on Mount Vesuvius in the northwest of the city, and it was a tragic city that was completely buried all day and night.
The ruins, which are 1600m east-west and 800m north-south, are like a time capsule that kept the bustle of the city asleep for about 1700 years until the start of full-scale excavation in the 18th century. As a treasure trove of valuable materials that give you an idea of the appearance of the ancient Roman city, vigorous archaeological research is still ongoing.
The special exhibition “Pompeii” is about 150, including the first public exhibition in Japan, including mosaics, murals, statues, and daily necessities that the museum is proud of, with the full cooperation of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, which holds many excellent items excavated from Pompeii. An exhibition of dots. It is a valuable exhibition where you can feel the breath of the people who lived in the city that prospered 2000 years ago.
From now on, I will introduce the contents of the exhibition from the beginning to the 5th chapter of this exhibition.
Preface: Mount Vesuvius eruption and Pompeii burial
Preface, entrance
The introduction introduces the situation before and after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. There are several huge displays of high-definition images in this exhibition, but the eruption CG images in the introductory part are particularly impressive. How the city of Pompeii was swallowed was realistically depicted, and it was a moving experience for a person living in Japan, which has many active volcanoes.
“Gypsum statue of a female victim” (1979/1875)
There is also an exhibition of “Gypsum Statue of Female Victims” right next to it. Occasionally, the solidified volcanic ash creates cavities due to the decomposition of organic matter, and when plaster is poured into it, plaster statues such as human bodies are created. Although it does not contain a corpse, it has a vivid presence.
“Bucks (Dionysus) and Mount Vesuvius” (62-79)
Also, in the fresco “Bucks (Dionysus) and Mount Vesuvius”, which is the only example of the painting of Mount Vesuvius before the eruption, you can see the appearance of the mountain before it was greatly deformed. It’s a very rare document, but I’m drawn to the surrealism of the Roman god of wine, Bucks, whose whole body is wrapped in grapes rather than the mountains.
Chapter 1: City of Pompeii-Public Architecture and Religion
Chapter 1 introduces works related to public facilities such as Pompeii’s form (central square), theaters, amphitheaters, baths, and playgrounds, as well as works related to religion and religion.
“Tsuji Musician” (1st century BC)Polykleitos “People with Spears” (1st century BC-1st century BC, original 450-440 BC)
The mosaic painting “Tsuji Ongakushi”, which was adopted as the main visual of this exhibition, which shows the popularity of theater at that time, and the marble model of Polykleitos’s “Doryphoros”, which had a great influence on the human body expression of Western art. Full of highlights such as ticks!
“Venus in Bikini” (1st century BC-1st century BC)
“Venus in Bikini”, which expresses Venus, the goddess of beauty who takes off her sandals just before bathing, has beautiful gold accessories. Venus is the guardian deity of Pompeii, and it seems that a temple was also built in the city, but this marble statue was displayed in the hall of the mansion.
“Water valve” (1st century)
Also, as an inconspicuous but surprising exhibition, I would like to recommend a water valve that was widely used in Pompeii. If you look into it, you can see how the ancient Romans had reached a high level of technology in the field of hydraulics, since it was around the 16th century that water services appeared in earnest in Japanese history.
Chapter 2 Pompeii Society and People’s Activities
“Small amphora representing grape picking (commonly known as” blue jar “)” (first half of the 1st century)<< A woman with a writing board and a stylus (commonly known as “Sappho”) >> (1950-79)
Chapter 2 exhibits excavated items such as lifestyle furnishings and decorations that convey the lifestyle of wealthy citizens who lived in the city of Pompeii. From there, the existence of wealthy people such as women of low origin and freed slaves who have risen with business talents also emerges, and the surprising liquidity of ancient Roman society where the difference between rich and poor was wide can be seen.
“Rental advertisement” (1987-79)
What’s interesting is this kind of rock with big letters. Actually, this is a rental advertisement written on the outer wall of the mansion. If you think that it is the same as the advertisement of “Recruitment of residents!” That we often see in the city, the realization that “I really lived there” comes to me at once.
It seems that the advertisement text says as follows. “At the mansion of Julia, daughter of Spryus Felix, elegant bathrooms, stores, mezzanine and upstairs rooms for well-behaved people, from August 13th to August 13th, the sixth year, 5 It will be rented annually. SQDLENC (Omitted) ”
Julia Felix, who ran a real estate leasing business, is also a good example of a wise woman who has become a wealthy person with a talent for work.
Chapter 3: People’s Lives-Food and Work
Chapter 3 exhibits kitchen utensils, tableware, and excavated ingredients to help you understand your eating habits. It also introduces work tools used by Pompeii residents, such as medical tools, painting materials, farm tools, and tools, and focuses on the daily lives of the people who lived in Pompeii.
“Bakery storefront” (50-79)
There are about 30 bakeries and take-out restaurants in Pompeii, so it was easy to eat. The fresco “Bakery storefront” depicts bread shaped like a disk-shaped pie, but the bread as it was drawn in the picture was excavated from the ruins and exhibited in this exhibition. ..
“Carbonized bread” (1979)
I was impressed that the carbonized bread kept its shape so plump. This is a typical bread called “Panis Quadratus”, and it was said that a knife was used to make radial cuts before baking to make it easier to separate.
“Pig-shaped weight” (1st century)
Even with daily miscellaneous goods such as cooking utensils and scales, you can see that many of them are sophisticatedly decorated with a little scrutiny. Some of the works have animal motifs, and the weight is in the shape of a piglet, which is humorous and makes me laugh.
Chapter 4: History of Pompeii Prosperity
Partial reproduction exhibition of “House of the Tragic Poet”
Chapter 4 is the highlight of this exhibition. Part of the three mansions “House of the Tragic Poet”, “House of the Tragic Poet” and “House of the Fauns” showing the history of Pompeii’s prosperity are reproduced in the venue! It is an exhibition space where you can feel the atmosphere of a 2000-year-old mansion while appreciating masterpieces of mosaics and murals.
“Dancing Faun” (2nd century BC)“Dicotyledon and Tragedy Mask” (end of 2nd century BC)
The most prominent is the “House of the Faun”, which was built around the 2nd century BC and retains the richness of pre-Romanized Hellenistic culture. It is the largest mansion in Pompeii, which occupied all of one block (about 3,000 m2). Here, the dynamic bronze statue of Faun, the origin of the “House of the Faun”, “Dancing Faun”, and the beautiful and terrifying floor mosaic “Faun and the Mask of Tragedy” made by a detailed technique called Ops Welmicratum. You can appreciate such things.
Partial reproduction exhibition of “House of the Faun”Partial reproduction of “House of the Faun”, and a reproduction of “Alexander the Great’s Mosaic” on the floor.
Also, what was discovered in the lounge of this “House of the Faun” was the masterpiece of the famous mosaic painting “Mosaic of Alexander the Great”. Unfortunately, this work, which depicts the “Battle of Issus” in which the Macedonian army led by Alexander the Great defeated the Persian army led by Darius III, is still under restoration work, but this exhibition can be enjoyed in full-scale 8K high-definition video. increase. A copy of the same work was laid on the floor in front of the display, and it was possible to walk by stepping on the popular house at that time.
Chapter 5: Now of excavation, long ago
“Tightrope walking satyr” (15-50 years before)《Bucks holding a leopard (Dionysus) (27-14 BC) Nora Historical Archaeological Museum Collection
The archaeological excavation used to have a strong meaning of “treasure hunting” to acquire works of art, but now it seems that the protection of archaeological sites and archaeological finds is more important than excavation. In Chapter 5, which will be the epilogue, the 18th century will be exhibited, such as the early excavated “Satyr of the ropewalk” and the representative excavation of the University of Tokyo’s academic research team, “Bucks holding a leopard (Dionysus)”. We look back on the history of excavation of the Pompeii ruins from to the present.
As the latest information at the end, a documentary video also introduced the ongoing restoration work of Alexander the Great’s Mosaic.
Maybe you can take a commemorative photo with Pompeii?
In addition, this exhibition is generous, and photography is OK only for personal use! In connection with that, on the official Instagram of the exhibition (@ pompeii2022), along with “# Pompeii-kun” dressed as model AMON, we will proceed with a plan to introduce “shining” recommended shooting spots in the venue. Pompeii may appear at the venue during the session.
State of the museum shopState of the museum shop
Many original goods for this exhibition are on sale at the museum shop, but the cushions for the above-mentioned “Carbonized Bread” are also available. There is an indescribable taste in the expression of cracks. Also, cute collaboration goods with Pompompurin! If you are a fan, don’t miss this limited edition product that can only be bought here by Pudding, who has been recolored in an ancient Roman style.
It was a wonderful exhibition where you can feel the meaning of the catch phrase “I was there.”
The special exhibition “Pompeii” will be held from January 14th (Friday) to April 3rd (Sunday), 2022. Why don’t you immerse yourself in the romantic atmosphere of ancient times through a group of works that still have a lively presence beyond the time of 2000.
Outline of the special exhibition “Pompeii”
Legislative session
January 14th (Friday) -April 3rd (Sunday), 2022
venue
Tokyo National Museum Heiseikan
Opening hours
9:30 am to 5:00 pm
closing day
Monday, 3/22 (Tuesday) * However, 3/21 (Monday / holiday) and 3/28 (Monday) are open.
Admission fee
General 2,100 yen, university students 1,300 yen, high school students 900 yen * Advance reservations (reserved-seat tickets) are recommended for this exhibition. Please check the official website of the exhibition for details.
Organizer
Tokyo National Museum, Naples National Archaeological Museum, Asahi Shimbun, NHK, NHK Promotion
While serving the Yuan dynasty dominated by the Mongolian people, he spent his life inheriting the traditional culture of the Han people and left a great deal of achievement in the history of Chinese calligraphy. Zhao Mengfu (1254-1322). To commemorate the 700th anniversary of his death, the Taito Ward Calligraphy Museum is holding a special exhibition “700 years after his death Zhao Mengfu and its era-reconstruction and folklore”.
Mr. Nobuhiro Nakamura, a senior researcher at the Calligraphy Museum, introduced us to this exhibition, so we would like to report on the state of the venue and the contents of the exhibition.
Session: January 4th (Tuesday) -February 27th (Sunday), 2022
During the period, some works will be exhibited and scenes will be changed.
First term: January 4th (Tuesday) to 30th (Sunday), second term: February 1st (Tuesday) to 27th (Sunday)
* This is a collaborative project with the Tokyo National Museum .
* The photos shown are taken with special permission.
* The photo is dark overall due to the lighting in the exhibition room. note that.
Nobuhiro Nakamura, Principal ResearcherExhibition sceneryExhibition scenery
Zhao Mengfu, the folklore of Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy
Zhao Mengfu Was born at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty as the 11th descendant of Song’s great ancestor (the founder of the dynasty), and was an active literary person in the field of calligraphic works. At the age of 26, he was worried that his country would be destroyed, but at the age of 33 he was invited to the Yuan dynasty under the rule of the Mongolians and held important positions.
Even though he was from the Song dynasty, which is a Han Chinese dynasty, he was criticized at that time and in posterity for how unscrupulous it was to serve a foreign dynasty. However, Zhao Mengfu did not serve for the sake of career advancement and money. Will be described later Wang Xizhi It is believed that he chose to have power even if he was stigmatized, with his mission to protect and inherit the traditional culture of the Han Chinese, including the writing style of.
In this exhibition, about 50 items including related materials such as banknotes and seals that show how Zhao Mengfu, who has such a sense of mission, learned and wrote books and passed them on to posterity. Introduced in the work.
A banknote that was in circulation in the former era, with the words “If you forge it, you will be sentenced to death.” Zhongtong era original treasure cosmetics Exhibited only in the first half of the Yuan dynasty and the first year of the Middle Ages (1260)
Before taking a closer look at Zhao Mengfu’s work, the Eastern Jin dynasty aristocrat, who was the first to be named as a well-learned calligrapher, he was devoted to. Wang Xizhi I would like to briefly introduce (303-361).
Wang Xizhi, who is called Shosei, the god of calligraphy, is the most famous person in the history of Chinese calligraphy, who raised the calligraphy to the realm of art by bringing emotional expressions into the world of calligraphy, which was all about practical use. The book has a plain and universal beauty and is still the highest norm of calligraphy to this day.
When Zhao Mengfu began working in the Yuan dynasty, Wang Xizhi’s presence diminished in the big city, and during the Tang Dynasty, when he was a reformist of calligraphy. Yan Zhenqing It is said that (709-785) was worshiped. Zhao Mengfu learned the writing style of Wang Xizhi, who has the same roots, and advocated a retrospective principle, in order not to turn off the lights of the Han Chinese culture, especially the culture of southern China, which is his roots. The style that returned to the origin of the classical writing method and shape derived from Wang Xizhi seems to have changed the flow of calligraphy since the Song dynasty.
Wang Xizhi does not have an existing handwriting, and can only trace his handwriting from his autographs and rubbing books. In other words, Zhao Mengfu, who is essentially the successor to Wang Xizhi, is an indispensable presence in approaching Wang Xizhi, and vice versa.
Naturally, many books by Wang Xizhi are introduced in this exhibition dealing with Zhao Mengfu.
Sadatake Lantingji Xu — — Hanju Ship Book -Wang Xizhi Original Site: Exhibited only in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the first half of the 4th century
The photo above is the famous masterpiece of Wang Xizhi’s book, “ Lantingji Xu Of the many reproductions of Sadatake What is called a book. Mr. Nakamura says about this work, “There is a certain strength in the quiet atmosphere by removing unnecessary meat. It is a character that the aristocrats at that time are likely to write with elegant writing.”
Other “Lantingji Xu” have flashy brush strokes, but it was evaluated that Sadatakemoto was the quietest and approaching the essence of Wang Xizhi, and Zhao Mengfu also respected Sadatakemoto in particular. Yes.
絳 帖 Ban Master Dan Hen Northern Song Dynasty, around the 11th century
This is”絳 帖 It is a book of Wang Xizhi recorded in the copybook (model book), but it is said that it was actually owned by Zhao Mengfu 700 years ago. The proof is marked with “Matsuyuki”, which is the issue of Zhao Mengfu, so it may be fun to look for it when you see the real thing.
One of the two exhibits has a lot of ownership stamps.絳 帖 Ban Master Dan Hen Northern Song Dynasty, around the 11th century
It’s a little off the subject, but it’s very bold from the modern Japanese sense to feel free to stamp the possession stamp not only for this work but also for valuable works. Write down your history and impressions “ Epilogue “Sentence” was also left in the empty space of various books, which made me feel strange.
Although it was not posted, Wang Xizhi wrote the Taoist scripture, which was also owned by Zhao Mengfu, in a small regular script. Yellow garden sutra The copybook of “” is also a must-see. The harmonious and elegant character that can be understood at a glance why Wang Xizhi is treated as a calligraphy was enough to be seen even if it was not a handwriting.
No matter where you look, there are only beautiful characters! Enjoy the world of Zhao Mengfu
Now, from here, I will introduce the work of Zhao Mengfu, who is the main subject.
“It’s a must-see for anyone who wants to learn a book for the first time, or who is thinking about what to learn, because there are only beautiful characters no matter how you look at it,” says Mr. Nakamura. It was.
Rantei 13 scarlet Zhao Mengfu Original Site: Yuan Dynasty, Zhida 3 Years (1310)
Zhao Mengfu acknowledged his feelings about “Lantingji Xu” and Wang Xizhi of Sadatakemoto introduced earlier. Rantei 13 scarlet Is one of the highlights of this exhibition. Mr. Nakamura described the charm of this work as “The first four pages on display are Zhao Mengfu’s writings of” Lantingji Xu “, and the second four pages are Zhao Mengfu’s swordsman. You can see how Zhao Mengfu aimed for Wang Xizhi’s writing style and was thin. ”
The first half is a book written by Wang Xizhi. Rantei 13 scarlet Zhao Mengfu Original Site: Yuan Dynasty, Zhida 3 Years (1310)The second half is the character of Zhao Mengfu. Rantei 13 scarlet Zhao Mengfu Original Site: Yuan Dynasty, Zhida 3 Years (1310)
Indeed, until I was told, I was unaware that the writings and scarlet texts were written. I feel that characters with many strokes have a similar shape and atmosphere.
Wang Xizhi said, “Of the many” Lantingji Xu “, Sadatakemoto is the best. The shape of the characters changes with the times, but the brushstrokes do not change even a thousand years ago. From the book, Yuhide’s spirit (excellent taste) naturally comes out. It should be a teacher’s method. ” You can feel the deep respect for Wang Xizhi.
Although it has been partially burned down, the handwriting of this work can be seen in the exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum.
Ten Crimes of Qin (( Tatami mats Collection) Zhao Mengfu Original Site: Yuan Dynasty, Zhiyuan 28 (1291) Exhibited only in the first half of the year
“ Ten Crimes of Qin “or” Regular script Han Ji An From the work written neatly and neatly, Zhao Mengfu’s extraordinary discipline can be seen. People are just overwhelmed by how well they can write such well-organized characters.
Looking at Zhao Mengfu’s small sword, I think that he has a solid correct form of letters, and that he can output it accurately without any deviation. How much study did you have to reach that level? According to Mr. Nakamura, Zhao Mengfu wrote 10,000 characters (!) A day, which is why.
By the way, Zhao Mengfu’s regular script was popular in the Qing dynasty, and in the Imperial Examination (high difficulty bureaucratic appointment test), when making an answer with Zhao Mengfu’s regular script, the score was sometimes positive. It was a convincing beauty to be treated that way.
Although it was not posted, especially the handwritten “Regular Script” is a fine brush that can not be expressed in Takumoto, and you can see the writing style like a razor, and you can not breathe. I will forget my breath when I carry it.
Makusa Chijibun (( Balhae Tatami Collection) Zhao Mengfu Original Site: Exhibited only in the Yuan dynasty and the first half of the 13th-14th centuries
This is” Thousand characters This is a 1000-character long poem consisting of 250 four-character phrases that was used as a model when teaching Chinese characters to children. It is written side by side with a regular script and a cursive script, and Zhao Mengfu also learned with “Senjibun” and left “Senjibun” as a duty of the landlord. Even the author, who is not familiar with cursive script, can feel the elegance of each stroke of this cursive script.
By the way, as a master of calligraphy, I imagined that before the appreciation, there was a characteristic of the characters that could clearly say “This is Zhao Mengfu!”. However, when I appreciate it, it seems that the beauty that is well-proportioned is wonderful because it follows Wang Xizhi, but there are not many other features …?
Is it just beautiful? Mr. Nakamura taught the author, who is not sure about the “likeness” of Zhao Mengfu’s landlord, as follows.
“It’s true that Zhao Mengfu’s book is beautiful. It’s beautiful for everyone, so it’s easy for beginners to enter, but it’s not a big deal, and it’s easy for anyone to write it. You can see that it is the beauty calculated for the first time. If the strokes shift even a little, the collapse starts at once, which may be said to be a feature. “
Su Shiji Rhythm Poem (Collection of Mikido Tatami) Zhao Mengfu Original Site: Yuan Dynasty, Daedeok 10 (1306) Exhibited only in the first half
After listening to that story, I watched it again. Su Shiji Rhythm Poem “. Zhao Mengfu looks up to be a teacher Akimoto Nakamine This is the work I wrote when I visited. It is a mixture of regular script, semi-cursive script, cursive script and typeface, and it is improvised and written quickly, but I am surprised that the overall balance is outstanding.
It is strange to get an uneven impression when looking at a part of the characters, such as thick and thin lines and large and small shapes. Is this also part of the “calculated beauty”?
“It’s important that the whole thing is organized. Even if the characters look disjointed at first glance, they can be put together without any discomfort. Excellent technology is required, but the landlord can do that,” says Nakamura.
So that’s it……! I finally understood how amazing it was. Please pay attention to this point and go around the exhibition.
In addition, there was an exhibition that conveys the popularity of Zhao Mengfu in Japan, such as a masterpiece that was handed down to the Mito Domain during the Edo period, and a work that was copied by Zhao Mengfu’s “Hakurakuzu”, which was also an excellent painter, by the Kano school Kano Nakanobu.
The book of Zhao Mengfu’s younger brother, who is extremely valuable!
Regular script Thank you book Poetry table volume Cai Xiang Brush Northern Song Dynasty, Huangyou 5th year (1053)
There are also interesting exhibits that show the timeliness. A bureaucrat of the Northern Song Dynasty Cai Xiang Dedicated to the emperor Regular script Thank you book Poetry table volume “is. The highlights are the way the space is taken and the neat character appearance, but the focus is on one of the four Song dynasties. Mi Fu The scarlet sentence added by. Mi Fu has only seen this book in a rubbing book for many years, and 40 years later, he finally saw his autograph, so he wrote a scarlet sentence as a memorial.
Even the landlord of the book that served the emperor has been around for 40 years. You can see how valuable the chance to meet a celebrity’s autograph at that time was. The regular script says “40 years” as it is, so it’s easy to find, so please take a look at the book filled with myriad feelings.
Zhao Mengfu You can see the scarlet text. Regular script Thank you book Poetry table volume Cai Xiang brush Northern Song Dynasty, Huangyou 5th year (1053)
In addition, multiple people wrote a scarlet sentence in this work, and among them, Zhao Mengfu’s best friend, Xian Yushu And younger brother Zhao Mengfu Also the character of. Zhao Mengfu’s characters are very rare, so don’t miss it.
I was worried that people who couldn’t read the written content would enjoy it because the book wasn’t bright, but I was completely fascinated by the fact that I could watch it for hours.
This interview is done at the timing when the first half exhibition can be appreciated, and it seems that the face of the work will change considerably in the second half exhibition starting from February 1 (Tuesday). In the second half, the number of exhibitors has increased by several points, so it seems to be even more enjoyable. Please see the list on this page for detailed exhibits.
By the way, the author also visited the exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum, which is a collaborative project. Compared to the exhibition of Zhao Mengfu, a calligraphy museum that focuses on individuals, the Tokyo National Museum has contents that allow you to enjoy books and paintings that give you a bird’s-eye view of the atmosphere of the entire era. Please watch it together.
If you visit this exhibition, you can see a unique note that was talked about on Twitter a while ago.
■ Outline of the special exhibition “700 years after his death Zhao Mengfu and its era-reconstruction and folklore-“
Legislative session
January 4th (Tuesday) -February 27th (Sunday), 2022
venue
Taito Ward Calligraphy Museum
Opening hours
9:30 am to 4:30 pm (admission is until 4 pm)
closing day
Monday (the next weekday if it overlaps with a holiday), special arrangement period, etc.
Admission fee
General 500 yen (300 yen) Small, middle and high school students 250 yen (150 yen)
* Please check the official website for details.
From January 7th (Friday) to March 13th (Sunday), 2022, at the Tokyo National Museum Hyokeikan in Ueno, Tokyo, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Special Exhibition “Experience! Japanese Traditional Performing Arts-Kabuki / Bunraku / The world of Noh, Yagaku, and Kumidance- “ is being held.
This exhibition where you can enjoy the unique beauty and “work” of the five traditional performing arts registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The contents of 2020, which was canceled to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infection, have been partially renewed.
Since I participated in the press preview held prior to the event, I would like to report on the situation at the venue.
* Please note that some works will be changed during the exhibition period. First term: January 7th (Friday) -February 13th (Sunday) Late: February 15th (Tuesday) -March 13th (Sunday)
The gorgeous “Kinmon Gozan Kiri” reenactment stage welcomes visitors
In this exhibition, we have gone through various histories such as the oldest gagaku, which was roughly formed in the Heian period, Nogaku, which was completed in the Muromachi period, Bunraku (Ningyo Joruri) dating back to the early Edo period, Kabuki, and Kumi Odori. It is a content that you can enjoy by viewing the traditional Japanese performing arts that continue to live in.
Specifically, a part of each entertainment stage is reproduced in a size close to the actual size. At the same time, we introduce costumes, musical instruments, props, and valuable video materials that were actually used on the stage.
“Kinmon Gosan no Kiri” where the costume of Ishikawa Goemon is enshrined.
Some of the reproduction stages are designed so that visitors can go up so that they can experience the stage space from the actor’s point of view, and the atmosphere is especially enjoyable at the Kabuki “Kinmon Gosan no Kiri” stage immediately after entering the venue. .. A number of hanging branches of cherry blossoms hang down at the top of the colorful temple architecture, and the gorgeous and spectacular three-dimensional exhibition of Ishikawa Goemon shows its presence in the center.
A lively colored room
It is also noteworthy that the entire room where the stage is placed is colored like a playhouse in the Edo period with graphics and lanterns of people who are bustling on the pier. On display on the wall is a nishiki-e depicting a Kabuki actor. In addition, the screening of Japan’s oldest movie “Momijigari” starring Ichikawa Danjuro 9th and Kikugoro Onoe 5th.
In a space that expresses the spirit of Kabuki that enlivens the festive mood with gorgeous colors, it invites visitors to the extraordinary world at once.
The costumes of Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa of “Temporary” are plentiful! Powerful exhibition work
Here are some of the works that caught the eye of this exhibition.
First of all, here is a costume that expresses the superhuman power of Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa, one of the eighteenth Kabuki. You will be amazed at the majesty of the sleeves of the large crest, which is the white crest of the three squares! Seen from the side, it looks more like a kite than a sleeve.
I remembered that the costume of Superman Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa was out of the standard, but it was so exaggerated that I really laughed when I saw the real thing. How many tens of kilometers are there … Since you are going to be rampaged by wearing something like this, it is a presence that you will be convinced without asking questions if it is decided to be strong.
Next to it is a large sword that exceeds 2M of Kagemasa. The scene in which Kamakura daringly cuts off the necks of many people with just one swing of this Ōdachi is one of the most impressive scenes in the “temporary”, but it was powerful enough to make me think that it was possible.
Chinese Alligator National Theater Collection
You will be overwhelmed by the Daiko drums displayed in the Gagaku area. What kind of prop is this colorful object? When I read the explanation, I was very surprised that it was an instrument. It is a huge taiko drum used for formal dance, and it is originally a pair of left and right drums, but the taiko drums in the National Theater of Japan are decorated on the left and right sides.
At the top are a sun ring and a moon ring, a large flame and a five-colored cloud shape surrounding the drum, sculptures of a rising dragon and a phoenix on the left and right, and gold leaf on the leather of the drum. Various patterns and colors that indicate auspiciousness are used, and 5M, combined with the probable giant body, made me feel the power that makes me want to worship just by looking at it. I’m wondering what kind of sound it makes!
Fascinated by the delicate beauty of costumes and props
(Left) Costume “Fuji Musume” Fuji no Sei Matsutake Costume Co., Ltd. first half exhibition / (Right) Costume “Kyokako Musume Doseiji” Shirabyoshi Hanako Matsutake Costume Co., Ltd. first half exhibition
The real thrill of this exhibition is that you can appreciate the details of the costume and prop designs that you cannot understand from the audience seats of the theater.
“Mekaru” celestial maiden costume, crown, props (cassotte) National Theater Okinawa warehouse
What was so vivid as to wake up was the three-dimensional exhibition of the celestial maiden of the Kumi Odori “Mekaru” based on the legend of Hagoromo.
The author, who lives in the Kanto region, didn’t have much chance to come into contact with Okinawa’s performing arts, Kumi Odori, so the unique shape of the raging waves depicted in the Bingata costume “Yellow ground phoenix Tachinami pattern” worn by the celestial maiden. Looks fresh. Bingata, which is characterized by its splendid multicolored color, is said to be a pattern dyeing peculiar to Okinawa.
The appearance of wearing a swan maiden that seems to express a rainbow-like brilliance will surely look many times more graceful than the exhibition if you move. During this exhibition, I was interested in the difference in the color sense of Kumi Odori, especially the way of incorporating red, when compared to the mainland entertainment.
(Left) Noh costume black background crest pattern sewing foil National Noh Theater collection / (Right) Noh mask (Hannya) National Noh Theater collection
In the Nogaku area, we introduce standing by combining faces, costumes, and props for each role, but there are things that are particularly drawn to standing by the appearance of a demon.
“Hannya”, who becomes a demon from jealousy and resentment and is a female face, is familiar because it expresses the duality of anger from the bottom of the eyes and deep sadness from the top of the eyes. In addition to the mystery of being on the border between the mystery and this world, I once again enjoyed the modeling that conveys many intertwined emotions, such as the unwillingness to become a demon and the sadness of being at the mercy of emotions.
The costume for the role of such a demon is “black background pattern sewing foil”. Various patterns are studded with embroidery and gold / silver leaf, and it is an elegant but playful design. Each pattern with cherry blossoms, plums, chrysanthemums, etc. as a motif has a cute color, so why is this exclusively for demons? I have some doubts, but …
As with family crests, even with one of these small patterns, we cannot help but feel the aesthetic sense of the Japanese people who have been involved in nature such as the four seasons and Kacho Fugetsu, and have incorporated nature into their lives and coexisted with it.
Bunraku Doll “Yoshitsune Senbonzakura” Shizuka Gozen Props Drum National Bunraku Theater CollectionNeck such as “Bunshichi” and “Tamamo-no-Mae / Two-sided”
In the Bunraku area, you can see the gorgeous Joruri doll costumes that are not inferior to human size, such as “Yoshitsune Senbonzakura” Shizuka Gozen, but the display of the doll’s neck is also interesting.
It seems that each neck has a shape that expresses the fundamental character of “sexual root”, for example, “Bunshichi” used for the hero of tragedy, which causes anguish inside, and is simple and stupid. “Matahira” used for honest roles was introduced.
Even if you don’t read the explanation, I’m impressed because you can understand the general image of the person, “I wonder if it will be used in such a role.” It seems like nothing, but it’s actually amazing. I would like you to take a closer look at the beauty of the sculpture that has been refined and refined to the present day.
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Special Exhibition “Experience! Japanese Traditional Performing Arts-Kabuki / Bunraku / Nogaku / Gagaku / Kumi Odori World-” Overview
Legislative session
January 7th (Friday) -March 13th (Sunday), 2022
* Some works will be changed during the exhibition period.
venue
Tokyo National Museum Hyokeikan
Opening hours
9: 30-17: 00
closing day
Monday
Admission fee
General 1,500 yen, university students 1,000 yen, high school students 600 yen * Advance reservation (reserved-seat ticket) recommended * Free for junior high school students and younger, persons with disabilities and one caregiver, etc. Please check the official website for details.
⇒ https://tsumugu.yomiuri.co.jp/dentou2022/tickets.html
Organizer
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, Tokyo National Museum, Yomiuri Shimbun
On November 3, 2021, “Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Relaxing Performance-Concerts that can be enjoyed across generations and obstacles-“ was held at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Ueno, Tokyo.
Unlike general classical music concerts, we covered this performance, which has an environment that even people who have difficulty watching quietly due to developmental disabilities and physical characteristics can enjoy it with peace of mind. And reports on our efforts.
Is it okay to make voices and sounds in the audience seats !? What is “relaxing performance”?
Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
One of the most important etiquettes in a regular classical music concert is not to make noise.
Refrain from speaking privately while playing, and of course turn off your cell phone, but be careful of sneezing, coughing, flipping programs, and touching plastic bags. In order to prevent noise caused by opening and closing the door, theater staff will restrict admission except between songs and movements …. It is usual for each person in the venue to be aware of actions that interfere with performance and appreciation.
The consideration is to allow everyone to concentrate on the performance, but on the other hand, people with developmental disabilities who make voices or upset due to external stimuli, people who cannot sit still due to illness, respiratory organs For some people, such as those who are indispensable, the hurdles for appreciation are inevitably high.
The “Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Relaxation Performance-Concerts that can be enjoyed across generations and obstacles-” will create an environment where people who are worried about art appreciation at such theaters can enjoy it with peace of mind, and the rules and etiquette. A new form of performance that has begun to take root in Europe and the United States called “relaxing performance” that alleviates the problem. This is the second performance of this performance, starting in 2020.
As the name suggests, it’s a concert held in a relaxed atmosphere.
It’s okay if you make a little voice or sound, or if you move your body. Do not completely dim the lighting in the audience seats. If you need a break during the performance, you are free to go out of the hall .
By doing this, healthy people who feel that “classical music concerts have a lot of etiquette and are stuffy” and parents who are “anxious about whether their children can watch quietly” are all concerned if they are 4 years old or older. It is an environment that you can enjoy without any problems.
Braille program and experience sound system … Various ideas to make music more enjoyable
The lobby next to the concert hall is also used as a healing space for people who need a break.There is also a sign language interpreter at the reception and lobby. ? Satoshi Aoyagi Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
If you go to the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan on the day, you will notice that the program you can get at the reception is a little different from that of a general classical music concert, and there are many illustrations and it is very colorful.
Part of the program provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
“I learned that visuals are very important because the usual program is mostly text, but people with autism and developmental disabilities have less information coming from the text, so the” Relax Performance “program. In addition to writing the song commentary in easy Japanese, I tried to create a page that visually shows the order of the songs by attaching illustrations that match the image of the song. ”
Mr. Sugiyama, who was in charge of the production of this performance, was in charge of the business planning section of the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan .
In line with the universal design guidelines, the program was completed by trial and error based on feedback from the teachers of the special school workshop so that the font size and color scheme would be easy for people with color blindness to understand. And.
? Satoshi Aoyagi Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
In addition, Braille programs and program data corresponding to the reading function are also available. It seems that this information was posted on the homepage about 3 weeks before the performance for the families and caregivers of people with disabilities, and I felt the careful consideration.
The audience seats are equipped with equipment called “Body Sonic,” a sensory sound system that allows people with hearing impairments to feel music through vibration. In addition, various support was introduced for this performance with the cooperation of each company, such as “Mobile Connect”, a system that can adjust the volume and sound quality according to each hearing characteristic using a smartphone application.
Experience of “Body Sonic” ? Satoshi Aoyagi Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Actually, on this day, a viewing support equipment experience meeting was held for performance production staff, cultural facility / group staff, and local government staff, and I will be able to experience it as well.
In particular, “Body Sonic” is impressed by the fact that there is almost no time lag in the experience! “Mobile Connect” was a simulated experience while imagining how hearing aids and cochlear implant users would hear, but it seems very convenient to be able to freely adjust not only the volume of the sound but also the ease of listening to the bass and treble with the app. bottom.
Regarding the audience seats, it was adjusted so that about 70% of the total would be filled. Mr. Sugiyama reveals the intention as follows.
“Admission restrictions for corona measures have also been lifted, and in consideration of sales, I was able to fill 100% of the audience seats if I wanted to fill it. However, I was nervous when others were nearby. Some people will end up, so I decided to vacate a seat between the customers.
Speaking of ingenuity of seats, in addition to your own reserved seats, you can also use seats near the doorway called “evacuation seats”. Although it is a performance where you can freely enter and exit the hall, I hope that the psychological resistance to entering and exiting will be further reduced. ”
“There are many people with disabilities who are having a hard time going out. Even so, they come all the way with the expectation that they will be able to enjoy the concert themselves with” Relax Performance “. We want our customers to relax as much as possible and enjoy high-quality music, “says Sugiyama, who talks about his thoughts on the performance. It was said that all preparations were from that heart.
A state of the performance wrapped in a laid-back sense of unity
Before the performance starts at 14:00, children run around the audience seats, and there are people who start laughing out loud because of tension or excitement. It was a very rough atmosphere, and I already realized that the atmosphere was completely different from the classical music concerts I had experienced so far.
Kaito Kobayashi ? Satoshi Aoyagi Courtesy of Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
The performance was performed by five talented young artists who will lead the Japanese music world in the future.
The piano is Kaito Kobayashi, who won the second prize in the 11th piano category at the Tokyo Music Competition held every year at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. String Quartet is everyone of the group “HONO quartet” that the 9th string department # 1 of Moeno Kishimoto pressurized’s et al. Was formed.
(First violin: Pressurized Moeno Kishimoto’s, the second violin: HayashiAmaneMasashi’s, Viola: Takeshi Nagata, cello: Kanie Keigyo’s)
From the left, Ms. Moenoka Kishimoto, Ms. Shumasa Hayashi, Ms. Kaito Kobayashi, Ms. Takeshi Nagata, Ms. Yoshiyuki Kanie ? Satoshi Aoyagi Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
During the performance, Shiori Sakurai, the workshop leader of the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, who conveys the joy and enjoyment of music and connects people with music, appears on the stage as a navigator. By explaining each song and inserting simple activities, we will liven up the progress so that even small children can watch the performance without getting tired until the end.
Shiori Sakurai on the left and Kaoru Yamazaki, a sign language interpreter on the right ? Satoshi Aoyagi Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
The songs played on the day are as follows.
In order to convey the charm of classical music such as the piano quintet, we are conscious of the tone of each instrument and the fact that this instrument can be played like this, and from each genre so that both beginners and advanced players can be satisfied. It seems that the songs were selected evenly.
1. Mussorgsky (arranged by Masanori Kato) / “Promenade” from the suite “Pictures at an Exhibition” 2. Elgar (arranged by Umitaro Abe) / Salut d’Amour 12 3. Takashi Yoshimatsu / Atom Hearts Club Quartet 70 1st and 4th movements 4. Stravinsky (arranged by Agosti) / “The Evil Dance of the Demon King Kaschei” from the ballet music “The Firebird” 5. Johann Strauss II / Kaiser-Walzer 437 (excerpt) 6. Poldini / Dancing Doll 7. Debussy / 3rd song “Moonlight” from “Suite Bergamasque” 8. Anderson / Plink Plank Prunck 9. Dvorak / Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major 81 to 3rd and 4th movements
With the first song “Promenade” and the second song “Salut d’Amour”, and the gentle songs that were famous from the beginning, the audience couldn’t concentrate. Many people may have been confused about how to deal with the unfamiliar performance format. (The same was true for the author)
However, as soon as I entered the third song “Atom Hearts Club Quartet” by the string quartet, the atmosphere until then changed completely. Cool sound with a sense of speed. The movement of the strings that dance violently and sometimes cut the wind. The performers also seemed to be starting the engine, and I felt that the consciousness in the hall was quickly concentrated on the stage.
In particular, the jerky and boogie-style rhythm of the 4th movement seemed to catch the hearts of the audience, and the girl who had been just looking around the audience seats until then was screaming with her hands rolling. It’s impressive.
The performance of “Dancing Doll” made me excited by the appearance of Mr. Hayashi who moves his body emotionally as if he were dancing. ? Satoshi Aoyagi Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
The seventh song “Moonlight” by piano solo is the most moist and quiet song in this performance. It was a time when the buzz of the audience was noticeable, but thanks to Mr. Kobayashi’s outstanding playing technique, which made the listeners imagine the scene richly, I was immersed in the world of sound without losing my concentration.
? Satoshi Aoyagi Provided by: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
I thought I knew the purpose of “relaxing performance” in my head, but for a while after the performance actually started, every time a loud voice or clapping sound echoed in the hall, I felt uneasy. was.
Perhaps because I had experience watching general classical music concerts, I was worried about “Is this okay?” And “What should I do if there is a problem between the audience?”
However, I feel relieved that everyone accepts everything loosely. If you can divide it by saying, “That’s what it is,” you’ll get used to the noise and be ready to enjoy playing. By the end of the day, the audience seemed to be satisfied with the hall, and it was 60 minutes that I realized that “this kind of concert is also good”.
Not all concerts should take this form of performance, but one of the options.
It is not suitable when you want to concentrate 100% on music, but there are many people who want to choose “relaxing performance” when they want to face music naturally and feel the music in their relationships with people. must.
When I asked the boy about 5 years old and his mother who loved the classical music that he was visiting, he said, “‘Moonlight’ was the best” and “I want to come again!”. The mother also smiles, “I’m always careful to keep quiet at the concert! But today’s performance is slow and the children can relax and listen.”
According to Mr. Sugiyama, many joyful voices were received from parents with children with disabilities.
“I was really impressed today because I had given up on going to a classical concert with my son with a disability. I couldn’t stop crying from the first song.”
“I was happy that my child, who was always listening to the performance from the monitor in the lobby, was able to watch it in the hall for the first time today.”
It shows how the “relaxing performance” performance could be an invaluable experience for people with disabilities and their families.
The challenge of Tokyo Bunka Kaikan has just begun
The “Relax Performance” performance is scheduled to be held every year in the future, so as long as we can’t wait for the next one.
Finally, Mr. Sugiyama talks about the significance of the performance.
“I learned from a special school that there are opportunities for cultural institutions and artists like us to go to school, but as soon as we graduate from school, art and cultural things It seems that many people are away from the school.
When I wanted to touch something musical, I received an urgent voice saying that I had no choice but to go to karaoke so as not to bother others.
If you think about it, we have been planning for various groups such as concerts for preschoolers and workshops for children from the age of zero, but there are plans that feature adults with disabilities. I didn’t.
I want to create a place where such people and their caregivers and their families can come with peace of mind without worrying about the eyes around them. The reason for this performance was that we wanted you to enjoy the real thrill of music not only with your eyes and with your ears, but also with a sense of distance that you can hear the sound from your skin. I feel that this is the mission of our hall, which is a public cultural facility.
The “Relax Performance” initiative has just begun. We are gradually powering up not only the content but also the system for delivering information and the system for welcoming you.
Now it’s time for everyone to come and teach us a lot. It’s a performance that reflects everyone’s voice more and more, so if you are interested, please consider watching it. ”
Outline of “Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Relaxing Performance-Concerts that can be enjoyed across generations and obstacles-“
Date and time
Wednesday, November 3, 2021 14: 00-15: 00
venue
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Small Hall
Ticket price
Flat rate 1,100 yen * Target age 4 years and over
Organizer
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Arts Council Tokyo
Special cooperation
Sennheiser Japan Co., Ltd., Pioneer Corporation, Furuno Systems Co., Ltd.
inquiry
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Business Section 03-3828-2111 (Representative)
Vincent van Gogh 《Country Road in Provence at Night》 May 12-15, 1890 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
At the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park, Tokyo, “Van Gogh Exhibition: Resonating Souls Helene and Fincent” is being held from Saturday, September 18, 2021.
The museum’s special exhibitions (most recently, “Hiroshi Yoshida Exhibition 70 Years After Death” and “Isamu Noguchi’s Discovery Road”), which introduce domestic and foreign masterpieces, are very popular every time, but this “Van Gogh Exhibition” ] Is crowded with many visitors as usual.
We want people in wheelchairs and people with various disabilities such as visual and hearing disabilities to appreciate the special exhibition with peace of mind. With that in mind, every time during the special exhibition, “people with disabilities” A special appreciation event for wheelchairs is being held, and the “Van Gogh Exhibition” was also held on October 11th (Monday), which is a closed day.
Art communicators who support “special appreciation for people with disabilities”
The “Special Appreciation Party for Persons with Disabilities” (hereinafter referred to as “Special Appreciation Party”) is a program that started in 1999. Since 2012, an art communicator (nicknamed “Tobira”), who is active in the “Tobira Project” in collaboration with the museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, and citizens, has been involved from the preparatory stage, helping with the day’s appreciation and speaking out. I am doing.
What is the “Door Project”? A social design project based in a museum that nurtures a community through art. It was started in collaboration with Tokyo University of the Arts with the renewal of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in 2012. Citizens gathered from the general public, curators, university faculty members, and experts who are active on the front lines are based in the museum, and while making the best use of the cultural resources there, people and works, people and people, people and places We are developing activities to connect.
Who is the publicly recruited citizen through art as the art communicator “Tobira” (nicknamed “Tomi” and “Opening a new door” at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum)? We are working on designing a place where people can have a flat dialogue and a community that connects people with diverse values.
About 40 people from Tobira, who are active for a three-year term, are recruited every year, and currently about 140 people of different ages and backgrounds, such as office workers, freelancers, housewives, retired people, and college students, are active. It seems that it has been done.
The activity is voluntary, but not a supporter given a role by the museum. He is an active player who proactively launches and realizes projects at museum sites while deepening his learning as an art communicator during his term. Until now, “Tobikan Yakan Kaikan Tour” where you can enjoy the charm of the architecture of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum at night, and “Graduation Exhibition Tour” where you can talk with the artist about the graduation exhibition of Tokyo University of the Arts. Various programs utilizing the museum were carried out from a unique perspective.
The “special appreciation party” is also evolving into a better form while incorporating the ideas of “Tobira”. This time around 100 people, including “Tobira” and former “Tobira” who are active as independent art communicators in their respective communities after their term of office, welcomed the participants.
(* Hereafter, the situation on the day will be collectively referred to as “art communicator” because “Tobira” and former “Tobira” are involved in the “special appreciation party” as a whole.)
Time for people with disabilities to face the work without hesitation
The vivid eraser stamp of Van Gogh’s work is handmade by an art communicator.
About 400 people with disabilities and about 320 caregivers who have disability certificates, etc. participated in the “special appreciation event”.
The art communicators seemed to have been preparing for the “special appreciation party” many days before the event. For example, there are three types of pre-registration methods for the “Special Appreciation Party”: WEB form, email, and postcard. The participation certificate envelope sent by mail to those who applied for the postcard has the theme of the exhibition as a motif. I heard that he is pushing a handmade eraser stamp.
This is also an initiative devised by an art communicator with the desire to “make it a nice participation certificate.” I showed you the real thing, but it was a waste of quality to be used only here.
Many of the participants in the “Special Viewing Party” used the parking space.The foyer introduced the past special appreciation event and the role of the art communicator at the venue on the monitor, so that even first-time participants could enter with peace of mind.A sign language interpreter is also available at the reception for people with hearing impairments.
From the entrance to the reception, you will hear greetings to the participants such as “Hello” and “Please enjoy”.
Mr. Kumagai, a curator, said, “Is it okay to go? Maybe it will cause trouble?”
“It is important to create a welcome atmosphere that conveys the feeling of hospitality to the participants so that they will feel that the museum is a place where they can go.”
Wheelchairs for rent were prepared at the reception. I was wondering, “Isn’t the person who needs a wheelchair riding from the beginning?”, But there are many people with bad legs who want to use a wheelchair only when looking at the exhibition. I was surprised to see that a large number of wheelchairs were actually rented out in a blink of an eye.
As Mr. Kumagai said, such people may find it difficult to go to the usual exhibitions in consideration of their surroundings. Of course, it seems that wheelchairs are rented even on normal opening days, but if they are prepared in front of the entrance of the exhibition room like this, everyone seems to be comfortable and easy to use.
Here, I felt that I could get a glimpse of the reason why the repeat rate of the “special appreciation party” was so high.
Not only the exhibition room of the special exhibition, but also the entrance, escalators, elevators, etc., the art communicators will entertain you almost everywhere the participants pass. We kept in touch with each other in each position and saw them working closely together.
An unfamiliar sight is that a large elevator for luggage was in operation.
If many people in wheelchairs try to use the normal elevator for visitors at the same timing, the waiting time will inevitably occur. With the desire to enjoy the “special appreciation party” without stress, the art communicators at the site made suggestions for improvement, such as “If there are multiple wheelchairs, we will guide you to a large elevator.” It is impressive that we were discussing.
Since it is a viewing party that requires advance reservations, a very relaxing time will flow in the exhibition room. It seemed that all the participants were able to appreciate the work.
Vincent van Gogh 《Country Road in Provence at Night》 May 12-15, 1890 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
This is also in front of the main feature of this exhibition, “Country Road in Provence at Night”. At the time of normal opening, the front of popular works is often crowded, and wheelchair users tend to watch from behind. I could see that he was enjoying the time of one-on-one dialogue.
In the exhibition room, there is also an art communicator carrying a magnetic writing board for the hearing impaired. This is an initiative that started from this “special appreciation event” and is an attempt to create an environment where people with hearing impairments can easily talk to them when they have a problem in the exhibition room. While talking using the written conversation board, it is possible to have a sign language interpreter called from the reception if necessary.
I couldn’t see it at the time of the interview, but before the epidemic of the new coronavirus infection, the participants and the art communicator exchanged their impressions and opinions while watching the work, and each of them shared a good time.
Based on the idea of an art communicator, those who have difficulty seeing the work, such as those with low vision or wheelchairs, can see the work image at hand. He also carried out activities such as creating character display support so that the content can be conveyed to people with hearing impairments in the “One Point Talk” that explains the highlights of the meeting.
It seems that the image of the work captured on the iPad is being enlarged at hand at the past “special appreciation party”. (“Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts Exhibition: Traveling French Landscape Paintings” 2018)
When asked about these various initiatives, Mr. Kumagai emphasized, “Art communicators are creating a community through art based in museums.” I will do something for people with disabilities. I am not in the place of this “special appreciation party” in the relationship between the supporter and the recipient. “
“What kind of place do you want to be in this space where people with and without disabilities spend time together? What kind of place do you want to be? Think about it, and communicate and act as necessary for that. Therefore, art communication There is no manual that summarizes what to do in Ta, “he said, which is often misunderstood as an art communicator.
Unfortunately, many efforts to avoid contact and closeness are not feasible nowadays. But it became painful feelings in the expression of the Art communicator lament the “I’m in great pains same space, is lonely not able to talk with everyone of the participants”, communication and way not to conversation, and even more real He is looking for a way to complement the dialogue outside of the space .
“Special appreciation party” under such circumstances. Participants who enjoyed Van Gogh’s world to their heart’s content for an hour or two left the museum with a very satisfying expression.
“I’m always looking forward to the next appreciation party.”
Participants who talk about their impressions with a smile
We also talked to the people who participated in the “special appreciation party”. What surprised me was that everyone I talked to had participated in the “special appreciation party” many times.
A woman in a wheelchair said, “This appreciation party is helpful because the number of people is limited. Normally, people are double, triple, or quadruple, but here you can see it in the forefront. I’m happy, “he smiled.
Another participant, who said he had been away from the museum he had visited because of his illness, said, “I’m always looking forward to the next event.” He shines his eyes and talks about his expectations.
A visually impaired woman participated at the timing when she read Maha Harada’s novel and was eager to see Van Gogh’s work, and she seemed to be happy. It seems that he watched the work while having a caregiving explain it.
“I think the audio guide was well done. I understood that Mr. Helene (* the collector of Van Gogh’s work featured in this exhibition) was such a person,” he said with satisfaction. While following the changes in his style, he was deeply moved, saying, “This is how Van Gogh arrived at <Sunflower>.”
“In an ordinary exhibition, even if a caregiving person walks with me, I get hit or kicked. On the contrary, even if I interrupt in front of a person, I feel sorry because I do not notice it. I’m grateful that you can see it with confidence if it’s so vacant. ”
Originally, the museum should be an open place for people with and without disabilities. Unfortunately, many people now hesitate to go to museums.
There may be more ingenuity in the “special appreciation event for people with disabilities”. However, I realized that the existence of such an appreciation party is a significant attempt to surely lower the hurdles for people with disabilities to go to the museum.
We will continue to pay attention to the movements of art communicators on how to create communication opportunities that have diminished in the Corona disaster.
In addition, in the special exhibition “Vermeer and 17th Century Dutch Painting Exhibition in the Dresden National Classical Painting Museum” to be held from January 22nd (Sat) to April 3rd (Sun), 2022 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, “Obstacles” “Special viewing party for those who have” will be held.
400 people and their caregivers (up to 1 person) who have various notebooks such as the certificate of the physically disabled can apply. If there are many applications, it will be a lottery.
The application period is from January 5, 2022 (Wednesday) to January 24, 2022 (Monday).
“Van Gogh Exhibition — Resonating Souls Helene and Vincent” Outline
Session
September 18th (Sat) -December 12th (Sun), 2021
venue
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Planning Exhibition Room
Opening hours
9: 30-17: 30 Fridays 9: 30-20: 00 (Admission is 30 minutes before closing)
Closed days
Monday * However, the room will be open on November 8th (Monday), November 22nd (Monday), and November 29th (Monday).
Admission fee
General 2,000 yen, university / vocational school students 1,300 yen, 65 years old and over 1,200 yen * Reservation required by date and time.
* Free for high school students and younger. (Reservation with specified date and time is required)
Click here for other details ⇒ https://gogh-2021.jp/ticket.html
Organizer
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tokyo Shimbun, TBS
Known as a cultural heritage hall of fame, the British Museum has led the world in the study of ancient Egyptian civilization. A special exhibition “British Museum Mummy Exhibition: Six Ancient Egyptian Stories” will be held at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, Tokyo, focusing on the six mummies carefully selected by the museum, based on the latest research results. It is being held.
* The session is from October 14, 2021 (Thursday) to January 12, 2022 (Wednesday).
We covered the press preview held on the day of the opening, so we will report on the situation at the venue.
* The photos shown are taken with special permission, and the general public is prohibited from taking them. * The photo is often reflected on the glass due to the equipment. Please note that some parts may be difficult to see.
Venue sceneryVenue scenery
An ancient Egyptian figure unraveling from six mummies
Even if they die in this world, their existence does not end, and the ancient Egyptians, who had the view of life and death that they would be resurrected in the afterlife, developed the technique of making mummies in order to preserve the body necessary for regeneration. In the special exhibition “British Museum Mummy Exhibition: Six Stories of Ancient Egypt”, the mummies of six people who lived in ancient Egypt from about 800 BC to about 100 BC are exhibited.
“Pen Amen Nevnes Utto Taui Inner Coffin” and “Pen Amen Nevnes Uto Taui Mummy” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum The bright decoration of the casket is eye-catching. On the chest is the image of the god Nut, who spreads his wings as if to protect him.“Young Men’s Mummy” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
“Amen Iri Ireto Thebes officials” “Nesper Ennebu Thebes priests” “Pen Amen Nebnes Uttaui lower Egyptian priests” “Takenemet Thebes married women” “Hawara children” “Young men of the Greco-Roman era” Six mummies with different positions, ages, and times of life.
The interior is restored with a high-precision 3D construction image created based on a large amount of CT scan images of about 7,000 images per body. Introducing life aspects such as health condition, medical history such as cancer and arteriosclerosis, and age of death that could not be understood from textual information such as inscriptions, along with about 250 abundant exhibits.
“Amen Iriireto Mummy” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum In the 3D construction video, detailed information on the inside is explained, as well as the clarified medical conditions during life.
Of particular interest to the benefit of CT scans is the priest of the Karnak Temple, Nesperennebuu, which was the most important religious facility in Thebes (now Luxor) around 800 BC in the Third Intermediate Period, around 800 BC. It’s a mummy.
Various amulets and magical trinkets are placed on the mummy to protect the dead and help them gain eternal life. A CT scan revealed that the Nesper Ennebu mummies remained unopened, and their detailed layout and materials were revealed.
“Mummy of Nesper Ennebu” (C) The Trustees of the British MuseumAmulets and jewelry duplicated by a 3D printer (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
The video shows the location of the amulets and jewelry placed on the mummy, but I was surprised that they were placed not only on the skin and between the bandages, but also inside the body. It is said that amulets and accessories have important meaning not only in shape and letters but also in position, and it is a result of technological improvement that such inside information is known without damaging the relics.
Many of the items inside are 3D printed and displayed, so please compare them with the images and appreciate them.
“The Trustees of the British Museum” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
Many relics showing the ancient Egyptian beliefs related to funerals, including mummification, are exhibited in this exhibition, but an example that clearly shows the form of one belief is the “Canopic jar”.
The perishable internal organs are removed when making mummies, but the liver, lungs, stomach, and intestines are considered to be particularly important for regeneration, and they are carefully protected by a container called the Canopic jar, which is modeled after the four sons of Horus. rice field.
Imagine that the brain is also stored somewhere on the premise of resurrection, but it seems that the brain was abandoned in the process of making a mummy because its function was not understood at that time. so…….
It is the heart that the ancient Egyptians believed to be the part that governs intelligence and memory. It is usually left in the body by a mummy craftsman as an indispensable item for regeneration.
“Children’s Mummy” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
We are also paying attention to the changes in the design of mummies from time to time.
A photorealistic portrait of a child’s mummy, which was drawn to cover his head, appeared in the mummy of a child from 40 to 55 years after the Roman rule. You can feel the influence of Greek and Roman art styles. In addition, it seems that mummification of children was rare until the time of Roman rule, and it was said that the tradition of burial customs was also affected.
Bow Harp (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
Speaking of mummies, you can also appreciate familiar relics such as the statue of Osiris, the god of the underworld who has the power of regeneration, and the document “Book of the Dead” buried with the dead in the hope of the well-being of the afterlife. In addition, this exhibition features items that are close to the culture and daily life of ancient Egyptians, such as musical instruments, women’s makeup tools, children’s toys and accessories, and fossil bread, which are rarely seen in other exhibitions. The point is also the highlight.
Children’s Necklaces and Jewelery (C) The Trustees of the British Museum“Rat-shaped toys” “Horse toys with wheels” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
How did they live and become mummified? While feeling mysterious from the view of life and death and magical relics, it seems to be familiar to somewhere. It can be said that this is a unique exhibition where you can see the life of ancient Egyptians.
Cute things you can meet at the venue
The charm of the ancient Egyptian world is that it is full of unique and adorable designs that attract Japanese people today, such as Egyptian gods such as Medjed, Anubis, and Bastet, and hieroglyphs.
Of course, you can meet them in this exhibition, so I will introduce some photos.
“Pectral” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
Anubis, the god of mummy making, is a lovely accessory with a figure lying down on the grave. Goods were also made at the special shop at the venue!
“Fish-shaped amulet” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
Amulet with a fish motif that symbolizes regeneration, with beautiful gold and blue feldspar. A stylish item with large dorsal fins and tail fins.
“Takenemet’s Inner Coffin” (C) The Trustees of the British Museum
The creature (cow?) Drawn at the foot of “Takenemet’s inner casket”. Is the round head a corner? Or is it like a ball? I can’t say anything about the blurred expression.
Japan original exhibition: Archaeological excavation of Saqqara ruins
Saqqara Ruins, Roman Catacombs (C) North Saqqara Project
This exhibition is an international traveling exhibition, but in the latter half of the venue, you can also see a special exhibition original to Japan. It is a state-of-the-art excavation survey still being conducted at the Saqqara archaeological site in Egypt.
Saqqara Ruins, Entrance to the Roman Catacombs (C) North Saqqara Project
The actual size of the inside of the catacombs (underground mass grave) during the Roman rule, discovered in 2019 by the Japan-Egypt Joint North Saqqara Survey Team, headed by Professor Nozomi Kawai of Kanazawa University, who is the supervisor of this exhibition. Most of them will be introduced in models and videos. I couldn’t take a picture, but I was impressed by the attention to detail, such as the decayed atmosphere and the buried bones, that made me feel as if I was actually at the scene.
How were the six mummies that appeared in this exhibition unearthed so that we can appreciate them today? This exhibition should give you an idea of the big picture that wasn’t often introduced in the exhibition before.
Audio guide with popular voice actor Nobunaga Shimazaki acting as a navigator
If you want to hear the excitement and excavation romance that Mr. Nozomi Kawai felt and want to enhance the sense of reality, we recommend using the audio guide.
Let’s smell the mummy
“Cat Mummy” National Science Museum Collection
At the second venue, under the theme of “Ancient Egyptian Civilization and the Japanese,” we will introduce how the Japanese learned about the existence of the ancient Egyptian civilization and continued their research. Here, the “Cat Mummy” obtained in Egypt by Masauji Hachisuka, the 18th head of the Awa and Tokushima Domains, is unveiled for the first time.
In connection with “Cat Mummy”, there is also a corner where you can smell the mummy at the time of making it, which was reproduced by Kao Corporation’s Sensory Science Research Institute! The chance to smell a mummy is unlikely for the average person, so it’s a valuable opportunity.
Special collaboration with “Kaiketsu Zorori”!
In addition, this exhibition attracts the attention of fans by collaborating with the reading series “Kaiketsu Zorori”, which is loved by a wide range of generations.
A quiz about the story of rescuing Zorori and others who have lost their way into the world of ancient Egypt and cannot return to the present day is posted on the official website. If you want to watch it with a small child, please try it by referring to the hints on the panel inside the venue. In addition, many “Kaiketsu Zorori” original goods were prepared at the special shop, so fans should not miss it.
There are also sweets from the original package of this exhibition in collaboration with the famous cacao brand “Hotel Chocolat” in England, where the British Museum is located. The design is irresistible and cute.
Outline of the special exhibition “British Museum Mummy Exhibition 6 Stories of Ancient Egypt”
Session
October 14, 2021 (Thursday) -January 12, 2022 (Wednesday)
* The session is subject to change.
venue
National Science Museum
Opening hours
9:00 to 17:00 (Admission is 30 minutes before closing time)
closing day
Monday, December 28th (Tuesday) -January 1st (Saturday / holiday)
* However, the museum is open on December 27th (Monday), January 3rd (Monday), and January 10th (Monday / holiday).
Admission fee
General / university students 2,100 yen Elementary / junior high / high school students 600 yen (tax included)
* Reservation by date and time is required.
* Free for preschoolers. Free for persons with a disability certificate and one caregiver.
Organizer
National Science Museum, British Museum, Asahi Shimbun
Vincent van Gogh 《Country Road in Provence at Night》 May 12-15, 1890 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
On Saturday, September 18, 2021, “Van Gogh Exhibition-Resonating Souls Helene and Fincent” opened at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno, Tokyo. The session is until December 12th (Sun).
An exhibition that highlights the collection of Helene Kröller-Muller (1869-1939), the largest individual collector of Van Gogh’s works. We will report on the venue where popular works such as “Country Road in Provence at Night” and “Yellow House (Street)” are lined up.
Exhibition sceneryExhibition scenery
Van Gogh’s popular driving force Helene Kröller-Muller
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), who has fans all over the world and is one of the most beloved painters here in Japan.
It is said that he aspired to be a painter at the age of 27 and left about 2,000 works in the 10 years until his life ended at the age of 37. In my lifetime, I couldn’t get fame.
However, he is now positioned as a master of modern art, and his works can be priced in the hundreds of millions or billions. Behind this was the passion of those who recognized the value of his work, preserved it, and worked hard to preserve it for posterity.
Floris Ferstel “Portrait of Helene Kröller-Muller” 1910 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
One of the key players who played an important role was Helene Kröller-Muller, who was spotlighted in this “Van Gogh Exhibition-The Resonating Souls Helene and Fincent”.
Helene, one of the leading Dutch wealthy men, has built a huge collection of over 11,000 pieces with her husband Anton, focusing on the works of French and Dutch artists from the 19th to 20th centuries. She felt deep humanity and spirituality in Van Gogh’s work, and collected more than 90 oil paintings and about 180 drawings and prints from the beginning of the 20th century, when Van Gogh was not yet widely evaluated.
This exhibition introduces 48 selected works from Van Gogh’s early to late years’ paintings from the precious art collection of the Kroller-Muller Museum in the Netherlands (opened in 1938), where Helene was the first director. is.
Vincent van Gogh << Lemon Basket and Bottle >> May 1888 The works and related episodes of Helene are introduced in some of the works in the collection of the Kroller-Muller Museum.Vincent van Gogh “Outside the Forest” August-September 1883 A memorable Van Gogh work first purchased by Helene from the Kroller-Muller Museum.Vincent van Gogh “At Eternity’s Old Man (” At Eternity’s Gate “)” May 1890 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection A work based on a self-made print made in the past. Helene praised this painting as a work that sublimated human suffering to the point of comfort.
Helene relied on Van Gogh, but Helene himself did not leave a clear word as to why she was so attracted. Mr. Ohashi, the curator in charge of this exhibition, said, “I can’t say for sure, but I felt a very high spirituality in Van Gogh’s art. Also, Van Gogh was born as the son of a minister, but he was on the path to becoming a priest. I think the main reason is the common background that Helene was suffering because she was frustrated and was not accustomed to Christian culture. ”
In addition to Van Gogh’s works, 20 modern Western paintings from the mid-19th century to the 1920s, such as Millet, Renoir, Surah, and Mondrian, which Helene collected particularly enthusiastically, are also exhibited in this exhibition. ..
Pierre-Auguste Renoir “At the Cafe” circa 1877 Kroller-Muller Museum CollectionGeorges Seurat “Sunday of Paul-en-Bessin” 1888 Kroller-Muller Museum CollectionOdilon Redon “The Cyclops” circa 1914 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
From realism to impressionism, neo-impressionism, symbolism, and abstractionism. Not only does Van Gogh’s work follow the flow of modern painting, which has changed 180 degrees from the realism that depicts it as it is to the focus on the human spirit and emotions, but Van Gogh’s work is a bridge between the changes. It is an exhibition that you can see in.
From these Helene collections, in order to share the excitement she got with people, she systematically built a collection so that she could overlook the outline of Western art, with her lifelong mission to establish a museum from the early stages of collection activities. You can see that.
Visited Japan for the first time in 16 years! Masterpiece of the Itosugi series “Country road in Provence at night”
Vincent van Gogh 《Country Road in Provence at Night》 May 12-15, 1890 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
One of the highlights of this exhibition is “Country Road in Provence at Night”, which is the first time in 16 years to visit Japan.
Van Gogh’s masterpiece is a series of sunflowers, but for Van Gogh, who was fascinated by the dark green color and beauty of the cypresses standing in the sunny scenery of the Provence region of Southern France, the cypresses are ” I want to make it a work like <Sunflower> “, and it was an important motif that made me enthusiastic.
Among the dozens of cypresses that he drew while struggling to express the deep green tones, “Country Road in Provence at Night”, which was probably produced at the end of his stay in Southern France, is often called a masterpiece.
The cypress, which stands in the background of the starry night that swells boldly like ripples, is like a burning black flame. Van Gogh himself likens the beauty of the shape of the cypresses to an Egyptian obelisk, but he is overwhelmed by the majestic presence of an obelisk that exudes awe of nature.
A dramatically changing style of painting. From what we know to “Van Gogh”.
Vincent van Gogh 《Face of a Woman in a White Hat》 November 1884-May 1985 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
I think that many people cite “vivid colors,” “swells,” and “extremely thick coating” as the characteristics of Van Gogh’s work, but all of these characteristics have been exhibited since he moved his base from his native Netherlands to France. Born in the latter half of the year. This exhibition introduces Van Gogh’s painting industry, whose style of painting has changed dramatically, in chronological order.
Van Gogh spent five years in the Netherlands since he began his career as a painter in 1880. In the early days, painters called “Hague School” who liked the lives of farmers and fishermen and the landscape of the countryside using dull colors such as gray and brown, and Jean-Francois Millet, who is known as a peasant painter. While being influenced, I hurried to master drawing and eventually made an oil painting.
Through the painting industry, I continued to have a keen interest in the cycle of harvesting and the transition of the four seasons, from sowing, which I thought was a symbol of nature, especially infinity and eternity. From the exhibition, we can see that they carefully picked up themes such as the appearance of workers working in rural areas while being closely related to nature, the facial expressions of their poverty, and sadness and grief.
Vincent van Gogh << Face of a fisherman wearing a waterproof cap >> January 1883 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection He especially liked the face that reflected the hardships of the model himself.Vincent van Gogh << Mowing Man >> July-August 1885 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection Among the working farmers, the appearance of harvesting wheat is repeatedly studied.Vincent van Gogh << Looms and Weavers >> June-July 1884 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection It seems that he was keenly interested not only in farmers but also in weavers. The atmosphere of the weaver, which is said to be “dreamy and pensive”, is beautifully expressed.
In 1886, Van Gogh headed to Paris, France, and was shocked by the Impressionists, Neo-Impressionists, and Japanese ukiyo-e prints he met there, and his style changed dramatically.
Subsequent works will be rich in color and the screen will become brighter. Please note that we have begun to adopt the pointillism technique by brush stroke division to prevent color turbidity by arranging small touches without mixing paints.
Vincent van Gogh “Flowers in a Blue Vase” Around June 1887 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection Brilliant colors unthinkable in the Dutch era. The vases and flowers are Impressionist, and the background is influenced by the Neo-Impressionist pointillism technique.Vincent van Gogh “Inside the restaurant” Summer 1887 Collection of the Kroller-Muller Museum Although not rigorous, this is also a work in which a neo-impressionist pointillism technique reminiscent of Seurat is being attempted.
In Arles, southern France, where he moved from 1888, he was fascinated by the bright blue of the sky and yellow as the color of the blazing sun, and enthusiastically repeated experiments on color effects with the combination of complementary colors of blue and yellow. From this area, you can see the process of creating a “Van Gogh-like” expressionist style of painting that many people know, with a sculptural and thick brush stroke that imitates the shape of the object with the touch of a paintbrush.
Vincent van Gogh 《Pruned Willow at Dusk》 March 1888 The blue of the willow in the Kroller-Muller Museum highlights the sunshine of Arles.Vincent van Gogh “The Sower” June 17-28, 1888 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection A tribute to Millet’s “The Sower” that he admired. We are challenging the contrast of intense complementary colors. Even with this, the brush strokes are thickly layered, and the unevenness makes the work more powerful.Vincent van Gogh 《Saint-Rémy Sanatorium Garden》 1889 Kroller-Muller Museum Collection
In 1889, while admitted to Saint-Remy’s sanatorium due to illness, he worked on typical Provencal motifs such as the garden of the sanatorium and the surrounding countryside, as well as cypress and olive groves, and devised the expression of “swell”. , Produced masterpieces such as “Country Road in Provence at Night” and the famous “Starry Night”. After moving to Auvers-sur-Oise in northern France in 1890, he continued to produce one piece a day, inspired by the beautiful scenery of the village and its surroundings. It seems that he was also exploring the possibility of a new style of brush strokes.
Van Gogh has been constantly learning from new places and new encounters, and has spent his life holding the brush even if no one understands the work. From Helene’s collection, I was able to witness his belief and passion, “I want to express something soothing like music in a painting.”
Vincent van Gogh “Yellow House (Street)” September 1888 Visited Japan for the first time in 16 years, like the “Country Road in Provence at Night” in the Van Gogh Museum (Vincent van Gogh Foundation).
In addition to the works in the Kroller-Muller Museum, this exhibition introduces another great museum in the Netherlands, including four fans from the Van Gogh Museum collection, such as “The Yellow House (Street)”.・ Van Gogh’s works are exhibited.
These works are permanently lent by the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, which was established by his wife Yo after the death of his younger brother Theo, who supported Van Gogh financially and mentally, to prevent the works from being dissipated. .. She was also one of the people who devoted her life to spreading Van Gogh’s art to the world.
The exhibition “Van Gogh Exhibition-The Resonating Souls Helene and Vincent” will be held until December 12, 2021 (Sun).
By all means at this exhibition, while thinking about the fact that many people today have made efforts to preserve and inherit the works of art in the past, we can evaluate and exchange opinions with each other. Immerse yourself in the charm of a rare collection.
“Van Gogh Exhibition — Resonating Souls Helene and Vincent” Outline
Session
September 18th (Sat) -December 12th (Sun), 2021
venue
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Planning Exhibition Room
Opening hours
9: 30-17: 30 (Enter until 30 minutes before closing)
closing day
Monday * However, the room will be open on November 8th (Monday), November 22nd (Monday), and November 29th (Monday).
Admission fee
General 2,000 yen, university / vocational school students 1,300 yen, 65 years old and over 1,200 yen * Reservation required by date and time.
* Free for high school students and younger. (Reservation with specified date and time is required)
Click here for other details ⇒ https://gogh-2021.jp/ticket.html
Organizer
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tokyo Shimbun, TBS
An experimental exhibition will be held at the Tokyo National Museum this fall.
The exhibition, entitled “Four Seasons,” fuses the traditional Japanese sensibilities entrusted to the flowers of the four seasons with the modern pop icon Nogizaka46. How did the seven filmmakers who challenge this exciting theme bring out the essence of Japanese art through Nogizaka46? We will report on the state of the preview held in advance and introduce our efforts.
“Classic x modern” challenged by Nogizaka46
Exhibition entrance. A beautiful image is projected on the wall of the historic HyokeikanTraditional folding screen paintings and paintings are exhibited along with the installation, expressing the theme of this exhibition, “classical x contemporary”.Masterpieces that can be said to be the essence of Japanese painting, such as folding screen paintings by Korin Ogata and others, are lined up. A copy will be exhibited at this exhibition (Tokyo National Museum collection).
From Saturday, September 4, 2021 to Sunday, November 28, 2021, “Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter / Four Seasons Nogizaka46” is being held at the Hyokeikan of the Tokyo National Museum.
The core of the theme of this exhibition is “classical x contemporary” of Japanese art.
When it comes to “Japanese art,” I think there are many people who feel that young people are somehow far away. However, the nature, seasons, and seasonal flowers depicted there still exist. I love nature and try to portray it in a way that is familiar to me.
The National Museum thought that Nogizaka46, which has gained tremendous support from a wide range of generations, would be a bridge between such ancient Japanese aesthetics and young people. This is because Nogizaka46 is the one who spreads the calm daily life and the nature around us as a visual starting from “songs” and entrusts hope there.
Each work has a motif. This is an installation based on “Beauty Looking Back”Mizuki Yamashita and Shiori Kubo perform on the left and right corresponding to the right and left ships of Sakai Hoitsu’s “Flowering Plants of Summer”An image projected through a slit curtain. What is expressed here is the perspective expression of Japanese painting.
In this exhibition, 7 pieces of Japanese art (reproductions) depicting seasonal flowers will be exhibited. Seven filmmakers independently interpret the work that can be said to be the “essence” of Japanese art, and develop it as a large-scale installation.
For example, the opening “Perspective Expression of Japanese Painting” by Asuka Saito is a work based on Naganobu Kano’s “Hanashita Yuraku Folding Screen” , but it is taken up here and reinterpreted in the same painting. It is a perspective that can be seen.
The mechanism of “Hanashita Yuraku Folding Screen”, which creates the experience of watching the spring feast held outdoors through the curtain, is reproduced by projecting the image in layers through the slit curtain. It is a work positioned as “a reinterpretation of the classics” by the filmmaker Takuro Okubo. In this way, what is shown in the exhibited works is a little rule code necessary to understand Japanese art.
A flower named “everyday” expressed by Nogizaka46
Butoh performance by Asuka Saito. An indulgent movement creates power that transcends the boundaries of the workSakura Endo, a member of Nogizaka slope who gives off a mysterious beauty. Infinite possibilities are shown by the compatibility of writers and performersHaruka Kaki from “Hidden Landscape”. Feel the truth of emotions beyond the writer’s intentionYou can also enjoy the world of Yasushi Akimoto’s lyrics in the work “Diorama of Time”
However, the girls in Nogizaka are more than just a reflection of the creator’s intentions. When I actually appreciate the work, there are moments when it seems that their existence has a truth that goes beyond the expectations of the writers. It may be possible to realize it because it is an installation format.
Personally, I was impressed by Sakura Endo in “Mysterious Beauty” (written by Kazuma Ikeda). I’m not familiar with Nogizaka46, so I was honestly surprised if there was an idol who could create such a bewitching atmosphere. This is a work with the motif of “Flame”, which depicts the spirit of Lady Rokujo by Uemura Shoen, but the costumes and hair movements that occur every moment due to her butoh are truly youkai.
In addition, the lyrical nature of Haruka Kaki in “Hidden Landscape” is also wonderful, and one of the charms of this exhibition is that each Nogizaka member can fully enjoy the charm that is different from usual.
The exhibition will end on November 28, 2021 (Sun).
The moment when traditional Japanese art connects with us living in the present through a filter called Nogizaka46. It’s very exciting.
By all means, I would like to recommend that you actually experience it at the venue.
Outline of the event
Session
September 4, 2021 (Sat) -November 28, 2021 (Sun)
venue
Tokyo National Museum Hyokeikan
Opening hours
9: 30-17: 00
Friday and Saturday from 9:30 to 20:00
(Admission is 60 minutes before closing)
closing day
Monday (however, open on Monday, September 20th), Tuesday, September 21st
Admission fee
General / university students 1,800 yen High school students 1,000 yen Junior high school students and younger, persons with disabilities and one caregiver are free of charge. * To alleviate congestion, this exhibition requires advance reservations (reserved-seat tickets). All customers are required to reserve a reserved-seat ticket for admission. Please check the official exhibition website for details.
Organizer
Tokyo National Museum, Cultural Properties Utilization Center, Sony Music Entertainment, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council
