By: Ann Fink
Tickets are now on sale for “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World, Artworks from the Chiossone Collection,” coming this summer to the Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA) at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd. in Glen Ellyn.
Presented May 31 to Sept. 21, the exhibition will feature a collection of 53 works of art and 13 artifacts that have never been seen in the U.S. More than a museum show, this arts center experience will immerse guests in Edo era Japanese culture through several interactive exhibits, from a serene outdoor Japanese garden to an anime exhibit.
The exhibition is organized by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art in collaboration with the Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art of Genoa, Italy and with the support of MondoMostre.
The exhibition showcases artworks by the masters of Ukiyo-e art of Japan’s flourishing Edo Period (1603-1868). Works by acclaimed artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige offer a window into life during a time when the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo) thrived as the center of Japan’s economy and culture. “Ukiyo-e," often translated as "Images of the floating world,” refers to Japanese paintings and woodblock prints that depicted life in Edo, when pleasurable attributes of life were encouraged, distant from the control of the military shogunate power. "Ukiyo-e" artwork showcased the city’s fashions and lively streets, and its famous places and entertainment districts, including the theater, cultural and arts quarters.
The collection includes original painted works, intricate color woodblock prints and instruments and other beautifully lacquered objects and more. In addition to the collection, the exhibition will immerse guests in Edo culture through several interactive areas, including: a multi-media historical display, peaceful Japanese garden, anime exhibit, children’s area and interactive Edo experience that features period garments such as Shogun and Kabuki fashion replicas, and more. Special events will take place throughout the length of the exhibition, and a benefit gala will take place Feb. 23 at the MAC.
Widely considered as one of the most recognizable images in the world, the exhibition will feature Hokusai's iconic masterpiece, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” In addition, visitors will have the rare opportunity to view nine original works by the legendary artist. There will also be 17 works by Hiroshige, particularly known for the "Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō" series.Works by 15 of their contemporaries will also be featured, along with several artifacts from daily life in Japan from this period, including popular games, instruments and beauty tools of the time.
“Japanese Art during this period made a massive influence on the development of Western art and culture,” says CCMA Curator Justin Witte. “Two hundred years later, these images still feel fresh and innovative as they continue to inspire new generations of artists such as Takashi Murakami and Hayao Miyazaki, as well as creators of manga and anime.”
Hokusai is widely recognized as one of Japan's greatest artists, as he was instrumental in developing the genre of ukiyo-e and modernized traditional print styles. He transformed ukiyo-e art into a modern form of graphic art, covering several subjects from portraits of entertainers and kabuki actors to unique views of the natural world. His eclectic artistry brought the highest development of the ukiyo-e genre, spreading a newfound awareness of current subjects and tastes through the mass production of books, manga and manuals.
Hokusai’s work not only shaped the artistic landscape of the Edo Period and paved the way for Japanese art; he also had a significant influence on impressionists Edgar Degas and Claude Monet, and later Vincent van Gogh, during the Japonisme art movement that spread across Europe in the late 19th century.
“The Edo Period holds a rich culture and the interactive experiences at the MAC will enhance the understanding and appreciation of this enchanting era of Shoguns, Samurai and Geisha,” says MAC Director and Exhibition Director Diana Martinez. “Visitors will get to have experiences that are extensions of the artwork and themes in the collection, as done with past exhibitions ‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’ and ‘WARHOL.’”
The exhibition is organized by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, with works from The Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art of Genoa, Italy that was originally collected by Edoardo Chiossone (1833-1898) and whose collection is known worldwide for the quality of art and its remarkable state of conservation. The featured ukiyo-e collection on loan will be curated by professor and art historian Rossella Menegazzo of The University of Milan as part of the larger exhibition at the MAC and CCMA, curated by Justin Witte.
Tickets and add-on VIP packages are now on sale. Anytime Tickets (specific date/flexible time) for “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World” are $40. Timed tickets (specific date/specific time) are $27 for Tuesday to Friday and $32 for Saturday and Sunday. VIP packages include “Shogun,” which includes an exhibition poster, tote and VIP Lanyard for an added $25; and “Emperor,” which, for an additional $70, includes the Shogun package plus an audio tour and exhibit catalogue.