Tropical Paradise and Fantasy

Tropical Paradise and Fantasy
‘The South Sea Island’ and Japanese Artists: 1910-41

Hisakatsu Hijikata "Beautifull Day" 1970 coll. Setagaya Art Museum

13th July 2008-15th September 2008
9am-5pm (Last entry 4:30pm)
? Night opening hours operate on August 20th ? until 8pm
(Night Museums 2000 years in the future + Stained Glass Illumination)

Organized by:
The Museum of Art, Kochi, The Kochi Shimbun, and RKC Broadcasting Co., Ltd.

With the assistance of:
Embassy of the Republic of Palau, Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Embassy of the Federated States of Micronesia, Marianas Visitors Authority, Kochi Prefecture Board of Education, Kochi City Board of Education, NHK Kochi Broadcasting, KCB Kochi Cable TV, FM Kochi, Kochi City FM.

Entry fee:
Pre-purchase: \650
General Entry: \850 (\650)
University Students: \550 (\450)
High School students and under: free
NB. Prices in brackets are p.p. fees for groups of 20 and over
Free for holders of KoMPal Cards (5000 yen per year) and Yearly Passes (2,500 yen per year)
Free for holders of Physical Disability Cards, Care Assistance Cards, Disability Cards, War Wounded Cards, A-Bomb Survivor Health Cards, and 1 accompanying career. Holders of the Kochi City or Prefectural Seniors Cards are also eligible for free entry.

In the early 20th Century, many Japanese painters and sculptors traveled to the islands dotted across the equatorial waters of the Pacific. This exhibition takes a look at the works of artists who made the long journey south to these islands. It explores the characteristic forms of expression inspired by these southern lands, and examines how this drive to head south influenced the formation of Japanese art and culture at the time.

At present, islands such as Saipan and Palau are popular tropical resort destinations for Japanese people. However, the history of the Micronesian Archipelago is anything but peaceful. It is important not to forget that these islands were ruled arbitrarily by the major powers and became the scene of intense battles during World War Two. The Micronesian Archipelago was known as ‘The South Sea Islands’ and from 1920 until 1945 was a mandated territory of Japan.

Many Japanese painters and sculptors moved to the South Sea Islands to escape civilization, as did Gauguin, or because of their interest in ethnology. Others came to study and work as artists through happenstance.

This exhibition brings together the works of many artists with a connection to the South-Sea Islands. These include Hisakatsu Hijikata (1900-77), Sasuke Sugiura (1897-1944) and Hiroshi Gima (1923-), each of whom learnt from the previous artist. There are also works by Toshiko Akamatsu, Toshi Maruki (1912-2000) and Ryushi Kawabata (1885-1966).

This exhibition aims to bring to light this little known aspect of modern Japanese art, as well as the artistic ideas developed in the South Sea Islands. We hope you will come to appreciate the prominent position of these works within Japanese modern art, and feel the zeitgeist of the era that is so powerfully expressed in these works. Furthermore, these painters and sculptors traveled to these islands in an era defined by the concept of ‘southern advancement’. This exhibition will hopefully provide a catalyst for the reconsideration of issues of colonialism, war, as well as a rethinking of Japanese conceptualizations and cultural expressions of this ‘drive to the south’.

Details of the Exhibition

Part 1 The South Sea Islands and Japan

1. History and Culture of the South Sea Islands ? Photographs, folk artifacts, literature etc
2. The South Seas Islands and the policy of Southern Advancement ? Literature relating to the history and ethnology of the South Sea Islands in the late 19th and early 20th century.
3. Adventure and Imaginings ? Works by Shunro Oshikawa and ‘Adventure Dankichi’ by Keizo Shimada.

Part 2 Living in the South Sea Islands
Hisakatsu Hijikata, Sasuke Sugiura, Hiroshi Gima:
Wood-block Reliefs, Masks, Bronzes, Oil paintings, Watercolours, Woodblock prints.

Part 3 Artists’ South Sea Island Travels
Toshio Noguchi, Seikichi Gomi, Kiyotsugu Uenoyama, Atsushi Someki, Toshiko Akamatsu, Toshi Maruki, Ryushi Kawabata, Kozo Terakado, Yoshizumi Nishio, Kanae Wada, Shintaro Fuse, Toichiryo Fujimoto, Noriyoshi Takeda, Hyo Sasaka, Takashi Sasaki, Paul Jacoulet

Related Events

1. Lecture by Koji Okaya
Emeritus Professor at Atomi Univeristy, Mr Koji Okaya, who is also an editorial supervisor for this exhibit, will give a lecture on artists who were captivated by the south seas.
Time: Sat 26th July 2008. Doors open 13:30, starts at 14:00.
Cost: free
Place: 2nd Floor Lecture Room

2. Film Screening

1) Mothra. 1961, Toho Cinema, Colour 101mins.
Director: Ishiro Honda, starring Frankie Sakai, Kyoko Kagawa etc
Date: Sun 31st August 2008
Time: Doors open 13:00. Screening from 13:30, 16:00 and 18:30
Cost: \1000
\800 for those who have an entry ticket to the exhibition, or hold KoMPal Cards or Yearly Passes.
Place: Museum of Art Hall

2) The Ocean Lifeline, Our South Sea Islands
1933. Documentary feature film supported by the Department of the Navy. Monochrome. 72 mins.
Date: Mon 21st July, Sat 6th September
Time: Doors open 13:30, starts at 14:00
Cost: Free
Place: 2nd Floor Lecture Theatre

3. Making South Sea Island Masks
There are several workshops for children over the summer holidays. For details, please ask for a leaflet.
Date: Sat 23rd August
Place: 1st Floor Art Room, 13:00~16:00
Open to all Elementary School students
Led by Junko Nakahira, Illustrator

4. Gallery Talk (Guided Tour)
A guided tour is provided by the supervising curator every Sunday of the exhibit.
Starts at 14:00, lasting for at most 1 hour
The tour on the opening day, July 13th, will be provided by Mr. Kyoji Takizawa, Curator of the Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts.
English interpretation is provided on August 3rd.
A quick 30-min guide with a sign-language interpreter will be provided on Sep 14th.
Please make your way directly to the exhibition hall

5. Childcare Service
Child Care services provided by trained professionals are available to carers who would like to view the exhibitions at leisure.
Participants: Family of those who are viewing the exhibition. Children must be over 6 months and under elementary school age.
Date: Wed 13th August ~ Sun 17th August. From 10:00~12:00 and 13:30~15:30 daily.

6. Sunday Lecture Series
A reading from Gauguin’s ‘Noa Noa’
The supervising curator will read from Gauguin’s travel writings. This artist had a significant influence on the south-sea island travels of a great number of Japanese artists.
Date: Sat 19th July, 14:00~
Place: 2nd Floor Lecture Theatre
Cost: Free

7. Picture Book Reading
One of the artists featured in this exhibition, Hisakatsu Hijikata, also wrote picture books. There will be a reading of ‘Olemaai the Powerful Boy’ and ‘Piggy Butabuta Goes Shopping’.
Date: Sat 23rd August and Sat 30th August, 11:00~
Place: In front of exhibition hall 1
Read by staff from the museum
Cost: Free