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MORI LIVING Diary
Kuniyoshi Exhibition Fascinates and Entertains
February 01, 2012
Like many people who enjoy art and yet are not experts in it, Kuniyoshi Utagawa is one of the few Edo-era Japanese artists who I've not only heard of, but whose work I also recognize. So when I heard that the Mori Arts Center Gallery was presenting a retrospective of Kuniyoshi's ukiyo-e woodblock masterpieces, I looked forward to seeing what the exhibit had to offer.
The exhibition, titled Kuniyoshi: Spectacular Ukiyo-e Imagination, commemorates the artist's death 150 years ago, and runs through February 12. It's been very popular since it opened in December, so it's a good idea to allow plenty of time for a visit.
As I walked through the gallery rooms, what struck me most was the vast subject matter of Kuniyoshi's paintings. About 420 works, some newly discovered and never before exhibited, covered everything from warriors and actors to landscapes and comedic cats. The bright colors--particularly in prints of women and children--as well as the incredible detail displayed were also very impressive.
One area of Kuniyoshi's work with which I wasn't familiar and yet by which I was fascinated was made up of a series of humorous scenes depicting animals or other non-human beings engaged in human-like behaviors. Cats, for example, were shown wearing kimono and enjoying various pleasure quarters of the time. I was particularly amused by the very real looking actions and facial expressions of these creatures, which made the works even more enjoyable. They were almost like an early version of comics.
As the single largest and most comprehensive Kuniyoshi exhibition to date, Spectacular Ukiyo-e Imagination should not be missed. It only runs for a few more weeks, so be sure to go soon!
Kelly