“National Art Museum Traveling Exhibitions,” which are composed of pieces from the National Art Museum’s collection, have been held every year since 2003 in various different locations. This year, Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto will be hosting “CHOKOKU : Modern Japanese Sculpture from its Beginning to 1980’s, Works from the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.”

The modern Japanese sculptures from the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo that will be on exhibit represent the variety within each generation: from the early Meiji period when sculpture was first introduced to Japan, through the period influenced by Rodin, to the blossoming variety of the Taisho and early Showa Periods, and from the post-war sculptures that went against the grain of modern art to the modern works that set the stage for today’s Japanese contemporary sculptures.

Sculptors whose work is featured in the exhibit include late Meiji and Taisho period artists such as Kotaro Takamura, Morie Ogiwara, and Teijiro Nakahara, who were heavily influenced by Rodin; artists such as Denchu Hirakushi and Heihachi Hashimoto, who expanded the world of wood sculpture; and artists such as Yasutake Funakoshi, Ryokichi Mukai, and Tomio Miki, who participated in the Post-War Modern Art Movement as proof of their existence all the way into the 1980s. These works give a sense of how the concept of chokoku, which has only recently appeared in Japan, was furthered by the artists of each generation and how each artist interpreted chokoku and placed emphasis within their work throughout their careers.

As Japan’s modernization has recently come under societal scrutiny once again, there is even more research being conducted on Japan’s modern sculptures. This research has led to a proliferation in the number of exhibitions throughout the country to present the fruits of these inquiries. However, this would be the first large scale exhibition on the history of modern Japanese sculpture in Kumamoto. We hope this exhibit will be an opportunity to experience the appeal of these masterpieces that are so often referenced in textbooks and media.

We would also like to send our sincerest thanks to everyone who helped make this possible, and to each and every person who assisted in the inspections to host this exhibit.

Artists

Hisakazu Takeuchi, Choun Yamazaki, Unkai Yonehara, Denchu Hirakushi, Morie Ogiwara, Kogan Tobari, Kotaro Takamura, Fumio Asakura, Yuzo Fujikawa, Seibo Kitamura, Tsuruzo Ishii, Chozan Sato, Teijiro Nakahara, Yasuji Ogishima, Heihachi Hashimoto, Yoshishige Saito, Yoshitatsu Yanagihara, Yasutake Funakoshi, Churyo Sato, Ryokichi Mukai, Saburo Muraoka, Masunobu Yoshimura, Isamu Wakabayashi, Gempei Akasegawa, Tomio Miki, Kishio Suga, Toshikatsu Endo

Exhibition Information