[Nara Prefectural Museum of Art] First event in Kansai! Special Exhibition “Journey around Edward Gorey”
*Nara Prefecture*
Press release: September 9, 2024
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First held in Kansai! Special Exhibition “Journey around Edward Gorey” *Opening at Nara Prefectural Museum of Art from Saturday, September 14th*
A beautiful, scary, and funny fairy tale for adults living in modern times. Edward Gorey, a picture book author who has enthusiastic fans all over the world for his mysterious worldview and detailed monochrome line drawings.
1925-2000). In recent years, many picture books have been introduced in Japan, such as “The Unwanted Guest” and “The Unfortunate Child.” Gorey is the primary author of both the text and
illustrations.
In addition to illustrating books, he also displayed a wide range of talents, including illustrating, stage and costume design, and posters for plays and ballets.
This exhibition features approximately 250 works, centered around themes such as “children,” “mysterious creatures,” and “performing arts,” from special exhibitions held at Gorey House, a memorial hall built as the artist’s final home. It is reconstructed using works and materials. As you travel to an old mansion on a peninsula on the east coast of the United States, please enjoy encounters with mysterious works with a cool and insightful view of life and death.
This exhibition is a national touring exhibition that began last year at the Shoto Museum of Art in Shibuya, and will be held for the first time in the Kansai region. In addition, we will be holding a related exhibit, “Edward Gorey and Japanese Culture: The Eyes of 20th Century America,” which is an original exhibit from our museum.
Number of items exhibited
Main exhibition: Approximately 250 items Related exhibitions: Approximately 20 items
Exhibition composition
Chapter I Goalies and Children
Chapter II Mysterious creatures drawn by Gorey
Chapter III Goalie and Performing Arts
Chapter IV: Gorey’s Book Making
Chapter V: Cape Cod Communities and Elephants
“Rage and Fury: Or, the Black Doll Riot” 1986 Illustration/original illustration Pen, ink, paper (C)2022The Edward Gorey
Charitable Trust
About Edward Gorey
Born in Chicago, USA. He has created many picture books that create a mysterious worldview with unique rhyming sentences and detailed monochrome line drawings, and has enthusiastic fans all over the world. He spent a precocious childhood in America in the first half of the 20th century, served in the military, and majored in French literature at Harvard University. From the 1950s, he lived in New York, worked for a publishing company, worked on book designs, and eventually became independent as an author. Enthusiastic about culture such as ballet and movies, he read extensively and was influenced by many classics, from 19th century British literature to The Tale of Genji. In later years, he moved to a mansion called “Elephant House” on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he continued to work until his sudden death in 2000.
“Urona Kakeru” circa 1955 Illustration/Original drawing Pen, ink, paper (C)2022The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust
“A Journey Around Edward Gorey” Exhibition First Landing in Kansai
This is the first exhibition about Edward Gorey to be held in Japan since the touring exhibition “The Elegant Secrets of Edward Gorey” which was held from 2016 to 2019. This exhibition will be held at the museum for the first time in Kansai.
This exhibition extracts the main themes of Gorey’s art, such as “children,” “mysterious creatures,” and “performing arts,” from a special exhibition held at Gorey House, and delves deeper into each theme. It has been reconstructed. The original drawings of Gorey’s masterpieces include “The Unfortunate Child” in Chapter I, “The Fury: Or the Black Doll Riot” in Chapter II, “The Gilded Bat” in Chapter III, and “Jumbreeze” in Chapter IV. Many are coming to Japan. Over the course of five chapters, you can enjoy Gorey’s detailed line drawings and his uniquely humorous worldview that is mysterious and eerie, yet will make you smile.
“Unfortunate Child” 1959 Illustration/Original Art Pen, ink, paper (C)2022The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust
*Nara Prefectural Museum of Art original exhibition*
* “Edward Gorey and Japanese Culture: 20th Century American Eyes” will be held simultaneously*
In postwar America, where Edward Gorey lived, interest in Japanese culture was growing. Gorey is said to have loved reading The Tale of Genji and had a deep knowledge of Japanese culture, and it has also been pointed out that his works use expressions similar to Japanese art. The museum will be introducing approximately 20 works from its collection with the theme of Gorey and the reception of Japanese art in the United States at the time. This is an attempt to rediscover Japanese art through Gorey’s eyes.
“Jumbreeze” 1967 Illustration/Original drawing Pen, ink, paper (C) 2022 The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust
Kitao Shigemasa “Seven Lucky Gods Riding Treasure Boat” Edo period, Nara Prefectural Museum of Art collection
Events during the exhibition period
Lecture “Edward Gorey seen from the perspective of Western art history” Lecturer: Mr. Atsushi Miura [Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo, Director of Ohara Museum of Art]
Date and time: October 5th (Sat) 14:00-15:30 (Registration starts at 13:30) Venue: 1F lecture room (capacity 60 people, advance application required, first come first served)
*Recruitment has been closed because the capacity has been reached. Thank you very much for your many applications.
Parent-child viewing tour “Family viewing tour from 0 years old” Lecturer: Megumi Tomita [Representative director of NPO Art Friendship Association from Babies]
Date and time: October 13th (Sun)
1st time: 9:15-10:30 (Reception starts at 9:00) 2nd time: 10:45-12:00 (Reception starts at 10:30)
Venue: 1F lecture room/exhibition room (capacity 10 groups each time, advance application required, first come first served)
Target: Children from 0 years old and their families (guardians, siblings) Art course “Interactive appreciation workshop”
Lecturer: Masami Yamamoto [Chief of the curatorial department of the museum] Date and time: October 26th (Sat) 14:00-15:30 (Reception starts at 13:30) Venue: 1F lecture room (capacity 15 people, advance application required, first come first served)
Slides/Gallery talk by the curator in charge
Lecturer: Karen Murakami [Curator of the museum]
Date and time: September 21st (Sat), November 2nd (Sat) 14:00-15:00 Venue: 1F lecture room/exhibition room
*Advance reservations are not required for slides/gallery talks. Gallery Exhibition “Hanaaato Meeting Special Exhibition”
Introduction to Hanaraa’s 13 years of history and this year’s event area A panel exhibition introducing this year’s Hanaraa and the area where it will be held, an exhibition of works by artists exhibiting at Hanaraa with environmental issues as the theme, and a Hanaaa panel exhibition put together by interns at Nara Women’s University. This is a special exhibition at the meeting.
Date: September 14th (Sat) – October 14th (Monday/Holiday)
Participating artists: Atsushi Ikoma, Mariko Ura, Mako Sakano, suzani, Yoshito Mizuuchi, Eugene Soler
Talk event “14 years with Hanaraa – past and future”
We will welcome Mr. Yoshinori Nomura and Ms. Akiko Koga, who supported the early days of “Hanaaato”, which is celebrating its 14th year this year, and will tell us the secret story behind the creation of “Hanaaato” and anecdotes that can be talked about now.
We will discuss the past and future of Hanara in detail, including presentations by Nara Women’s University interns and talk sessions with representatives of community development organizations that have hosted Hanara.
[Speakers] Yoshinori Nomura, Akiko Koga, town development group, Nara Women’s University intern
[Date and time] September 28th (Sat) 13:30-16:00 (Reception starts at 13:00) [Place] 1F Lecture Room
[Capacity] 60 people (advance application required) If there is space, you can participate on the day.
[Admission fee] Free (donation system)
[Contact] Nara Machiya Art Festival HANARART Executive Committee Secretariat [Phone number] 090-9215-6847
[Official website] https://hanarart.jp/2024/
Event overview
* Sponsor/Venue* Nara Prefectural Museum of Art (10-6 Noborioji-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture 630-8213)
*Duration*September 14th (Saturday) – November 10th (Sunday), 2024 *The related exhibition “Edward Gorey and Japanese Culture: The Eyes of 20th Century America” will be replaced.
[First half] September 14th (Sat) – October 6th (Sun)
[Second half] October 8th (Tuesday) – November 10th (Sunday) *Special Cooperation/Cooperation/Planning
Cooperation/Sponsorship*Special Cooperation: Edward Gorey Charitable Trust, Gorey House (Cape Cod)
Cooperation: Kawade Shobo Shinsha Co., Ltd.
Planning cooperation: Idef Co., Ltd.
Sponsored by: NHK Nara Broadcasting Station, Nara Television Broadcasting, Nara Shimbun,
West Japan Railway Company, Kinki Nippon Railway Co., Ltd.
Nara Kotsu Co., Ltd., Nara City Tourism Association, Nara Prefectural Board of Education
*Opening hours* 9:00-17:00 (Admission until 16:30)
* Closed days * September 17th (Tuesday), September 24th (Tuesday), September 30th (Monday), October 7th (Monday), October 15th (Tuesday), October 21st (Monday) )
*Admission fee* General = 1200 (1000) yen, University and high school students = 1000 (800) yen, Junior high and elementary school students = 800 (600) yen
*The numbers in parentheses are group rates (20 people or more) *Free admission for those with a disability certificate (including the app) and one caregiver.
*Transportation information* 5 minutes walk from exit 1 of Kintetsu Nara Station towards Nara Park
JR Nara Station – 5 minutes by Nara Kotsu bus from the east exit bus stop and get off at “Kencho-mae”, 100 meters
*Link* Museum official homepage https://www.pref.nara.jp/11842.htm X (old Twitter) account @ArtmuseumN Facebook @narakenmuseum
Instagram nara_artmuseum
*Inquiries* TEL 0742-23-3968/FAX 0742-22-7032/Telephone service 0742-23-1700