Commemorative lecture on TFAM exhibition held

On October 26, Prof. Yoshiki Ono, art historian at Aoyama Gakuin Women’s Junior College and senior academic advisor to the museum, gave a lecture commemorating the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum exhibition, “Through the Eyes of René Huyghe: The Splendor of French Paintings—Formation and Transformation of the ‘Grande Manière.’”

In his slide presentation, Prof. Ono covered some two centuries of French painters, beginning from the Classicists of the 17th century to the neo-Classicists and to the Romanticists, introducing their respective traits and traditions.

PHOTO CAPTION: Prof. Yoshiki Ono gave a commemorative lecture at TFAM on Oct. 26

Museum opens French painting exhibition

On October 3, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum held the opening ceremony of the special cultural exchange exhibition, “Through the Eyes of René Huyghe: The Splendor of French Paintings—Formation and Transformation of the ‘Grande Manière.’” The exhibit was organized in homage to René Huyghe, who was instrumental in holding TFAM’s premiere exhibition on Western paintings for its grand public opening in 1983.

The event drew numerous guests and dignitaries, with TFAM honorary director Minoru Harada and Prof. Yoshiki Ono, art historian at Aoyama Gakuin Women’s Junior College and senior academic advisor to the museum, delivering speeches. Also submitting an address for the occasion on behalf of his father was Francois-Bernard Huyghe.

The exhibition features 67 representative oil paintings by French artists, along with 12 priceless sketches.

PHOTO CAPTION: Tape-cutting ceremony by TFAM officials and dignitaries, including Francois-Bernard Huyghe (third from left)

Museum hosts women’s college seminar

On September 16, Soka Women’s College held a Student Life Support (SLS) seminar at the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. Some 60 junior college students took part in the seminar, which aimed to teach participants in the display and presentation of works by using those shown in the exhibition, “The World of Yamamoto Nizo, Master of Japanese Animation Art Director.”

PHOTO CAPTION: TFAM hosted a Soka Women’s College SLS seminar

Curator internship held

On August 29, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum conducted a curator internship, accepting 10 candidates who were recommended by various universities with museum curator programs. The eight-day course was supervised by TFAM curators and involved lectures and on-the-job training. The course concluded on September 12, with interns submitting reports on exhibition planning.

PHOTO CAPTION: Interns study at TFAM to become curators

Education vice minister enjoys “This is Japan in Kyoto” exhibition

On September 3, Tomoko Ukishima, Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, visited the Museum of Kyoto and enjoyed the exhibition, “This is Japan in Kyoto—From the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection.” Escorted by Deputy Director Toshiaki Kouyama of the Museum of Kyoto and TFAM curator Toshiyasu Kamogi, Vice Minister Ukishima delved into the essence of Japanese art while experiencing its timeless beauty and wonder through a state-of-the-art virtual reality system.

TFAM opens booth at 25th ICOM Kyoto 2019

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum opened a booth at the 25th ICOM Kyoto 2019, which took place on September 2-4. The TFAM booth offers two virtual reality programs—the first to “see” with a votive light the Iwasa School’s Folding Screen with Design of the Scenes from The Tales of Genji that is currently featured in the Museum of Kyoto’s exbition “This is Japan in Kyoto” and the second, which is designated as an important art work, Writing Box with Design of Deer and Autumn Flowers in Maki-e Lacquer by the Hasegawa School.

Authors of children’s literature visit TFAM

On August 21, Tomoyoshi Urushibara, an author of children’s literature and education critic (advisor of the Japan Juvenile Writers Association), Rintaro Uchida, a poet and writer of children’s stories (chief director of the Japan Juvenile Writers Association), and Ippei Mogami, an author of children’s literature, visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. During their visit, the three viewed “The World of YAMAMOTO Nizo” and special TFAM collection “Photographs of the Earth” exhibitions.

PHOTO CAPTION: Messrs. Urushihara (left front), Uchida (right front) and Mogami (center, clasping hands)

TFAM holds special summer vacation concert

On August 10, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum held a special concert at its theater over the summer vacation featuring soundtrack music from Japan’s premier animated films. Naoko Inamura did the vocals, the violin by Hiroko Ishikawa, cello by Sachiho Otsuka and piano by Fusako Hasegawa.

Famed animation director Nizo Yamamoto visits TFAM

Before the opening of the exhibition “The World of YAMAMOTO Nizo” on July 13, renowned animation director Nizo Yamamoto himself and his son Takao visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum on July 12. They toured the gallery space while accompanied by TFAM Director Akira Gokita and Deputy Director Yoshiro Shimizu.

The special exhibition “The World of YAMAMOTO Nizo” is open to the public from July 13 to September 16.

PHOTO CAPTION: From the right: Mr. Takao Yamamoto and his father, Nizo Yamamoto, TFAM Director Gokita and Deputy Director Shimizu

TFAM officials pay courtesy call on China’s Dunhuang Research Academy

On June 17, Director Akira Gokita and Curatorial Department Director Kenichi Hirano of Tokyo Fuji Art Museum met with Director Luo Huaqing of the Dunhuang Research Academy in Gansu Province, China. The Japanese museum officials were on a study mission on cultural artifacts of the Silk Road and spoke with Director Luo on the holding of another Silk Road exhibition.

Since the exhibition “Treasures from Dunhuang, China” (www.fujibi.or.jp/en/exhibitions/profile-of-exhibitions/?exhibit_id=1198510051) held in 1985, TFAM has continued exchange initiatives with the renowned Chinese academy. TFAM was also engaged in various exchanges with celebrated Chinese artist Chang Shuhong, whose dedicated work to protect the cave paintings and artifacts of the Mogao Caves came to be known as the “guardian of Dunhuang.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Director Luo Huaqing (center) flanked by TFAM Director Gokita (left) and Hirano