Delegates of Art Exhibitions China visit TFAM

On January 25, a delegation of Art Exhibitions China led by Deputy Director Zhou Ming and Curatorial Department Deputy Division Chief Li Tiankai visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum and were welcomed by TFAM Board of Trustees Chair Kazuhiko Oshida. Reflecting on the numerous cultural exchanges with China to date, the Chinese party and Oshida discussed various ideas for collaborative exhibitions they may hold in the near future.

The delegates also viewed TFAM’s latest exhibition, “Léonard Foujita with His Private Works,” as well as its permanent exhibition, “From the Renaissance to the 20th Century—500 Years of Western Paintings.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Deputy Director Zhou (third from left) and Deputy Division Chief Li (far left)

China’s Tsinghua University offers appreciation to TFAM founder

On January 22, Tsingua University Art Museum Standing Deputy Executive Director Du Pengfei led a delegation visiting the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. He brought with him a certificate of appreciation to TFAM founder Daisaku Ikeda on behalf of Tsinghua University expressing gratitude for the exhibition, “From the Renaissance to the 20th Century—500 Years of Western Paintings,” which was held with works on loan from the Japanese museum at the Chinese university’s art museum in 2018. TFAM Board of Trustees Chair Kazuhiko Oshida accepted the certificate on the founder’s behalf.

The exhibition was a collaborative effort with TFAM that provided the displayed works from its collection. More than 125,000 people viewed the exhibition, breaking the record for the Tsingua University museum.

PHOTO CAPTION: Deputy Executive Director Du Pengfei (fourth from left) handed a certificate of appreciation to TFAM Board of Trustees Chair Oshida.

Shanghai’s Powerlong Art Museum opens TFAM Western painting exhibition

On January 11, the Powerlong Art Museum in Shanghai held the opening ceremony for the exhibition, “From the Renaissance to the 20th Century—500 Years of Western Paintings,” featuring 60 works from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum collection.

At the ceremony, congratulatory words were shared from Shanghai International Culture Association Deputy President and General Secretary Deng Xiaoxian, Powerlong Group Director and Powerlong Culture Executive Director Xu Hualin, Shanghai Tix-Media President Xie Dingwei as well as from TFAM Executive Director Akira Kaneko. TFAM Curatorial Department Director Kenichi Hirano introduced the exhibition program.

Deputy President Deng expressed gratitude to TFAM’s support not only for the exhibition but also for longstanding effort to strengthen friendship between China and Japan. Director Xu praised the TFAM collection as a microcosm of the history of Western art. Meanwhile, President Xie offered his gratitude to TFAM founder Daisaku Ikeda for his role in holding the exhibition in China.

The exhibition is open to the public from January 12 until April 30.

Royal Academy of Arts opens exhibit with TFAM Turner collection

On January 12, the Royal Academy of Arts in London opened the exhibition, “‘He has been here and fired a gun’: Turner, Constable and the Royal Academy,” to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Among the works on display was Turner’s “Helvoetsluys: the City of Utrecht, 64, Going to Sea” on loan from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.

The exhibition is being held at the Royal Academy Collection Gallery until March 31.

The Royal Academy of Arts and TFAM collaborated in 2014 when the latter hosted the special exhibition, “Genius and Ambition: The Royal Academy of Arts, London 1768-1918,” with Academy President Christopher Le Brun attending the opening ceremony.

PHOTO CAPTION: Art Director Tim Marlow (far left) and exhibition curator Dr. Per Rumberg (second from left)

TFAM holds Japan Art Documentation Society tour & workshop

On December 22, the Japan Art Documentation Society (JADS) held its 73th tour and 96th workshop on information dissemination of artworks at the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.

TFAM curator Mikako Hiraya opened the workshop with a presentation of case studies on utilizing information on artworks for programs on art appreciation, followed by a lecture on the management system of the museum’s art collection by TFAM art section manager Toshiyasu Kamogi. Next, Associate Professor Yuzo Marukawa of the National Museum of Ethnology’s Department of Advanced Human Sciences spoke on the use of online and other electronic means to disseminate information on cultural treasures. For the tour, participants TFAM’s closed stack method to organize references as well as is IC-tag system to manage its collected books.

The program was concluded with words from JADS President Fujio Maeda.

Yui Junior High School students visit TFAM

On November 20, seven students and their teacher the Hachioji Yui Junior High School special education class visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. Guided by a TFAM curator, they viewed the permanent exhibition and took photographs of their favorite works. The students also took part in a woodblock printing workshop.

Collaborative event with IKEA is now open

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum exhibition “Pippi Longstocking and the World of Astrid Lindgren” is now holding a collaborative event with IKEA, the furniture megastore based in Sweden.

IKEA’s outlet in Tachikawa, Tokyo, is holding a “storytelling” workshop every Sunday for the month of August. Due to popular demand, the store will be holding additional workshops on September 8, 15 and 22. Other activities, including a Pippi puzzle game and photo shoots before a Pippi cutout, will also be offered daily.

In addition, IKEA is providing color books and toys to entertain infants at TFAM’s Children’s Corner.

“Beauty of Japan” stage 2 opens at Hokkaido museum

On August 9, the second stage of “Beauty of Japan: Profusion of Flowers,” an exhibition featuring selected Japanese art from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum’s collection, opened at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art. Sponsored by the Sapporo Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd. and Hokkaido Shimbun Press, the program commemorates 35th anniversary of TFAM, which helped organize the exhibition.

Among the 120 pieces exhibited are In and Around the City of Kyoto, a Kano School work, Elephant and Chicken by Ito Jakuchu, and Fifty-three Stations on the Tokaido by Utagawa Hiroshige.

A ceremony was held on August 9 to celebrate the attendance figure surpassing 80,000 visitors. The exhibition will run until September 2.

TFAM opens Pippi Longstocking™exhibition

“Pippi Longstocking and the World of Astrid Lindgren,” a special exhibition commemorating the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sweden and Japan formally opened on July 28.

Attending the opening ceremony were dignitaries as well as representatives from Sweden, Denmark and Estonia that had loaned their prized works to TFAM. In addition, students from the local Hachioji Kasumi Elementary and Junior High Schools were also invited.

Malin Billing, granddaughter of the Swedish author of the “Pippi Longstocking” series, Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), delivered the keynote address at the ceremony, sharing her memories of her grandmother and expressed high hopes for the exhibition’s success.

Astrid Lindgren devoted a lifetime to writing children’s books that came to be adored by a worldwide readership. Her works have been translated into more than 100 languages to date, selling some 160 million copies.

This special exhibition features some 200 prized manuscripts, original drawings, personal memorabilia and other items pertaining to Lindgren’s most renowned works, including the Pippi Longstocking, Lotta and the Bullerby Children series.

The exhibition will be held until September 24.

TFAM director attends opening of new Uffizi Gallery exhibition hall

On July 9, the renowned Uffizi Gallery of Italy held a special premiere for stakeholders on a new exhibition hall, which will open displaying three major works by Leonardo da Vinci—the freshly restored Adoration of the Magi, along with the Annunciation and The Baptism of Christ (painted with Vorrocchio).

Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Director Akira Gokita, the only guest from Japan, attended the affair at the invitation of Uffizi Gallery Director Eike D. Schmidt.

The newly opened hall features the latest innovations in the preservation and exhibition of artworks.

In the press conference, Director Schmidt spoke of the hall’s unique technologies as well as its purpose and function. Cecillia Frosinini, deputy director of national art restoration agency Pietre Dure who restored the Adoration of the Magi, then shared the challenges she faced and overcame in completing her project.

Following the press conference, TFAM’s Gokita met with Deputy Director Frosinini and discussed prospects for further cultural exchanges in the future.

PHOTO CAPTION: Adoration of the Magi (top photo), with Gokita and Director Schmidt (bottom photo)