What we’re about
"Art Is What You Can Get Away with" -Marshall McLuhan (Propagated by Andy Warhol)
WHY?
Because there are numbers of interesting art shows and cultural events in the Greater Tokyo Area.
WHAT?
We will check out all types of cultural events. The main focus of the meet up group will be checking out art exhibitions, but we are not art snobs. We will check out anything as long as they are entertaining to us.
WHO?
Anyone who likes to explore art + culture in the Greater Tokyo Area should join.
HOW?
Just click "yes" for the RSVP response and show up to the meeting place.
HOW MUCH?
The price of an admission ticket.
HOW OFTEN?
Once a week hopefully.
WHY NOT JOIN US?
Upcoming events (2)
See all- The Magic North: Art from Norway, Sweden and FinlandSOMPO Museum of Art, Tokyo
For this meetup, we will check out an exhibition of paintings from Nordic countries.
"This exhibition focuses on three Nordic countries: Norway, Sweden, and Finland, showcasing paintings by nationally acclaimed artists from the 19th century to the early 20th century, including Norway's Edvard Munch and Finland's Akseli Gallen-Kallela.
Nordic countries are renowned for sophisticated design in textiles, ceramics, and exceptionally functional furniture. Simultaneously, they have been a fertile ground for producing outstanding works of art. In the 19th century, against the backdrop of rising nationalism, Nordic painters, who had previously looked to the art of continental European countries as their model, developed a heightened interest in their own country's nature, history, and culture. Various natural landscapes, Norse mythology, and folk tales found expression in the paintings and illustrations of these artists.
The term 'Nordic' broadly refers to the northern part of Europe, encompassing Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. Despite being geographically contiguous with mainland Europe, the unique cultural heritage of these countries has flourished under the influence of their northern climates. With the collaboration of the National Gallery of Norway, the Nationalmuseum in Sweden, and the Ateneum Art Museum in Finland, this exhibition brings together approximately 70 carefully selected works from their invaluable collections. " [from Tokyo Art Beat]Location
Sompo Museum of Art
(https://www.sompo-museum.org/en/information/visit/#anc02)Exhibition to see
The Magic North: Art from Norway, Sweden and FinlandMeeting Time
04:00PM (16:00)Meeting Spot
Around the entrance of Sompo Museum of ArtMuseum Admission Fee
¥1,600Information about the exhibition
https://www.sompo-museum.org/en/exhibitions/2023/magic-north/Chat session after the show
As usual, let's have a chat session at the end of the event. When we meet up before the exhibition, let's decide where we go after the show.Not open - Animals, Animals, Animals! From the Edo-Tokyo Museum CollectionTokyo Station Gallery, Tokyo
For this meetup, we will check out an exhibition that showcases some of the collections of the Edo-Tokyo Museum on the theme of Animals.
"During the long peaceful days of the Edo period (1603–1868), humans interacted with animals in various ways in the course of their daily lives. A rich tapestry of animal life was on display, with animals reared by humans, working alongside their human masters, or roaming free in nature, for instance.
When the American zoologist Edward S. Morse came to Japan in 1877, he was surprised by how kind and respectful Japanese people were to animals. In his diary, he wrote about how the townsfolk would try to step over or otherwise avoid cats and dogs on the street. He also recounted how people would affectionately use the honorific“san” when talking to animals. The works in this exhibition reveal how dogs, cats, oxen, horses, chickens and other creatures were a much more familiar presence in our lives back then, with animals treated as friends and colleagues.
The history and culture of the intertwined lives of humans and animals are principally explored here through the rich collection of the Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum (currently closed for renovations). The exhibition is based on Un Bestiaire Japonais 2–Vivre Avec les Animaux à Edo-Tokyo (XVIIIe-XIXe Siècles), a highly-acclaimed exhibition that the Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum staged in Paris in 2022 on the 25th anniversary of the Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris. The contents have now been expanded to mark the exhibition’s triumphal return to Japan. These include ukiyo-e woodblock prints of people enjoying their lives with animals, for example, and everyday items with designs featuring our furry and feathery friends. We hope these convey a sense of the richness of this coexistence and the preciousness of the bounteous natural environment that nurtured it." [from the Edo-Tokyo Museum Website]Location
Tokyo Station Gallery
(https://www.ejrcf.or.jp/gallery/english/access.html)Exhibition to see
Animals, Animals, Animals! From the Edo-Tokyo Museum CollectionMeeting Time
02:30PM (14:30)Meeting Spot
Around the entrance of the museumMuseum Admission Fee
¥1,300Information about the exhibition
https://www.ejrcf.or.jp/gallery/english/archive_202404_dobutsu.htmlChat session after the show
As usual, let's have a chat session at the end of the event. When we meet up before the exhibition, let's decide where we go after the show.