event
Special Exhibition - '100 Ukiyo-e Views of Cats - Kuniyoshi Ichimon Neko Tzukushi'
Edo period Ukiyo-e (woodblock print) artist Kuniyoshi Utagawa was famous for being a cat-lover. Always living alongside ten or more cats, Kuniyoshi drew felines with a wide variety of humorous facial expressions and postures.
This current exhibition features 243 works by Kuniyoshi and his assistants as well as other ukiyo-e artists. Among the works are several extremely rare Kuniyoshi pieces. These include an 'uchiwa-e' (painted fan) that is being exhibited for the first time ever as well as the only known print of a work titled 'Ryuko Neko-jarashi' ('Trendy Cat-teaser'). Make sure to also check out the scary 'ghost-cat' story-paintings, not to mention the works that depict cats in human form.
In total, 2,321 cats appear within the works. Viewing the variety of cats represented, we can see that felines played an important role in the lives of Edo's residents. Just like today, they were greatly loved. Make sure to catch this show and get your daily dose of cats.
Special Exhibition - '100 Ukiyo-e Views of Cats - Kuniyoshi Ichimon Neko Tzukushi'
Dates: June 1st ～ July 26th, 2012
《Part 1: June 1st ～ June 26th; Part 2: June 30th ～ July 26th》
Place: Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art
Hours: 10:30 ～ 5:30 (last admission at 5:00 p.m.)
Closed on: Every Monday（open on 7/16、closed on 7/17), Closed during changing of show (6/27 ～ 6/29）
Admission Fee: General: 1,000 yen; Students: 700 yen; Junior high school students and younger are FREE
Nearest Station: JR Yamanote Line Harajuku Station - 5 min. walk from Omotesando exit.
Tokyo Metro Chiyoda and Fukutoshin Lines Meiji Jingu-mae Stations - 3 min. walk from exit #5
Inquiries: 03-5777-8600
http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/
■ Illustration credits (from top to bottom)
Kuniyoshi Utagawa: 'Ryuko Neko-jarashi' (Trendy Cat-teaser) Private Collection, (On view during Parts I & 2)
Kiyochika Kobayashi: 'Neko to Chochin' (Cat and Lantern)
Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art Collection (On view during Part 1)
Hiroshige Utagawa: 'Meisho Edo Hyakken - Tanbo Torinomachi Mode' (100 Famous Places in Edo - Torinomachi Rice Fields)
Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art Collection (On view during Part 2)
Yoshitoshi Tsukioka: 'Fuzoku Sanjuni-so Urusasau Kanseinenkan Shojo no Fuzoku' Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art Collection (On view during Part 2)
Ikuhide Kobayashi: 'Shinban Neko no Onsen' (Cat Hot Springs, New Edition) Private Collection, (On view during Part I)
Kunitoshi Utagawa: 'Shinban Neko Tzukushi' (Sea of Cats, New Edition) Private Collection, (On view during Part 2)
Kunitoshi Utagawa: 'Hanamaki Ningyo' (Hanamaki Doll) Private Collection, (On view during Parts I & 2)
'Dog Cat Cow Festival Vol. 2' to be held on April 12, 2012
During summer of last year, a charity event was held for disaster-stricken animals at Club Asia in Tokyo. We are excited to announce that the second 'Dog Cat Cow Festival' will be held this month at Kichimu in Kichijoji, which is run by Ikuko Harada of the band Clammbon. The main attractions at this event will be a live acoustic musical performance and a talk show. A number of charity goods will be available for purchase at the event, including 'Dog Cat Cow' tote bags, 'Dog Cat Cow' pins, and Mignon calendars.
Charity Event for Disaster-stricken Animals - Dog Cat Cow Festival Vol. 2
Date: April 12th (Thurs.)
Time: Doors open at 7:00 p.m. (show starts at 7:30 p.m.)
Place: Kichimu (in Kichijoji)
Performers:
Acoustic Live Show: Hirotaka Shimizu (The Cornelius Band), akiko, Miu Sakamoto, and more!
Talk Show: Ryoko Tomomori (Director of the 'Recontrer Mignon' animal protection group), Misako Oho (Editor of 'Cuore') and Mako Watanabe (writer)
DJ: Mitsuo Shindo (Art Director)
Admission Fee: 3,000 yen (includes 1 drink)
Tickets: Please email Kichimu directly via their homepage.
http://www.kichimu.la/file/inunekoushi.htm
＜Planning/Production: Recontrer Mignon, Miu Sakamoto＞
This 'Photo Report' covers the '2012 ilove.cat Festival'. Held at Fukumori on February 26th, the event featured "Cats, comedy, music and more."
Part 1: Cross-Talk between Creative Cat-Lovers
Illustrator Kuniko Nagasaki and manga artist Machiko Kyo discussed their love of cats. For the second half of the talk, audience members asked questions on a number of themes, including festivals and the Tokyo Marathon. This was followed by a drawing competition between the artists and members of the audience. The event was moderated ilove.cat's very own cat photographer, Shin Suzuki.
Part 2: Rakugo Performance (Traditional Japanese Comedy)
Our festival continued with rakugo artist Momoe Shunputei, who performed his original rakugo comedy sketch titled 'Violence Suko'. Set in Tokyo's Minowabashi area, the story centers around a squabble over feeding grounds between gangs of Scottish Folds and American Shorthairs. To fully understand the core of this rakugo story, you would have to be a cat lover.
Part 3: 'Cats Live' - A Musical Performance
To top off the evening, musician Miu Sakamoto performed live. Accompanied by Nobuyuki Nakajima on piano, Sakamoto performed songs such as 'Prelude', 'Odayakana Kurashi', 'Shiro-neko' ('White Cat') and 'Tora-neko' ('Tabby'), 'The Never Ending Story' and 'Silent Dancer'. In addition, she proposed a lecture on "cat-sucking" (?!).
At the festival, each member of the audience was given a special ilove.cat 'maneki-neko' figure. Designed by Kotatsu Neko, there were four different versions available.
Featuring cat illustrations by Kuniko Nagasaki, our original ilove.cat stickers were available for purchase at the event.
The event also featured the screening of a commercial for Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing Co.'s that featured the black cat known as 'Kikumasa'. Moreover, participants were able drink an original Fukumori cocktail that featured 'Nigorin' sake, which is known for its cute white cat character. The special cocktail recipe also included fruits such as oranges, bananas, apricots and apples.
Sweets maker cineca unveiled their new crunchy 'kalikali' cat cookies at the event.
Also available were a Fukumori specialty - 'Nikukyu Onigiri' ('Cat Paw Rice Balls'). Made using a base of bonito flakes mixed with rice, these balls featured paw prints cut out of nori seaweed and a choice of fillings - salmon or tuna mixed with soy sauce and mayonnaise.
ilove.cat wants to thank everyone who participated. We are now making plans to hold our next festival sometime around the end of summer. We hope you will be able to join us!
Genichiro Inokuma Exhibition: Words from within a Hand - Artworks on Paper Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art
Spanning a 70-year career, Western-style painter and known cat-lover Genichiro Inokuma (1902-1993) created an astounding number of works. Of the approximately 20,000 pieces by Inokuma that are held in the permanent collection of the Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, more than 90% were executed on paper. The museum is currently exhibiting a selection of these works in a show titled 'Words from within a Hand - Artworks on Paper'. However, due to the delicate nature of works done on paper, they cannot be exhibited for a long duration. The show features paper-based pieces by Inokuma done in a variety of sizes and styles. It includes works on fine-art paper, drawings on sketch pads and even doodled memos. Naturally, the exhibition also includes a number of works depicting expressive cats in a variety of poses. Check out Inokuma's numerous "painter's words" and begin to unravel the mystery of his works' attraction.
Genichiro Inokuma Exhibition: Words from within a Hand - Artworks on Paper
Place: Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art
Dates: February 4th through March 4, 2012 (museum open everyday during exhibition)
Hours: 10:00 a.m.～6:00 p.m. (last entry at 5:30 p.m.)
Cost of Admission: 950 yen for general admission, 650 yen for college students (includes access to the regular exhibition)
http://mimoca.org/
Based on the theme of 'Cats and Creative People', web-magazine ilove.cat is excited to announce our first ever festival. Titled 'ilove.cat festival 2012 - Featuring Cats, Comedy, Music and More!', this event will be held on Sunday, February 26th, 2012. It will offer visitors a great opportunity to meet and chat with other cat-lovers.
Part 1 - Cross-Talk between Creative Cat-Lovers
Guests: Kuniko Nagasaki (illustrator) and Machiko Kyo (manga artist)
Part 2 - Rakugo Performance (Traditional Japanese Comedy)
Rakugo Artist Momoe Shunputei will perform his original rakugo story titled 'Violence Suko'
Part 3 - 'Cats Live' - Musical Performance
Live Performance by Musician Miyu Sakamoto
(feat. Nobuyuki Nakajima on piano)
Meet the Cats of Festival Performers
Illustrator Kuniko Nagasaki: Soyo & Gonta https://ilovedotcat.com/ja/2181
Manga artist Machiko Kyo: Mum https://ilovedotcat.com/ja/1
Rakugo Performer Shunputei Momoe: Kai & Momo https://ilovedotcat.com/ja/3434
Musician Miu Sakamoto: Sabami https://ilovedotcat.com/ja/1332
Festival Information
'ilove.cat festival 2012 - Featuring Cats, Comedy, Music and More!'
'ilove.cat festival 2012 - Featuring Cats, Comedy, Music and More!'
When: February 26, 2012 (Sunday)
doors open at 2:00 p.m. (event starts at 2:30)
Where: Fukumori (Bakurocho Station / Chiyoda-ku, Higashi-Kanda 1-2-10 1F) http://fuku-mori.jp/
Admission: 3900 yen (includes 1 drink)
Capacity: 70 persons (reserved seats, first-come first served basis)
＊ Participants will each receive a specially made 'ilove.lucky cat' maneki neko keyholder.
＊ At the event, participants can purchase our specially produced and newly launched ilove.cat 'Cat Stickers'.
■ For more details, please visit the Fukumori website → http://fuku-mori.jp/event/1984.html
※ UPDATE: Because this event has already reached capacity, we are no longer selling tickets. Thank you for understanding.
＊来場者には、特製招き猫キーホルダー「ilove.lucky cat」をプレゼント。
＊ilove.cat 特製「猫ステッカー」を会場にて先行販売します。
■詳細はフクモリのサイト→ http://fuku-mori.jp/event/1984.html
※定員に達しましたので受付を終了致しました。ありがとうございました。
From Top: 'Akanbe Nontan' ('Nontan Pulling Down Eye'), 'Akanbe Kitsune' ('Fox Pulling Down Eye'), 'Nontan', rough sketch, 'Nontan Tatan Zukan' ('Nontan Tatan Picture Dictionary of Play') Sachiko Kiyono / Kaiseisha, Limited Exhibition-only Nontan coffee mug / 'Hamigaku Ha-mi- ⓒ KIYONO／K
'Minna Daisuki! Nontan-ten' ('Everybody Loves You! - Nontan Exhibition')
This exhibition features the young tomcat, Nontan, a character created by picture book author Sachiko Kiyono. It all began when Kiyono-san created a character based on a white fox pup. Among the feedback she received was the advice to make an animal character that was a little more 'child-friendly'. After following this advice, the white cat now known as 'Nontan' was born.
Though Nontan is mischievous and naughty, he's got a lot of friends.
It's no wonder that such a fun and energetic character like Nontan became popular with kids. However, when Nontan was first published, the book received much criticism. Within children's literature, Nontan was a rarity in that the books were neither didactic nor moral. In fact, the main character was criticized as being "selfish and unapologetic" and accused of "cultivating childish naughtiness". Kiyono-san responded to these critical voices by saying, "Picture books almost always place a priority on well-mannered characters and beautifully-rendered artistic illustrations. But I didn't pay any mind to that. I just wanted to channel my passion into making a picture book that was fun."
Originally published in 1976, last year marked the 35th anniversary of the book titled 'Nontan Buranko Nosete' (Nontan on the Swings' published by Kaiseisha). Before passing away in 2008, author Sachiko Kiyono was quoted as saying, "Even after I die, I hope children will continue to love Nontan." As she had hoped, peoples' love for Nontan has truly transcended generations.
On January 18th, the Matsuya Department Store in Ginza opened the exhbition titled 'Minna Daisuki! Nontan-ten' ('Everybody Loves You! - Nontan Exhibition'). Among the 150 works on display are original sketches such as 'Akanbe Kitsune' ('Fox Pulling Down Eye'), which paved the way for Nontan's debut. Moreover, a number of original items are being sold at the exhibition, including Nontan coffee mugs (1,365 yen/tax incl.), iPhone cases and T-shirts. Don't miss the bright and cheerful world of Nontan!
35th Anniversary Exhibition - The Picture Book World of Sachiko Kiyono - Featuring original drawings.
'Minna Daisuki! Nontan-ten' ('Everybody Loves You! - Nontan Exhibition')
Exhibition Duration：January 18-23, 2012
Hours： 10:00 a.m. ～ 8:00 p.m.
Place： Event Space at Matsuya Department Store in Ginza
Admission： Adults 1,000 yen, High School Students 700 yen, Junior High and Younger free
Inquiries： Matsuya Ginza 03-3567-1211
http://www.kaiseisha.co.jp/special/nontan35th/
