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May 2, 2018
An Exhibition Revealing the 'Open' Nature of Artist Odilon Redon | ART
ART | Exhibition of 101 Odilon Redon Works in Japan
An Exhibition Revealing the 'Inner World' of the Solitary Visionary Artist
Deconstructing the Myth of the Artist
An exhibition of works by Odilon Redon (1840-1916), an artist renowned for his fantastical paintings filled with mystical visions, titled 'Redon: The Open Dream - From the Fin de Siècle to the Present,' will be held at the Pola Museum of Art in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, from Sunday, July 22, 2018, to Sunday, December 2, 2018.
Text by OZAKI Sayaka
Examining the Contemporary Significance of Redon's Art Beyond the 19th Century
Born around the same generation as the Impressionists in late 19th and early 20th century France, Odilon Redon was an artist who left behind paintings depicting scenes of unsettling monsters and fantastical worlds filled with mystical visions. Due to his enigmatic style, he has long been considered a solitary artist who grappled with his 'inner world' while creating his works.
The exhibition 'Redon: The Open Dream - From the Fin de Siècle to the Present' seeks to dismantle the myth of Redon as a 'solitary visionary artist living in a dream world,' based on recent scholarship, and to re-examine the artist's pursuit of his craft amidst a period of intersecting values. Through a wide range of exhibited works, the exhibition will illuminate how Redon drew immense inspiration from popular culture, including scientific illustrations and caricatures published in magazines, as well as masterpieces from art history and contemporary artworks.
Featuring 101 works by Redon from Japan, including 88 pieces from the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art, which boasts a world-class Redon collection, the exhibition analyzes his works from the perspective of techniques and materials. This investigation explores the possibility that Redon incorporated scientific color theory into his practice, much like the Impressionists. Furthermore, by examining themes such as 'water,' 'wings,' and 'flowers,' the exhibition delves into the sources of his imagery and his creative process, scrutinizing how Redon's fantastical images, once thought to be cultivated in a closed-off psyche, were actually generated.
Moreover, the exhibition compares Redon's art with that of contemporary artists who pursue worlds of fantasy and mystery, thereby examining the contemporary relevance of Redon's oeuvre that extends beyond the 19th century. Works by contemporary artists such as Hitoshi Karasawa, Leiko Ikemura, and Tomoko Konoike, who share Redon's fascination with fantastical themes, will also be introduced.
Dante and Beatrice, c. 1914, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the Uemura Art Museum
Mystical Dialogue, c. 1896, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art
Japonais Vase, 1908, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the Pola Museum of Art
'Redon: The Open Dream - From the Fin de Siècle to the Present'
Exhibition Dates | Sunday, July 22, 2018 – Sunday, December 2, 2018 (Exhibits will be changed during the exhibition period)
First Period Exhibition: Sunday, July 22 – Wednesday, September 26
Second Period Exhibition: Friday, September 28 – Sunday, December 2
Venue | Pola Museum of Art
Address | 1285 Kotsukayama, Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
Opening Hours | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Last admission 4:30 PM)
Closed | Thursday, September 27 (Closed for exhibition change; permanent collection viewing available)
Organized by | Pola Art Foundation, Pola Museum of Art
In cooperation with | Gifu Prefectural Museum of Art