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[2017] Tokyo’s Best Exhibitions and Art Events in September

[2017] Tokyo’s Best Exhibitions and Art Events in September

Last updated: 19 March 2018

In September, Tokyo's hot summer isn’t quite over just yet – and how better to escape the heat than by visiting a museum or an art festival? Tokyo's September offers a great selection of things to see, from a large-scale festival to a colorful exhibitions of original manga works of the magazine Shonen Jump.

SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now

SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now

2017 marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now is a large exhibition focusing on artists and works from Southeast Asia that commemorates this anniversary, held at the National Art Center, Tokyo, and the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi.
Look forward to discovering around 190 works by 86 artists from Southeast Asia, marking the largest exhibition every centered on Southeast Asia's contemporary art.
In the last decades, Southeast Asia has undergone rapid economic and urban development, and thus, fairly drastic changes - with the history of this development being a complex one. At the SUNSHOWER exhibition, contemporary art starting from the 80s is divided into nine unique sections, including colonial rule, civil war, the establishment of new states, and the trends and changes of time. Housed in two different venues, SUNSHOWER could easily be called an art festival all about South Asia - for all you contemporary art fans out there, this is a must-see!

Date: July 5 (Wed) to October 23 (Mon) 2017

National Art Center, Tokyo

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (open until 9:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays)
※open until 10:00 p.m. on September 30 (Sat) and October 1 (Sun)
Closed: Tuesdays

Mori Art Museum
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (open until 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays)
※open until 6:00 a.m. on September 30 (Sat)
Closed: always open

Admission: Combo Ticket - 1,800 yen regular, 800 yen for college students
Single Ticket - 1,000 yen regular, 500 yen for college students
※free admission for high school students and younger (please show proof).

  • Mori Art Museum
    • Address 6-10-1, Roppongi Roppongi Hills forest tower 53F, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-6153
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    • Nearest Station Roppongi Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line / Toei Oedo Line)
    • Phone Number 03-5777-8600

The Arcimboldo Exhibition

The Arcimboldo Exhibition

For those who do not know who Giuseppe Arcimboldo is: have you ever seen a painting of vegetables, fruits, and plants forming the portrait of a person? That is Arcimboldo. The famous Italian painter was born in Milan and active in the latter half of the 16th century, mainly in Vienna and at the court of the Habsburg family in Prague.
His art is a humorous one, combining simple motifs such as vegetables, plants, fish, books, and all kinds of other items into intricate and detailed portraits. Thus, Arcimboldo served as one main inspiration for the surrealist masters of the 20th century.
In the Arcimboldo Exhibition, around 100 of his works are on display, with 30 oil paintings from museums all over the world making up the center pieces. Step into the world of this fantastically creative court painter of the Middle Ages!

Date: June 20 (Tue) to September 24 (Sun)
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (until 9:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays
※Last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
Closed: Mondays (open on August 14, September 18)
Admission: 1,600 yen (regular), 1,200 yen (college students), 800 yen (high school students; free for junior high students and younger

  • The National Museum of Western Art
    • Address Ueno Park 7-7, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0007
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    • Nearest Station Ueno Station (Hokkaido Shinkansen Line / Tohoku Shinkansen Line / Akita Shinkansen Line / Yamagata Shinkansen Line / Joetsu Shinkansen Line / Hokuriku Shinkansen Line / JR Keihin-Tohoku Line / JR Yamanote Line / JR Tohoku Main Line / JR Utsunomiya Line / JR Takasaki Line / JR Joban Line / JR Ueno Tokyo Line / Tokyo Metro Ginza Line / Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line)
      1 minute on foot
    • Phone Number 03-5777-8600

Fantastic Art in Belgium: A Bizarre Journey Through 500 Years of Belgian Art

ヒエロニムス・ボス工房 《トゥヌグダルスの幻視》 1490-1500年頃 油彩・板 ラサロ・ガルディアーノ財団 © Fundación Lázaro Galdiano
ヒエロニムス・ボス工房 《トゥヌグダルスの幻視》 1490-1500年頃 油彩・板 ラサロ・ガルディアーノ財団 © Fundación Lázaro Galdiano

The late Middle Ages marked a fantastic period for art in Belgium and its surroundings - it was a peak time for fantastical and surrealist art. The exhibition called Fantastic Art in Belgium is all about those mysterious fantasies, showcasing the works of around 30 artists. Among them are masters such as Pieter Bruegel, representing Flemish art between the 15th and 17th century, as well as René Magritte and Paul Delvaux, both active in the 20th century. About 120 works in total invite you to a mysterious journey through 500 years of Belgium's fantastical art.

Date: July 15 (Sat) to September 24 (Sun) 2017
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (last entry at 5:30 p.m.)
※Open until 9:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (last entry at 8:30 p.m.)
Closed: August 22 (Tue)
Admission: 1,500 yen (regular), 1,500 yen (high school students), 700 yen (elementary and junior high students)

  • Bunkamura
    • Address 2-24-1, Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-8507
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    • Nearest Station Shibuya Station (JR Shonan Shinjuku Line / JR Yamanote Line / JR Saikyo Line / Tokyo Metro Ginza Line / Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line / Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line / Tokyu Toyoko Line / Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line / Keio Inokashira Line)
      5 minutes on foot
    • Phone Number 03-3477-9111

Ikeda Manabu: The Pen - Condensed Universe

Ikeda Manabu: The Pen - Condensed Universe

Manabu Ikeda is a Japanese artist famous for creating magnificent works with a pen that has a tip of less than 1mm in diameter. Ikeda Manabu: The Pen - Condensed Universe is an exhibition that seeks to capture the artist's breathtaking creations, finally coming to Tokyo after having charmed visitors in Saga and Kanazawa.
It is hard to describe Manabu Ikeda's works - for some, the artist cannot finish more than a 10cm big square per day because there are so many details to draw. One of the highlights of this exhibition is Ikeda's newest piece, "Birth," which took a total of three years to be completed.

Date: September 27 (Wed) - October 9 (Mon, national holiday), 2017
Hours: 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (last entry at 7:00 p.m.)
※Open until 6:00 p.m. on the last day of the exhibition (last entry at 5:30 p.m.)
Closed: always open
Admission: 800 yen (regular), 600 yen (college and high school students), free for junior high students and younger.

  • Takashimaya Nihonbashi
    高島屋日本橋
    • Address 2-4-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo-to 103-8265

Japanese Expanded Cinema Revisited

シュウゾウ・アヅチ・ガリバー 《シネマティック・イリュミネーション》 1968-69 年 インターメディア 東京都写真美術館蔵
シュウゾウ・アヅチ・ガリバー 《シネマティック・イリュミネーション》 1968-69 年 インターメディア 東京都写真美術館蔵

Expanded cinema is an intriguing cinematic art form revolving around videos, multi-media performances, or immersive environment that drift away from what we generally understand as "cinema," "screen," and "audience." This exhibition is all about the genre of expanded cinema in Japan, shaped and interpreted by Japanese artists by contemporary techniques. Look forward to a fantastic experience of loop screening, multi-projection, and even live performances!

Date: August 15 (Tue) - October 15 (Sun) 2017
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)
Admission: 600 yen (regular), 500 yen (college students), 400 yen (seniors and junior high students and younger)

Weekly Shonen Jump Exhibition VOL.1: From the Frist Issue to the 1980s - the Beginning of the Legend

Weekly Shonen Jump Exhibition VOL.1: From the Frist Issue to the 1980s - the Beginning of the Legend

Every fan of Japanese pop culture is well familiar with Shonen Jump, a weekly manga magazine that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2018. For this occasion, the magazine will hold three exhibitions, featuring over 60 original drawings and artworks of their popular series, such as Dragon Ball and Fist of the North Star.
Additionally, you can look forward to various events, such as a video theater limited to the exhibition venue - this is undoubtedly a must for every manga and anime fan. Discovering the history of Shonen Jump means discovering the history of the global success of manga itself!

Date: July 18 (Tue) - October 15 (Sun)
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on weekdays (last entry at 7:30 p.m.),
9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays, as well as between August 14 - 18 (last entry at 8:30 p.m.)
Admission: 2,000 yen (regular & college students)

  • Mori Arts Center Gallery
    森アーツセンターギャラリー
    • Address Mori Arts Center Gallery, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 52F, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo-to 106-6150
*This information is from the time of this article's publication.
*Prices and options mentioned are subject to change.
*Unless stated otherwise, all prices include tax.

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