Freaky paintings
May 10, 2008
As suggested by Thomas, the Kyosai exhibit at the Kyoto National Museum was fantastic.
The most fantastic mural ever
After having visited so many museums and exhibits in Japan, I am rather tired of your run of the mill nature paintings and bamboo prints. This exhibit was very refreshing. Kyosai spent a big part of his life drawing things like demons, ghosts, tengu, and satirical drawings. Sadly he was punished by the government for this.
Let me be even lazier than Thomas and paraphrase his paraphrasing:
The paintings were in a kind of ukiyo-e style but with lots of little ghosts, demons, blood and other funny stuff including a great painting that went by the name of “Fart Battle”. Let me be lazy and just plagiarise from the museums website… “The Japanese catch phrase for the exhibition might be translated, “His works are so bizarre, they’ll make you want to cry.” Be shocked and surprised to discover both the bizarre and the beautiful in this artist’s stunning repertoire.” – Thomas
A must-see!
