Exhibitions
Marl the Ghost and Our Treasure
「おばけのマールとたからもの」展チラシ
Sapporo-born painter Migishi Kotaro (1903-1934) left an indelible mark in Japan’s modern art history with a series of Western-style paintings in the 1920s and 1930s.
In 1967, 220 valuable works, along with related materials, were donated to Hokkaido Prefecture by his wife, Migishi Setsuko, and three other members of his family. To exhibit them, the Migishi Kotaro Memorial Room of the Hokkaido Prefectural Museum of Art was opened in what used to be the Hokkaido Prefectural Library in the Kita-1 Nishi-5 area of Sapporo.
With the opening of the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art in 1977, the museum was reopened as Migishi Kotaro Museum of Art, Hokkaido. The current building, modeled on Kotaro’s studio was opened in 1983.
In the decades that the museum has been open, we have worked to honor Migishi Kotaro’s career by holding exhibitions, collecting and storing his works and other materials, and carrying out research and educational activities.
A move that has been instrumental in introducing the museum to kids was the publishing of the picture book Marl the Ghost at the Small Museum (illustrated by Rei Nakai, written by Kehtaro) in 2008.
This year marks 120 years since Migishi Kotaro’s birth, 40 years since our current building was opened and 15 years since Marl the Ghost at the Small Museum was published. We’re holding a special exhibition to celebrate these anniversaries, along with the publication of a mini picture book called Marl the Ghost’s Epic Journey with Friends.
In the new mini picture book, Marl goes on an epic journey with a woman who has the shadow of a butterfly.
A cast of characters—a young girl, a marionette, a clown and more—join them along the way, bringing treasures that they put in a small, empty art museum. These treasures are real works by Migishi Kotaro.
The Migishi family’s donation was the start of an incredible story. See the illustrations from the picture book, enjoy some of Migishi Kotaro’s best-known works and explore Marl the Ghost’s world and this museum’s history.
We would like to finish by expressing our sincere gratitude to Nakai Rei and Kehtaro, the illustrator and author of the picture books, and everyone else who helped to make this exhibition happen.
In 1967, 220 valuable works, along with related materials, were donated to Hokkaido Prefecture by his wife, Migishi Setsuko, and three other members of his family. To exhibit them, the Migishi Kotaro Memorial Room of the Hokkaido Prefectural Museum of Art was opened in what used to be the Hokkaido Prefectural Library in the Kita-1 Nishi-5 area of Sapporo.
With the opening of the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art in 1977, the museum was reopened as Migishi Kotaro Museum of Art, Hokkaido. The current building, modeled on Kotaro’s studio was opened in 1983.
In the decades that the museum has been open, we have worked to honor Migishi Kotaro’s career by holding exhibitions, collecting and storing his works and other materials, and carrying out research and educational activities.
A move that has been instrumental in introducing the museum to kids was the publishing of the picture book Marl the Ghost at the Small Museum (illustrated by Rei Nakai, written by Kehtaro) in 2008.
This year marks 120 years since Migishi Kotaro’s birth, 40 years since our current building was opened and 15 years since Marl the Ghost at the Small Museum was published. We’re holding a special exhibition to celebrate these anniversaries, along with the publication of a mini picture book called Marl the Ghost’s Epic Journey with Friends.
In the new mini picture book, Marl goes on an epic journey with a woman who has the shadow of a butterfly.
A cast of characters—a young girl, a marionette, a clown and more—join them along the way, bringing treasures that they put in a small, empty art museum. These treasures are real works by Migishi Kotaro.
The Migishi family’s donation was the start of an incredible story. See the illustrations from the picture book, enjoy some of Migishi Kotaro’s best-known works and explore Marl the Ghost’s world and this museum’s history.
We would like to finish by expressing our sincere gratitude to Nakai Rei and Kehtaro, the illustrator and author of the picture books, and everyone else who helped to make this exhibition happen.
Period 2023.07.15 Sat. - 2023.09.26 Tue.
Admission
Adults: ¥510 (¥420)* / University and high school students: ¥250 (¥170)*
* Admission is free for students up to and including those in junior high school and for seniors 65 and over.
* Admission is free for high school students on Saturdays.
Exhibition preview
Preview some of the works that will be on display at the exhibition.
Click for details.
