Kamisaka Sekka: Inheriting the Timeless Rimpa Spirit

神坂雪佳

To those who wish to visit the Kamisaka Sekka exhibition

Timed-entry reservations are required for visits on weekends and holidays.

General Information

Dates
October 29 Saturday - December 18 Sunday, 2022
Part 1: October 29 – November 29
Part 2: December 1 - December 18
Hours
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Open until 8 p.m. on Fridays of November 4 and December 2)
Admittance until 30 minutes before closing time.
Closed
Wednesdays (Except for November 23)
Admission
Adults: ¥1000
Visitors aged 65 or over with valid documentation: ¥900
Students (College): ¥700
Students (Senior / Junior High school): ¥500
Admission is free for children in primary school and younger.
Admission is free for disability passbook holders and up to one accompanying adult.
Organizers
Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art, The Tokyo Shimbun
Supporter
Minato City Board of Education
Directed
Hosomi Museum
Coordinated
Artone Co., Ltd.

Exhibition overview

Kamisaka Sekka (1866-1942) is a designer and an artist whose artistic activities mostly took place in Kyoto from the Meiji till the Shōwa periods. At the beginning of the 20th century, Sekka through the observation of the cutting-edge Western arts and crafts rediscovered the splendor of the Japanese traditional decorative arts and invested a great effort into the research of Rimpa.

One of the main features of Sekka’s creative activities is developing designs that not only decorate everyday life but also contribute to the total coordination of the space. He left numerous works branching out into very diverse areas, from design sketches and handicraft drafts to furniture decorations and paintings. Sekka, while creating the style that came to be known as “The Return of Kōrin”, also worked hard to promote Kyoto’s world of design and crafts.

Starting with the exhibits from the Kyoto Hosomi Collection known for its fascinating Rimpa collection and early notice and recognition of Sekka, the present exhibition introduces a total of about 80 artworks (artworks will be rotated) including collections which have a deep personal connection with the artist. We hope you will enjoy the diverse world of Kamisaka Sekka - the artist of Modern Rimpa - who freely moved between the fields of art and design, blended classical and modern, while following the masterpieces of Rimpa beauty trends by Hon’ami Kōetsu and Ogata Kōrin, which Sekka took as his model.

Exhibition highlights

Ⅰ Inspiring RIMPA

Sekka, who became to be called “Modern Rimpa”, was also a collector of RIMPA artworks himself. We will pursue the spirit of RIMPA through the works of such artists like Hon’ami Kōetsu, Tawaraya Sōtatsu, Ogata Kōrin and Sakai Hōitsu, from the Kyoto Hosomi Collection and Sekka’s former personal possessions.

Tawaraya Sōtatsu
Two Puppies
17th century
Hosomi Museum

Ⅱ Collections of Beautiful Patterns: Albums by Designer Sekka

Sekka as a designer played an important role in Kyoto’s world of crafts, therefore, the display focuses on his representative works such as Momoyogusa: Flowers of Hundred Worlds and Chigusa: A Thousand Grasses.

Kamisaka Sekka
Flowers of Hundred Worlds: Momoyogusa (“Puppies”)
Published in 1909-10
Hosomi Museum
Kamisaka Sekka
Original Drawing from Flowers of Hundred Worlds: Momoyogusa “Yutsuhashi”
c.1909
Unsōdō

Ⅲ Coloring Life: The Expansion of Sekka’s Design

In the field of household items used for decorating living spaces, Sekka created truly diverse and varied designs with his activities ranging from dyeing and weaving, making lacquerware and porcelain to interior decorations and landscape gardening. This section is focused on Sekka’s collaborative works such as furnishings decorated with his paintings, as well as lacquer and ceramic works.

Designed by Kamisaka Sekka, lacquerd by Kamisaka Yūkichi
Cigarette Box with Design of Farmer at Home
20th century
Hosomi Museum
[On display: December 1 - December 18]

Ⅳ Painting RIMPA: Sekka’s Pictures

On display here are the paintings representing Sekka’s placid and refined style, characterized by a unique sense of composition with themes such as seasonal flowers and plants, classical literature, and animals.

Kamisaka Sekka
Goldfish in a Bowl (detail)
20th century
Hosomi Museum