Special Pokemon art show draws enthusiastic fans
JAPAN NEWS
At top, an intricate woodwork piece featuring Ho-Oh is part of the “Pokemon × Kogei” exhibit.
JAPAN NEWS
A Charizard Shigaraki jar, foreground, is among 80 art pieces on exhibit at the Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama, Shiga prefecture.
MORIYAMA, Japan >> Many fans have been flocking to see a special exhibition featuring Pokemon at the Sagawa Art Museum in Moriyama, Shiga prefecture.
About 80 works were created by 20 artists and artisans, from emerging artists to national living treasures, for the show titled “Pokemon × Kogei: Playful Encounters of Pokemon and Japanese Craft.” The works include pieces crafted from wood, metal and fabric.
“Pokemon × Kogei” opened at the National Crafts Museum in Kanazawa in March 2023 and ran through June, attracting about 95,000 visitors. The show then traveled to Los Angeles in July and ran through January. In March, Shiga prefecture kicked off a tour of the exhibit that will continue through the year. It shows in Shiga through June 9.
One artwork on display is a Charizard ceramic jar created by Shiga artist Keiko Masumoto. Other pieces include a wood sculpture that elegantly depicts Ho-Oh, a Pokemon whose feathers glow in seven colors; a metal sculpture; and a yuzen kimono featuring various Pokemon characters.
“All the works were really powerful and fun to see,” said an 8-year-old fan from Maniwa, Okayama prefecture.
“I hope many people will appreciate the precision and beauty of Japanese craftsmanship, which has been cultivated over many years, through Pokemon, as it is something people of all ages are familiar with,” said Yasunori Fujii, a Sagawa Art Museum curator.
