The Denison Museum will open the 2007-08 academic year with an exhibition of prints by a Japanese woodblock artist. The exhibition, Chikanobu: Modernity and Nostalgia in Japanese Prints, opens to the public with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 7) at the Denison Museum in Burke Hall. The show, which will continue until Sunday, Oct. 28, is composed of nearly 60 prints produced by the Meiji period (1868-1912) artist Yoshu Chikanobu. The Denison Museum is free and open to the public daily from 1 to 4 p.m.

Western Clothing (1889)

This exhibition explores the 30-year career of the popular woodblock designer. Born into a samurai family in 1838, Chikanobu was trained in military techniques as well as the arts. He was actively involved in the military events at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. Wounded and captured by the new imperial government forces, Chikanobu was released when they discovered that he was an artist. After settling in Tokyo, he dedicated himself to becoming an established artist. His enormous output of prints documents the tensions occurring in Japanese society, where ancient traditions and Western modernization were battling for the heart of Japan.

Chikanobu's collected works include illustrations for newspapers, educational books, and advertisements for theatrical productions. His work educates audiences through social history where the subject matter showcases current events of the era, public figures, and private moments of the Meiji period.

Plunging into the modern age with drama and bloodshed, artists such as Chikanobu were inspired by Japan's complicated entry into the modern age. The constant struggle to maintain a balance between traditional Japan and modernization is a theme that is evident in Chikanobu's work. While his earlier work celebrates the modernization of Japan, it is apparent that in the end, his collection begins to focus on nostalgic reflections of a former way of life.

The Denison Museum has a number of scheduled events to accompany the exhibition. These include: a lecture on Meiji fashion at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20th; a Japanese music concert at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16th; and a screening of anime classics at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25th. All events are held in the Denison Museum at Burke Hall.

The Blakemore Foundation, the Japan Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the Metropolitan Center for Far Eastern Art Studies are funding the exhibition and the accompanying catalogue. For further information, link to the Denison University Museum website at www.denison.edu/campuslife/museum/

-DU-

Calendar Listing:

Calendar Listing: Denison University, Granville -- An opening reception for an exhibition of woodblock prints by Yoshu Chikanobu, a Japanese artist of the Meiji period; 6 to 8 p.m., Friday (Sept. 7), Denison Museum in Burke Hall (240 W. Broadway). Free and open to the public. Contact (740) 587-5713 to confirm information.

Calendar Listing: Denison University, Granville -- An exhibit of woodblock prints by Yoshu Chikanobu, a Japanese artist of the Meiji period, at the Denison Museum in Burke Hall (240 W. Broadway); open daily from 1 to 4 p.m., Sept. 8 until Oct. 28. Free and open to the public.

Calendar Listing: Denison University, Granville -- "The Empress' New Clothes: Fashion in Meiji Period Japan" lecture by Assistant Professor of Art Lisa Morrisette; 5:15 p.m., Thursday (Sept. 20) Denison Museum, Burke Hall (240 W. Broadway). Free and open to the public. Contact (740) 587-5713 to confirm information.

Calendar Listing: Denison University, Granville -- Japanese Music Concert by Michael Gould, Chieko Iwazaki and Kuniyasu Iwazaki; 7 p.m., Tuesday (Oct. 16), Denison Museum, Burke Hall (240 W. Broadway). Free and open to the public. Contact (740) 587-5713 to confirm information.

Calendar Listing: Denison University, Granville -- "Anime Evening," a screening of anime classics; 7 p.m., Thursday (Oct. 25), Denison Museum, Burke Hall (240 W. Broadway). Free and open to the public. Contact (740) 587-5713 to confirm information.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575