“North Wind”: Munakata Shikō and Yoshitomo Nara Meet at Fukumitsu Art Museum

From September 12 to October 25, 2026, the Fukumitsu Art Museum in Nanto, Toyama Prefecture, will host “North Wind: Munakata Shikō and Yoshitomo Nara”. This unprecedented exhibition brings together two prominent figures of Japanese art, both born in Aomori Prefecture, at the northern tip of Honshū. Munakata Shikō (1903–1975), a master of woodblock printing, and Yoshitomo Nara (b. 1959), an internationally acclaimed contemporary artist, share a common grounding in the landscapes and culture of northern Japan, which deeply permeates their works.

The show features more than fifty works by Nara and over thirty by Munakata, including monumental pieces. Despite their different generations and mediums, both artists explore universal themes: human emotions, spirituality, and the transcendence of the self. The curatorial layout is divided into five sections—“Home and Hometown”, “Girls and Goddesses”, “Animals and Spirits”, “Rhythm and Melody”, and “North Wind”—to highlight the echoes between their respective universes.

On the second floor, a special viewing room will screen archival footage of Munakata at work and an interview with Nara conducted especially for the exhibition, offering visitors a deeper insight into their creative worlds. A gallery talk is also scheduled for October 18, led by Shigemi Takahashi, curator at the Aomori Museum of Art, and Yoriko Ishii, a Munakata researcher. Admission is 1,200 yen for adults, with discounts for students.

The exhibition underscores the vitality of exchanges among regional Japanese institutions and the enduring legacy of Munakata, whose influence extends far beyond Japan. It also sheds fresh light on Nara's oeuvre—often associated with childhood and rebellion—by revealing its roots in the northern clime. It is an opportunity to rediscover how a territory can shape sensibilities that are as different as they are complementary.

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Written by the ADM desk based on 美術手帖. Read the original article for the full story.