An exhibition of Irish 20th century art from the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery will go to Japan next month to be shown at three venues. This will be the first time that Irish art has been in Japan, apart from some one man exhibitions, writes Brian Fallon.
It will open at the Hokkaido Museum in Sapporo on May 24th. It will also be seen in the Mitaka Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo (July 12th August 17th) and the Yamanashi Prefecture Museum (October 4th-November 9th). The tour has been organised by the Hugh Lane Gallery in association with the Japan Association of Art Museums and is sponsored by Yomuiri Shimbun, the country's largest newspaper group.
The exhibition includes works by Walter Osborne, John Lavery, William Orpen, Roderic O'Conor, Sarah Purser, Sarah Harrison, Jack Yeats, Sean Keating, Maurice MacGonigal, Mainie Jellett, Mary Swnnzy and Norah McGuinness. Contemporary art is represented by Patrick Scott, Basil Blackshaw, Sean Scully, Patrick Graham, Alice Maher, Fionnuala Ni Chiosain and Brian Maguire.
Hugh Lane Gallery director Ms Barbara Dawson said. "It is indicative of the growing appreciation of Irish art internationally that the Japanese were confident that such an exhibition would have wide appeal in Japan."