Lisa Larson Exhibition at Kagoshima City Museum of Art, featuring a variety of round lions and cats
On display: Lion Maxi from the Africa Series
An exhibition of works by Lisa Larson, a leading Swedish ceramicist, is currently underway at the Kagoshima City Museum of Art.
Born in 1931, Lisa Larson is 92 years old. She is also known for her characters, such as “Mikey,” a cat with red stripes, and “Punky,” a hedgehog. It is the fourth traveling exhibition to be held in Japan, and Kagoshima serves as the opening venue for the first time.
The exhibition, subtitled “Seen and Unseen: The Unknown Creative World with Classic Masterpieces,” features 252 works, including Larson’s zoo series and girl-themed works, along with one-of-a-kind pieces that have never been introduced in Japan, such as board games and candleholders. In addition, works from her student days, from her time at the Gustavsberg porcelain, and items made of different materials, such as glass and bronze, are on display.
The exhibition also includes a “Dialogue between Artists” section, displaying works by her husband, Gunnel Larson, a modernist painter, who has influenced their lives. A ceramic tiger modeled after Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg is “one of the highlights of the exhibition.”
The museum store stocks a variety of related merchandise, including tenugui hand towels, stationery, mugs, and ceramics featuring animal characters from Larson’s picture book, “Unseen Animals,” which are available only at the museum.
A representative said, “Staff members from Kagoshima and Sweden gathered to create this exhibition together. We hope you will take the time to enjoy her lifestyle and work.”
Opening hours: 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (admission by 5:30 p.m.). Closed on Mondays (open on May 1). Admission is 1,200 yen for junior high school students and older and free for elementary school students and younger. The exhibition will run until May 7.