Outline

Joseph Cornell (1903-1972) is an artist known for his “boxes” consisting of things that caught his eye in old used book stores and dime stores in New York, which he arranged in handmade boxes. When these objects like pages torn out of books, printed reproductions of paintings, cordial glass and cork balls, were composed in the boxes, poetically resonant associations developed between them and created Cornell worlds of codified symbols.

Shewing by Inspection, the Time of Sun Rising and Sun Setting, the Length of Days and Nights (An Analemma), 1948-50
Museum of Modern Art, Shiga

Untitled (Hotel du Nord), 1950
The National Museum of Art, Osaka

Cornell loved movies and made film works of his own. These include collage films that he created by piecing together footage fragments of commercial and documentary films from his collection and films he directed in collaboration with filmmakers shot mainly on the streets of New York. For this, he has been recognized as a pioneer of experimental film in post-World War II America.

 

He also created a variety of collage works characterized by a unique Cornell appeal. The 2-dimensional collage method is connected to the 3-dimensional assemblage boxes, while developing temporally in the form of film montage (editing) in his film works. In this sense, collage can be seen as a core element in Cornell’s art.

Rose Hobart (film work), ca. 1936
Kyoto Seika University
Courtesy The Museum of Modern Art, New York
©️ 1995 The Museum of Modern Art

In this exhibition, Cornell works from our museum’s collection are supplemented by some 50 box and collage works from other art museums and private collections mostly in Japan. There will also be showings of Cornell’s film works that have rarely been seen before, displays of printed items that Cornell designed such as magazines, and other materials including his diaries and compositional notes and letters exchanged with friends. In this way, the exhibition seeks to present a picture of the spirit that ran through all of his widely varied oeuvre as well as glimpses of the artist’s daily life and persona behind his art.

*Some works will be rotated in and out during the exhibition.
  First Half: March 23 － May 6
  Second Half: May 8 － June 16

Untitled, 1933
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka

Astrological Girl (Cassiopeia), 1961-63
Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art

Collage of Tamara Toumanova dancing by Joseph Cornell, 1940-70
Joseph Cornell papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

Study for: Penny Arcade Portrait with Lauren Bacall, 1945-1946
Joseph Cornell papers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

Programs

Film screenings

Digital reproductions of films created by Cornell will be shown every day of the exhibition duration. Screening of his films [by film projector] in their original 16mm film format will be limited to the three days listed here.

Saturday, April 20
Saturday, May 18
Saturday, June 8
All from 13:30
- No reservations required
- Shown in the galleries
- Free with Museum admission

Lecture

Shigeru Yokota (Shigeru Yokota Gallery)
"Reception of  Cornell’s work in Japan"
Saturday, May 11, 13:30－15:00 at lecture room
- Reservations required. See Japanese page for details.

Gallery Talks by the Curator

Saturday, April 13, 14:00－15:00
Saturday, May 25, 14:00－15:00
- No reservations required
- Gather at the Entrance Hall 14:00
- Free with Museum admission

Guided Tours

Daily (except on days of lecture and curator gallery talks), 14:00－15:00
- No reservations required
- Gather at the Entrance Hall 14:00
- Free with Museum admission

Museum Concert

"Classic music Cornell loved"
Masaru Okada (piano)
Saturday, May 25, 18:00 Start
- Reservations required. See Japanese page for details.