Joseph Cornell
Collage & Montage

March 23 - June 16, 2019

Hours:
9:30-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed:
Mondays (except Apr. 29, May 6), Apr. 30, May 7
Organizer:
DIC Corporation
In Collaboration with:
Shigeru Yokota Gallery
Patrons:
Chiba Prefecture, Chiba Prefectural Board of Education, Sakura City, Sakura City Board of Education

Museum Admission

  • Adults ¥1,300
  • College / 65 and over ¥1,100
  • Elem / JH / HS ¥600

Groups of 20 or more:

  • Adults ¥1,100
  • College / 65 and over ¥900
  • Elem / JH / HS ¥500

Persons with a disability pass:

  • Adults ¥1,000
  • College / 65 and over ¥800
  • Elem / JH / HS ¥400

*Admission also includes entrance to the permanent collection galleries.
*On May 5 (Sun./ Children's Festival holiday) admission is free for high school students and younger.
- For students and seniors over 65, discounts require identification such as a Student ID, passport or driver's license.
- For persons with a disability pass=the same discounted price applies for one accompanying care-giver for each disability pass holder

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.

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.

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

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.