Cherishing and depicting everyday life - Focusing on the Japanese paintings of Keimei Anzai -

　Keimei Anzai (1905-1999) was a Japanese painter who belonged to the Seiryu-sha art group, founded by Ryushi Kawabata (1885-1966), and was active in the group from its inception until its dissolution. This exhibition will mainly feature his paintings of people, which were his specialty.
　Keimei met Ryushi, who would become his lifelong mentor, when he was 16 years old. Eventually, he established his residence and studio near Ikegami Honmonji Temple (Ota Ward, Tokyo), close to Ryushi's studio. Later, around 1933, when he married and started a family, figures began to appear in Keimei's paintings, which had previously depicted quiet landscapes. When Keimei was recommended to become a member of the Seiryu-sha, his mentor, Kawabata Ryushi, described him as "an artist whose figures are full of childlike innocence, whose paintings are honest, and who will succeed if he paints children." Many of the figures Keimei chose as subjects were his wife and children, who lived by his side every day. From the 1930s to the 1950s, he left behind many paintings that seem to watch over the growth of his family.
　This exhibition will showcase the charm of Keimei Anzai's paintings, which feature a gentle gaze directed towards those close to him, including the masterpiece "Home Garden" (1944), which depicts the healthy figures of children playing in the garden of his home during wartime, surrounded by lush greenery and vegetables.
　In Exhibition Room 3, you can see newly restored works from fiscal year 2025, such as Yoneko Saeki's "Memories of a Certain Day" (year of creation unknown) and Sadamasa Motonaga's "A Red Circle in the Middle" (year of creation unknown). In Exhibition Room 4, you can see oil paintings and watercolors by Yoshie Nakada (1902-1995), a painter with ties to the region.
　We hope that this exhibition will allow you to appreciate the charm of the paintings held in the Ota Ward collection.

Gallery talk

The curator will give an explanation of the exhibits (approximately 40 minutes).

Schedule	June 21st (Sun), July 18th (Sat), August 23rd (Sun) All start at 14:15.
Time	14: 15 ~

Tsuneko Kumagai Exhibition Corner

On the second floor of the museum, there is also a permanent exhibition corner related to modern kana calligrapher Kumagai Tsuneko. Please take a look at it as well.

"The World of Kumagai Tsuneko, Part I: The Iroha Book"
Period: February 1st (Sun) - June 28th (Sun) Closed on the same days as Magome Art Gallery

Schedule	6 / 21 (Sun)
Time	14: 00 ~

"The World of Tsuneko Kumagai, Part II: 'Tosa Diary'"

Exhibition Period: July 11th (Sat) - November 29th (Sun). Closed on the same days as Magome Art Gallery.

Schedule	Saturday, December 7, Sunday, December 18
Time	14: 00 ~