The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston presents "Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence," a groundbreaking exhibition that explores the life and legacy of the iconic Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. Best known for his famous print, Under the Wave off Kanagawa (the Great Wave), Hokusai's impact on art and culture continues to this day.
Featuring more than 100 woodblock prints, paintings, and illustrated books by Hokusai, the exhibition also showcases about 200 works by his teachers, students, rivals, and admirers. Visitors can explore Hokusai's influence through time and space, with works from his daughter Katsushika Ōi, his contemporaries Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 19th-century American and European painters, and modern and contemporary artists including Loïs Mailou Jones and Yoshitomo Nara.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is a section dedicated to Hokusai's most famous work, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Here, visitors can view the iconic print alongside works that pay homage to it, including John Cederquist's How to Wrap Five Waves, Roy Lichtenstein's Drowning Girl, and Andy Warhol's The Great Wave (After Hokusai). Even a Lego recreation of the image by Lego certified professional Jumpei Mitsui is on display.
The exhibition highlights Hokusai's enduring appeal and ubiquity, with works that demonstrate his influence on art and culture over centuries. As artist Taiko Chandler states, "I am inspired by his general work, the quality—I would say fearless expression." Hokusai's art continues to inspire and influence artists to this day, and "Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence" showcases his lasting impact on the art world.
This exhibition will be located in the Ann and Graham Gund Gallery (Gallery LG31) and will be on display from March 26–July 16, 2023.
To learn more about this exhibition, visit: https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/hokusai-inspiration-and-influence