FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Widespread, Enduring Legacy Examined through Lens of Students, Rivals, Colleagues

Kansas City, MO. Aug. 15, 2024– The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City presents a sweeping exhibition that details the enormous impact of Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760-1869) on the art world. His instantly recognizable Great Wave, one of the most iconic images in the history of art, catapulted him to the forefront as one of the most famous and influential artists of his time. Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston takes a new approach by focusing on his role as student, teacher, and influencer. The exhibition opens Sept. 21 and runs through Jan. 5, 2025.

“Hokusai has become one of the most famous Japanese artists in the world, and this fascinating exhibition explores the enduring legacy of his trailblazing mastery,” said Julián Zugazagoitia, Director & CEO of the Nelson-Atkins.

The exhibition includes more than 300 objects, ranging from the Great Wave to volumes of Hokusai manga (sketches) to captivating floral images. It also highlights a whimsical Great Wave made entirely of LEGO™s.

“Hokusai was an incredibly creative and versatile artist. This exhibition is a thought-provoking new presentation of how one artist’s visual language can be taught, borrowed, or even transformed across cultures and eras,” said Yayoi Shinoda, Assistant Curator, Japanese Art.

Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston compares Hokusai’s work with his own teachers as well as students who studied under him. It also includes the contemporary colleagues and rivals who incorporated his innovations into their own work, along with his legions of admirers in Japan and abroad who were inspired by Hokusai despite separation in time and space.

As steward to one of the world’s strongest Hokusai collections, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is uniquely positioned to organize an exhibition of this unprecedented scope, with most of the objects on view coming from that institution’s vast holdings.

Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is accompanied by a scholarly catalogue that will be available for purchase in the museum store and online.

Along with the featured exhibition, the Nelson-Atkins is expanding this presentation through three prominent collections in Hokusai: Masterpieces from the Spencer Museum of Art, Richardson-North Collection, and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Presented in the Japanese art gallery, this free exhibition explores a culture of poetry, to which Hokusai belonged, and introduces landscape images featuring distinguished sites. With the two exhibitions featuring Hokusai at two locations in the museum, the Nelson-Atkins will present the largest number of works by Hokusai in its history. A series of programs associated with Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston will be offered from October to December.

The following programs are planned in conjunction with this exhibition:

42nd Annual Atha Lecture
October 17, 2024, 6-7 pm
Atkins Auditorium
Public $15, Members $12
Sarah Thompson, Curator, Japanese Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in conversation with Yayoi Shinoda, Assistant Curator, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Night/Shift at the Nelson-Atkins
October 24, 2024, 5-9 p.m.
FREE, Registration required
Kansas City’s creative community is remixing the museum experience with a free evening of creative encounters that spotlights local talent among the 5,000 years of artistic innovation in the museum’s collection. Headlined by DJs, visual artists, and live performers, each night features a fresh combination of pop-up projects, interactive demonstrations, artmaking, and unexpected ways of exploring the museum.

Book Discussion: The Printmaker’s Daughter, by Katherine Govier (2011)
November 21, 2024, 6-7 pm
Location: Library Reading Room
Free, reservations required (Limit 50)
Join Nelson-Atkins staff members Yayoi Shinoda, Assistant Curator of Japanese Art, Rachel Freeman, Conservator of Paper & Asian Art, and Stephanie Lawrence, library programs specialist, to discuss Katherine Govier’s novel. This free book discussion will introduce you to the little-known story of Hokusai’s artist daughter, Oei.

For the latest program information visit nelson-atkins.org.

Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Generous support in Kansas City provided by: Paul DeBruce and Linda Woodsmall-DeBruce; Sara and Bill Morgan; Neil Karbank and Gretchen Calhoun; the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts—Commerce Bank, Trustee; Susan Chambers; J. Scott Francis and Susan Gordon, Francis Family Foundation; and JE Dunn Construction.

Image captions:

Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760–1849). Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa-oki nami-ura), also known as the Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei), about 1830–31 (Tenpō 1–2). Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper. William Sturgis Bigelow Collection. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Katsushika Hokusai (Japanese, 1760–1849). The Ghost of Oiwa (Oiwa-san) from the series One Hundred Ghost Stories (Hyaku monogatari), about 1831–32 (Tenpō 2–3). Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper. William Sturgis Bigelow Collection. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins in Kansas City is recognized nationally and internationally as one of America’s finest art museums. The museum opens its doors free of charge to people of all backgrounds.

The Nelson-Atkins serves the community by providing access to its renowned collection of more than 42,000 art objects and is best known for its Asian art, European and American paintings, photography, modern sculpture, and Native American and Egyptian galleries. Housing a major art research library and the Ford Learning Center, the museum is a key educational resource for the region.

The Nelson-Atkins is located at 45th and Oak Streets, Kansas City, MO. Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission to the museum is free to everyone. For museum information, phone 816.751.1ART (1278) or visit nelson-atkins.org.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), where art inspires connections. Showcasing ancient artistry and contemporary masterpieces, the Museum’s collection of nearly 500,000 works tells a multifaceted story of the human experience that holds unique meaning for everyone. For more than 50 years, the MFA’s traveling exhibition program has partnered with museums and cultural institutions across the globe to share artworks and scholarship. We invite you to experience the MFA in Boston, online at mfa.org and around the world.

For media interested in receiving further information, please contact:

Kathleen Leighton, Manager, Media Relations and Video Production
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
816.751.1321
kleighton@nelson-atkins.org