COLORFUL JAPAN 226 POSTERS FROM THE COLLECTION

The exhibition ‘Colorful Japan’ shows 226 Japanese posters in the Gallery of Honor of the Stedelijk Museum – from floor to ceiling.

Colorful Japan is the Stedelijk Museum’s posthumous tribute to Japanese graphic designer Shigeru Watano (1937-2012) and features 226 Japanese posters on display in the Gallery of Honor. Watano, who lived in the Netherlands, was a vital link between the Stedelijk and numerous Japanese designers. Through his help, the Stedelijk was able to acquire many Japanese posters, and Japanese designers generously donated their work to the museum. In 2018, DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion presented us with a lavish gift of 92 posters, thanks to which the Stedelijk collection of 800 Japanese posters is leading in Europe.

The exhibition showcases a cross-section of Japan’s unique graphic design with work by designers such as amongst others Hiroshi Ochi, Kazumasa Nagai, Ikko Tanaka, Yusaku Kamekura, Mitsuo Katsui, Shigeo Fukuda, U.G. Sato, Ken Miki and Eiko Ishioka. The oldest poster dates from 1937, the most recent from 2018. One wall of the exhibition is devoted exclusively to the internationally-famed graphic designer and artist Tadanori Yokoo. In 1974, with the help of Watano, the Stedelijk was the first European institute to display his work.