Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo
Since it was during the art fair, I got in at a discount (200 yen) by showing my AFT Card — this was “Odilon Redon: The Secret Garden,” on view at Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo.
Odilon Redon “The Secret Garden”
Inside, the care taken over the works was extremely delicate, and photography was prohibited.
In its place stood his signature work, “Grand Bouquet” — a print or perhaps a copy — and everyone was frantically photographing it with their smartphones, so, not to be outdone, I took a shot too.
The greenery outside the building made a striking contrast with the Grand Bouquet, and it turned into a soothing moment — the beauty I had just seen in the painting set against the real presence of the green outdoors.
I was simply overwhelmed by the presence of the Grand Bouquet. It was striking how the real work inside had been so exquisitely staged by the lighting.
The monochrome world of Redon’s early period struck me as a little unexpected, and while I felt a bit sorry that the exhibition was structured almost as though you go just to see the single Grand Bouquet, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
