The Louvre Museum's special exhibition, "Louvre No. 9: Manga, the Ninth Art," is running until September 25th at the Mori Arts Center Gallery on the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. The exhibition marks the first time in Japan that the Louvre Museum's manga project, the "Louvre BD Project," which began in 2005 and asks manga artists to create their own works based on the theme of the Louvre Museum, has been fully unveiled. The project's participants include France's Nicolas de Crécy and Marc-Antoine Mathieu, Belgium's Christian Durieux, as well as Japanese manga artists such as Hirohiko Araki of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure," Jiro Taniguchi of "The Solitary Gourmet," and Taiyo Matsumoto of "Tekkonkinkreet." The exhibition is divided into three chapters. At the entrance to Chapter 1, a life-size replica of the Louvre's iconic "Winged Victory of Samothrace" is displayed. A dynamic installation of the Nike, seemingly about to take flight from a cartoon world, invites visitors into the world of comics. Further along, visitors encounter unique works by 16 cartoonists, each with a theme of the Louvre. Etienne Davaudeau's "Cross-Eyed Dog" tells the quirky story of a Louvre security guard who is faced with the difficult task of storing "Cross-Eyed Dog," a mediocre painting by his fiancée's ancestor, in the museum's collection. Christian Durieu's romantic work, "Magic," depicts a bored politician at dinner in the Louvre who is suddenly taken by a woman who appears and enjoys a nighttime rendezvous at the Louvre. Chapter 2 then reveals the hidden side of the Louvre. Marc-Antoine Mathieu's "Underground of the Louvre" tells the story of an expert investigating the museum's true nature. The story unfolds as the investigation continues, revealing the strange, labyrinthine Louvre. Enki Bilal presents "Ghosts of the Louvre," a work that tells the story of the ghosts haunting each piece, based on the concept that each masterpiece in the Louvre is inhabited by a ghost. The pale, dreamlike exhibition evokes a ghostly atmosphere, creating a slightly chilling space. Matsumoto Taiyo's "Cats of the Louvre" is an adventure story starring the cats who have lived in the Louvre for generations, unknown to anyone. Large panels showcasing close-ups of Matsumoto Taiyo's unique characters and cats are also featured as exhibition decorations. Hirohiko Araki will also be exhibiting "Kishibe Rohan Goes to the Louvre," a suspenseful tale about the "Blackest Painting" housed in the Louvre. The exhibition effectively contrasts Michelangelo's famous sculpture "The Dying Slave" with Araki's distinctive Rohan pose, attempting to visually fuse the Louvre's masterpieces with Araki's work. Also on display is Bernard Isler's digital work "Above the Louvre," which uses three monitors. The monitors unfold a dazzling drama of politics and art set in the Louvre, which was born during the French Revolution. The final chapter, Chapter 3, introduces the Louvre, a museum whose universal presence continues to transcend time and place, both past and future. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by the Louvre's most famous Mona Lisa, and if they pause for a moment, they will see it transform into the unique Mona Lisa depicted by various bande dessinée (BD) artists. As they walk further, they come across Shinichi Sakamoto's "Queen Antoinette Meets the Mona Lisa," a story tracing the Mona Lisa's tragic fate. The story depicts the epic drama of the Mona Lisa, first created by Leonardo da Vinci and then meeting Marie Antoinette at the Palace of Versailles, leading up to the present day. Katsuya Terada presents "The Disappearance of the Louvre," a story about the sudden disappearance of the Louvre from Paris. The numerous artworks housed there transform into free forms, scattering across the world and enjoying their freedom.
Other works on display include "A Thousand-Year Wings, a Hundred-Year Dream" by Taniguchi Jirô, "The Art of Underground Mining" by Philippe Dupuy, "Crossing the Louvre" by David Prudhomme, "At Odd Hours" by Eric Liberge, "Ice Age" by Nicolas de Crécy, "Palmyra in the Museum" by Yamazaki Mari, and "The Song of Nike" by Igarashi Daisuke.
[Event Information]
Louvre Museum Special Exhibition "Louvre No. 9 ~ Manga, the Ninth Art ~"
Venue: Mori Arts Center Gallery
Address: 52F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: July 22nd to September 25th
Hours: 10:00-20:00 (last entry at 19:30)
Closed: Open daily during the exhibition period
