VENUES

Opened in September 1999, Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery holds special exhibitions about four times a year, introducing various and unique artistic perspectives. Along with the special exhibitions, the gallery also holds a solo exhibition series called “project N,” which focuses on emerging Japanese artists in accordance with the wishes of the late Tastuoki Nambata (1905–97), one of the main painters in the gallery’s collection. Works by artists who are chosen by the selection committee are shown in the corridor on the fourth floor. Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery aims to help create a new culture in the metropolis.

Wada Makoto (1932–2019) was a well-known illustrator and graphic designer, but he is also remembered for his creative contributions in other areas, including his work as a film director, essayist, animator, songwriter, and editor. Whatever genre he turned his hand to, his work was at the top of its class and consistently drew acclaim. His talents encompassed an area so large and so varied that few people have grasped the entirety of his oeuvre.

This retrospective is the first exhibition to attempt to present an overall view of Makoto’s work. It will feature a visual timeline focusing particularly on Wada’s best-known works and delve into approximately 30 topics that are essential to understanding his overarching artistic practice. In total, the exhibition will present approximately 2,800 of his works and related documentary materials.