"I continued to draw in order to survive."
The Kinyo-kai group at Kikuchi Keifuen in Kyushu has been highly acclaimed among the art circles at Leprosy sanatorium across the country.
Ten artists who have found meaning in drawing despite being forced to live extremely restricted lives. This will be their first exhibition in Tokyo.

Outline of the event

[Date]
April 27, 2019(soil)From July 31 (Wed)

【closing day】
Mondays and the day after national holidays (however, open if Monday is a national holiday)

【venue】
The National Hansen's Disease Museum 2nd floor Special Exhibition Room

[Opening hours]
9:30am to 4:30pm (entry until 4pm) Free admission

In Leprosy sanatorium across the country, there were quite a few residents who picked up a paintbrush and faced a canvas. After the war, painting clubs were established in some sanatoriums, and they have become an important part of the cultural activities at Leprosy sanatorium.
It has become difficult to trace the full story of most of these art circles, as their activities are temporary and their works are disposed of after the artists' deaths. However, Kikuchi Keifuen (Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture) has been actively engaged since its founding in 1953 (Showa 28) with 10 to 20 members, and has left behind as many as 850 paintings to the present day.
This special exhibition will feature works by ten representative artists of the Kinyo-kai group, which has continued to produce works of a high standard in both quality and quantity.
Up until now, art exhibitions by Kinyo-kai have been held in various places around the country, including the Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto, in Kikuchi Keifuen 's hometown, and the group is gradually becoming better known, but this will be the first time that an exhibition will be held in Tokyo.
Yasuhiko Yoshiyama (90 years old), a leader of the Kinyokai, said, "Kinyokai was a harmony created by friends." A group of unique friends who continued to paint freely. This is why the title was "Gathering on a Canvas."
We hope that visitors will be able to see how, despite being in a situation where their daily lives were severely restricted by illness, disability and the sanatorium system, they continued to dedicate themselves to painting, find meaning in life and live positively.

Kiyonaga Oyama "Island People"
(1998, oil painting)


Mori Shigemi "Inside the sanatorium Scenery"
(1999, oil painting)


Satoru Yano "Siblings"
(Year of production unknown, oil painting)


Yasuhiko Yoshiyama "Sunny Spot"
(1991, oil painting)


Kazuo Horisaki "Landscape I"
(1987, watercolor)


Kinoshita Kesshoyoshi "Family"
(Year of production unknown, oil painting)


Akiko Irie "Scenery Inside the sanatorium "
(1998, oil painting)


Shigetoshi Nakahara "Chains"
(2000, oil painting)


"Pumpkin" by Noriko Okui
(1996, watercolor)

Postcard gift (limited to the first 500 sets)

This is a postcard printed with the works to be exhibited at the 2019 Spring Exhibition "Gathering on the Canvas - National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen - Kinyokai Painting Exhibition
It will be a set of 10 pieces in total, with one exhibited work per writer as a postcard. Only one set will be distributed free of charge to those who wish to attend the exhibition. We are looking forward to your early visit as it will be limited to 500 sets.

Ancillary business (Some content has changed)

[1st opening ceremony]
National​ ​(Kunitachi)Concert by College of Music Students Saturday, April 27, 2019

●11:00 to 12:00
String quartet by students from the Kunitachi College of Music (1st floor video hall)
<Organization name>
Quartetto Piacere

＜Performers＞
Riri Ikawa​ ​(Ikawari)San / Violin
Mari Sato​ ​(Satomari)San / Violin
Ayaka Negishi​ ​(Negishi Sawa)San / Viola
Mai Tanaka​ ​(Tanaka Mai)San/Cello

●14:00 to 14:30
Gallery talk by curator (2nd floor special exhibition room)

●14:30 to 15:00
Violin solo performance by students from the Kunitachi College of Music (2nd floor special exhibition room)
＜Performers＞
Mari Sato​ ​(Satomari)San / Violin

The opening of the exhibition will be livened up by a string quartet performance by students from the Kunitachi College of Music! Come and enjoy some wonderful chamber instruments.
Free admission/No registration required

Event report (opening ceremony)

The opening ceremony for the spring exhibition was held on Saturday, April 27, 2019, the first day of Golden Week. Today, the opening ceremony for the "Gathering on the Canvas - National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen - Kinyokai Painting Exhibition" was held in three parts: a string quartet by students from the Kunitachi College of Music, a gallery talk by the curator of the exhibition, and a violin solo performance by a student from the Kunitachi College of Music.
We are very grateful to all our customers who came to visit us. Thank you very much. We would like to introduce some of the opinions and comments we received from our customers.

• I think this is a good project where you can experience authentic classical music by local students. I am grateful that the condition has come out from the Bach position. I hope that you will increase the frequency of non-commercial movies and things like this project without overdoing it.
• In the forest full of fresh greenery, I was healed by the delicate sounds of everyone at Kunitachi College of Music, which is suitable for the opening of a painting exhibition. My heart was washed just because I felt uneasy at the end of the chaotic world. Thank you! !! I want to listen again.
• I think events such as concerts inviting local university students are wonderful. In the future, I hope that the history of such music events, experiences of residents, movies, etc., and other Leprosy sanatorium nationwide will be disseminated to the world, and that many people will understand and there will be no discrimination. ..
• I don't usually have the opportunity to go to see strings, so I really enjoyed watching it this time. The beautiful sound and powerful performance were very nice. As soon as the flowers bloomed, there were songs that I was familiar with, such as tea ceremony and Totoro, and I enjoyed it very much. It was good that I had heard the song from the first song, but it is a song that I do not play in string music, so I am a music college student. Mozart, Eine Kleine was very cool. Also, please give us various music concerts.
• I am always indebted to human rights education. I am a teacher at Aoba Elementary School, and I came to see it with my elderly father. The soothing music that is suitable for the first day of Golden Week is the best. I was very impressed by the wonderful performances of the students. Aoba Ko will have a concert this fall, so I would be grateful if you could have a concert before that.
• In the forest full of fresh greenery, I was healed by the delicate sounds of everyone at Kunitachi College of Music, which is suitable for the opening of a painting exhibition. My heart was washed just because I felt uneasy at the end of the chaotic world. Thank you! !! I want to listen again.

During the Golden Week holidays, we will be holding a gallery talk by a curator on the special exhibition on Saturday, May 4th (11:00-11:30/14:00-14:30) and a workshop called "Gather around the Canvas!" on Sunday, May 5th (13:00-16:30). We look forward to your participation.

Greetings and hosting (Curator Kimura)	Greetings and hosting (Curator Kimura)
By students of the Kunitachi College of Music String quartet performance	By students of the Kunitachi College of Music String quartet performance
By students of the Kunitachi College of Music String quartet performance	By students of the Kunitachi College of Music String quartet performance
Closing Remarks (Curator Kimura)	Closing Remarks (Curator Kimura)
By students of the Kunitachi College of Music Violin solo performance	By students of the Kunitachi College of Music Violin solo performance
By students of the Kunitachi College of Music Violin solo performance	By students of the Kunitachi College of Music Violin solo performance

[2nd workshop]
Gather on the canvas! Sunday, May 5, 2019

●13:00 to 15:00
workshop

●15:00 to 16:30
Instructor: Makoto Tagawa finishing the piece
<Lecturer>
Makoto Tagawa (artist. He will be holding the "Jinken no Mori" exhibition at The National Hansen's Disease Museum in 2017)

This is a workshop where you can freely draw pictures on one large canvas. Children, parents and children, adults, anyone can join us! Finally, Mr. Tagawa will finish your painting into one work. Work Tsukuriageta with everyone, until May 26 (Sunday) The National Hansen's Disease Museum will be on display in the gallery. It is OK to jump in and enter and leave the building on the way, but please apply in advance as much as possible.

<Venue>
Gallery on the first floor of the museum / Free admission / Advance registration required

Event report (Workshop "Gathered on canvas!")

On Children's Day, Sunday, May 5, 2019, we held the Spring Exhibition Workshop "Gather on the Canvas!". First, we viewed the paintings in the "Gathering on the Canvas - National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen - Kinyokai Painting Exhibition" in the exhibition room, and then the workshop began. All the participants drew as much as they wanted on a large canvas, and Tagawa added the finishing touches.
We had a lot of participants, including children, parents, friends, and many other guests. Thank you for putting your heart and soul into drawing pictures of your Golden Week memories.

Commemorative photo session
Opening remarks	Opening remarks
In the special exhibition room Viewing the "Gathering on the Canvas - National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen - Kinyokai Painting Exhibition"	In the special exhibition room Viewing the "Gathering on the Canvas - National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen - Kinyokai Painting Exhibition"
Scenes from the "Workshop"	Scenes from the "Workshop"
Scenes from the "Workshop"	Scenes from the "Workshop"
"Finishing your work with instructor Makoto Tagawa" The state of	"Even window panes can be used as canvases!" The state of
All staff	The works will be on display until Sunday, May 26th. It was exhibited in The National Hansen's Disease Museum gallery.

[Third talk project]
Paintings for Living Saturday, June 1, 2019

●14:00 to 15:30 (doors open at 13:30)

<Interviewer>
Tetsuya Kimura (Curator The National Hansen's Disease Museum)

<Venue>
1F Video Hall / Free admission / No registration required (140 people capacity, first come first served)

<Guest>
Yuki Arai​ ​(Yuki Arai)(Associate Professor, Faculty of Letters, Nishogakusha University. Specializes in modern Japanese literature and cultural studies of people with disabilities)

Leprosy sanatorium, we invited Mr. Yuki Arai, who is exploring the relationship between drawing and living through art activities by patients at a psychiatric hospital, and can see it from the paintings of the Kinyokai. Think about the possibilities of self-expression with you!

Event report (Talk project "Pictures for Living")

On Saturday, June 1, 2019, we held a talk show "Pictures for Living" at the Spring Exhibition. Today, we invited Professor Yuki Arai, who is engaged in research activities in a wide range of fields, such as research on Hansen's Disease literary activities and research on painting activities for people with disabilities, and (listener) a talk by the curator of the The National Hansen's Disease Museum I made a plan.

We are very grateful to many customers for visiting us. Thank you very much. We would like to introduce the opinions and impressions received from our customers.

• Thank you for your wonderful lecture. I was afraid that there was still a sense of discomfort, prejudice, and discrimination against the Paralympic Earl Brut, but Mr. Arai talked about how my feelings were adjusted and verbalized. I think that the story of Oliver Sacks study session and Bethel's house has a high affinity.
• Each of the paintings from the Kinyokai painting exhibition left a lasting impression on me. I felt that it was a world that emerged because of repeated dialogues with myself. The story of Mr. Arai's "I didn't have money" and "It was fun" was memorable. (What you can express with a picture. It is difficult to put it into words) I want to cherish what I felt while standing in front of the picture.
• This was the first time I was able to hear the story of Professor Arai, and it was the first opportunity to visit the museum. It was helpful to talk about the excessive expectations and desires of the viewer and the works with high / low independence.
• It was good to hear the feelings of living and the expressions for living. I felt that it was important to know and convey the background of the work and the form that was born from the environment at that time. I want you to spread it when you think that people will live. Also, I would like you to hold such an art exhibition once a year. I also want to see pictures of people who couldn't be seen this time.
• Mr. Arai's story was very interesting. I was able to continue to draw pictures that I couldn't express well, and to know the fun of art without the correct answer. I think that the museum that I've always wanted to visit has also informed my friends. Thank you very much.

Next week, on Saturday, June 8th, we will be holding a lecture entitled "The True Faces of Kinyo-kai Artists" from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm, and a classical music concert from 3:40 pm to 4:20 pm. We look forward to your participation.

Opening remarks	Opening remarks
(Interviewer) With Curator Kimura (Guest) Yuki Arai's talk	(Interviewer) With Curator Kimura (Guest) Yuki Arai's talk
(Interviewer) With Curator Kimura (Guest) Yuki Arai's talk	(Interviewer) With Curator Kimura (Guest) Yuki Arai's talk
(Interviewer) With Curator Kimura (Guest) Yuki Arai's talk	(Interviewer) With Curator Kimura (Guest) Yuki Arai's talk
Closing remarks	Closing remarks

[4th Lecture]
The Real Faces of Kinyokai Artists Saturday, June 8, 2019

●14:00 to 15:30
<Lecturer>
Mr. Akira Ota (Vice-Chairman of Kikuchi Keifuen Resident Association, Director of Kinyokai General Incorporated Association)

We will welcome residents from the local area of Kumamoto and look back on the cultural activities at Kikuchi Keifuen after the war. We will also have them discuss the background to the works of the Kinyo-kai artists through their memories.

●From 15:40 to 16:20
Classical Concert
The Eroica Trio will perform a classical woodwind trio concert.
＜Performers＞
Naoya Inoue (bassoon), Minegishi Mogami (oboe), Kazuki Watanabe (clarinet)

<Venue>
1st floor, Video Hall / Free admission / No registration required (140 people capacity, first come first served)

Report (Lecture "Kinyokai Writers, Their Real Faces" and Classic Concert)

On Saturday, June 8, 2019, we held our spring special exhibition lecture, "The True Faces of the Kinyo-kai Artists," and a classical concert of woodwind trio by the Eroica Trio.
Our speaker, Akira Ota, is the vice president Resident Association at National Sanatorium Kikuchi Keifuen, where the painting circle Kinyokai was active, and a director of the general incorporated association Kinyokai.
During the lecture, he spoke about the background to the creation of his paintings while looking back at the true faces of his Kinyo-kai "comrades" and sharing vivid memories.
Finally, Ota concluded by saying, "For them, in the darkness of absolute isolation, painting was the only way to demonstrate their existence, having been born into this world."
Following Mr. Ota's lecture, the Eroica Trio performed a woodwind trio of oboe, bassoon, and clarinet.
In addition to classical pieces such as Handel's "Water Music" and Mozart's Divertimento, they also performed Japanese songs such as "Song of the Beach" and "Furusato."
We are very grateful to all our customers who came to visit us. Thank you very much. We would like to introduce some of the opinions and comments we received from our customers.

• Kikuchi Keifuen several times, but I was impressed by the wonderfulness of the Kinyokai paintings for the first time at this exhibition. By knowing the background of the 10 people who drew each of the works exhibited through Mr. Ota's lecture, I thought that I could face the painting more deeply. Thank you for your valuable opportunity. Three years later, I am looking forward to the renewal of Memorial museum
• It was very good to understand the history of Kinyokai and the thoughts of the members who were interested. It made me think about the meaning of living.
• I was able to understand the background well by explaining while projecting the pictures of the special exhibition. In particular, I was deeply moved by the fact that Mr. Kinoshita's "group escape" was drawn in Leprosy Prevention Law Thank you very much.
• Mr. Akira Ota explained each person's work and episodes with that person very carefully, and I was able to know what the sanatorium was like and what it was like at that time. The music in the latter half was also a very meaningful time with the introduction of musical instruments and individual episodes.
• When I heard Mr. Ota's story, I could understand the thoughts put into each picture. This kind of concert is also good. It was nice to have a loose and loose talk.

At the end of this month (Sunday, June 30, 2019), we will hold a lecture "" Human recovery "visited the press man-from the encounter with Leprosy recovered persons We look forward to your participation.

Opening remarks	Opening remarks
Akira Ohta Scene from the lecture	Akira Ohta Scene from the lecture
Explanation of Kinyokai paintings	Explanation of Kinyokai paintings
Question-and-answer session	Question-and-answer session
Closing remarks at the lecture	Closing remarks at the lecture
By Eroica Trio Woodwind trio performance	By Eroica Trio Woodwind trio performance
Oboe player: Mineyuki Mogami solo	Clarinetist Kazuki Watanabe solo
Bassoonist Naoya Inoue solo	Acknowledgements

[5th installment: Gallery talk by curators]

April 27th, 2019 (Saturday), May 4th (Saturday), May 19th (Sunday), June 16th (Sunday), June 22nd (Saturday), July 6th (Saturday), July 14th (Sunday), July 15th (Monday, National Holiday), July 31st (Wednesday)

<First session>
Saturday, April 27, 2019 14:00 to 14:30

<2nd session>
Saturday, May 4, 2019 11:00 to 11:30

<Third session>
Saturday, May 4, 2019 14:00 to 14:30

<4th session>
Sunday, May 19, 2019 14:00 to 14:30

<5th session>
Sunday, June 16, 2019 14:00 to 14:30

<6th>
June 22, 2019 (Saturday) 14:00 to 14:30

<7th>
July 6, 2019 (Sat) 14:00 to 14:30

<8th>
Sunday, July 14, 2019 14:00 to 14:30 (materials in the library)

<9th>
Monday, July 15, 2019 (National Holiday) 11:00 to 11:30 (Materials from the Museum Collection)

<10th>
Wednesday, July 31, 2019 14:00 to 14:30

【venue】
2nd floor Special Exhibition Room / Free admission / No registration required

We will be holding a commentary on the spring exhibition "Kikuchi Keifuen and Kinyokai." Everyone is welcome to join!

Event report (Gallery talk of a special exhibition by a curator)

Gallery talks by curators will be held on the dates listed above during the exhibition period.
The program begins with a greeting, then goes on to explain the history of Leprosy sanatorium 's painting circle "Kinyo-kai," the origin of its name, details such as the bonds between the members, and anecdotes about the works of the 10 artists as they create their paintings.
We would like to thank the many customers who participated. We would like to introduce some of the opinions and feedback we received from our customers.

• When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to visit Hoshizuka Keiaien in Kagoshima, and I thought I had a certain understanding of Hansen's Disease, but after seeing the exhibition and the special exhibition, my understanding was changed. In particular, by listening to the curator's explanation, the meaning and background of each painting emerged, which I would not have been able to understand just by looking at it by myself. I think the curator's strong feelings (planning and selecting the works, etc.) probably made the appeal stronger. I'm really glad I was able to hear the explanation. I feel like I was able to get a little closer to the feelings of those who were born the same human beings, but who were unable to have a family, go to school, or return to their hometowns. At the same time, it made me think about the feelings of those who did not have the means of expression called "painting," and about the traditional (said to be beautiful) Japan that was built on discrimination. I would like to study it again and convey it to my children. Thank you very much for this valuable opportunity.

greeting	greeting
"Still Life (Akiko Irie, oil on canvas, 1992)" Corner Explanation	"Still Life (Akiko Irie, oil on canvas, 1992)" Corner Explanation
"Inside the sanatorium Scene (Akiko Irie, oil on canvas, 1998)" Corner Explanation	"Inside the sanatorium Scene (Akiko Irie, oil on canvas, 1998)" Corner Explanation
"Field Trip (Kinoshita Kesshoyoshi, oil on canvas, 1996)" Corner Explanation	"Field Trip (Kinoshita Kesshoyoshi, oil on canvas, 1996)" Corner Explanation
"Chains (Shigetoshi Nakahara, oil on canvas, 2000)" Corner Explanation	"Chains (Shigetoshi Nakahara, oil on canvas, 2000)" Corner Explanation
"Sunny Spot (Yoshiyama Yasuhiko)" Corner Explanation	"Sunny Spot (Yoshiyama Yasuhiko)" Corner Explanation
Acknowledgements	Acknowledgements

[6th Kinyokai Painting Museum Collection Exhibition]
We will be exhibiting Kinyokai paintings from The National Hansen's Disease Museum collection for three days only. Don't miss this opportunity!
July 13th (Sat) to July 15th (Mon) 2019

　
　

 

Report (Kinyokai Painting Museum Collection Exhibition Gallery Talk by Curator)

Under the title of "Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery Exhibition", 7 works by the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery will be released for 3 days from July 13th (Sat) to 15th (Monday), 2019. rice field. A gallery talk by a curator was held for two days, July 14th (Sun) and 15th (Monday, public holiday). Thank you for participating in a large number of over 40 customers on both days.