Kentarō Abe talks about the charm of picture books to children at Ashikaga City.
The solo exhibition “Large Picture Book Art Exhibition: Song of the Children’s Hall” by the picture book artist The Cabin Company, known for its beautiful yet mysterious and humorous illustrations, will begin on the 14th at the Ashikaga City Museum of Art in Tochigi Prefecture. It won the Grand Prize at the 29th Japan Picture Book Award this year for “Melting into the Sunset,” and has also worked on singer Aimyon’s tour pamphlet “I Got Hurt, Met the Devil, and Fell in Love!” The exhibition is their first touring solo exhibition since the formation of the unit and is the second installment following the Hiratsuka City Museum of Art (Kanagawa Prefecture). (Takeshi Umemura)
The Cabin Company is a husband-and-wife unit formed by Kentarō Abe (35) and Saki Yoshioka (36) in 2009. They have set up their studio in a closed school in Yufu City, Oita Prefecture, and have published over 40 picture books. They also designed the character for “Kekechama the Knowledgeable Frog,” which appears on NHK/E Tele’s “Mother and Me Together.”
The exhibition features about 400 works including original illustrations from early in their career, three-dimensional sculptures, and video works, showcasing their wide range of activities. The exhibition is divided into seven chapters, such as Chapter 1 “Adventures in the Mind” and Chapter 2 “Oboro Mansion,” allowing visitors to experience it like flipping through a picture book. In the final room, a large work titled “Song of the Children’s Hall,” depicting mountains and children, measuring 14 meters in width, will be displayed. This piece was created specifically for this exhibition.
On the 12th, before the opening, 28 students from Otsuki Elementary School visited the museum during an art class while the setup was being prepared. Kentarō Abe, who served as the guide, reflected on his childhood memory of being moved by Millet’s painting “The Gleaners,” and encouraged the children, saying, “When you think it’s nice, please cherish it in your heart.”
Among the sixth graders, Yūmi Tazuru (12) said, “The illustrations provided to Aimyon match perfectly with the image. I love them,” while Rira Sunaga (11) smiled and said, “The art of the carousel was beautiful.”
The exhibition will run until November 4. There will be an opening talk and signing event by the two members of The Cabin Company on September 14 and 15 at 2 p.m. The museum is generally closed on Mondays. For inquiries, contact the museum at 0284 (43) 3131.