Works by the Swiss-born German painter Paul Klee have been shown in Japan several times. This time, however, the exhibiton at The National Museum of Modern Art focuses not on the actual art but on the artist's intricate creation process.
Klee himself was keenly interested in the thought process and philosophy behind artist's works, and he diligently listed such information surrounding his own work, categorizing his pieces and recording the different techniques used.
He made more than 9,600 entries in his categorizing of works, of which 170 have been selected, many being shown in Japan for the first time. The exhibition is divided into six sections, two of which include photos of Klee working on some of the paintings on display. There is also a section dedicated to his "Special class" category of works that he considered models for reflection; till July 31.
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, (03) 5777-8600; 1-1 Kitanomaru-koen, Chiyoda-ku; 8-min. walk from Exit B1, Takebashi Station, Tozai Line. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ¥420. Closed Mon. www.momat.go.jp.
