The Chiba City Museum of Art has accumulated more than 500 works by Genpei Akasegawa, who sadly passed away this week. A multidisciplinary artist whose oeuvre includes everything from illustration, comics and photography to conceptual art and novels, he has left behind a legacy of notable influence.
His signature piece, "Mokei Senen-satsu," which copied and tampered with the design of a ¥1,000 note, became controversial when in 1967 he was convicted for the crime of imitating currency. Despite two appeals, he was given a three-month prison sentence in 1970 — an incident that made his artwork all the more iconic.
The critically acclaimed works on display at this exhibition, as well as illustrations and other related items, together make a retrospective of Akasegawa's 50-year artistic career; Oct. 28-Dec. 23.
Chiba City Museum of Art; 3-10-8 Chuo, Chuo-ku, Chiba. Chiba Stn. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. (Fri., Sat. till 8 p.m.) ¥1,000. Closed first Mon. of every month. 043-221-2311; www.ccma-net.jp