Leo Lionni "Swimmy" 1963
Swimmy ⓒ 1963 by Leo Lionni, renewed 1991/Pantheon
On Loan By The Slovak National Gallery
When you hear the name "Leo Lionni," you might not immediately recognize it.
However, I think many people are familiar with the work when they hear the name "Swimmy."
Leo Lionni is the author of Swimmy.
Swimmy is a very popular and famous work translated into Japanese by Shuntaro Tanikawa, and has even been included in elementary school Japanese language textbooks.
Leo Lionni (1910-1999)
Born in Amsterdam in 1910, Leoni grew up moving between Europe and the United States from a young age. He began working as a graphic designer in Milan in the mid-1930s, but fled to the United States as World War II approached due to his Jewish descent. He achieved success, primarily in New York, working on advertising for Olivetti and MoMA, as well as art direction for the business magazine Fortune. After publishing his first picture book, Little Blue and Little Yellow, in 1959, he gradually retired from advertising work. From then on, he published one picture book a year while devoting himself to oil painting, sculpture, printmaking, and other creative endeavors. He had a studio in Tuscany, Italy, and spent over 30 years migrating between New York and Italy.
Leo Lionni, "Frederick" 1967
Frederick ⓒ 1967,renewed 1995 by Leo Lionni/Pantheon
Works by Leo Lionni, On Loan By The Lionni Family
Leoni has been searching for his identity while freely moving between the different worlds of Europe and America, graphic design and fine art, and has even drawn political satire, which may be surprising.
Leo Lionni "Project Fantasy Garden" 1978
Works by Leo Lionni, On Loan By The Lionni Family
The Itabashi Art Museum, where the exhibition will be held, established a cooperative relationship with Leo Lionni through the "Leo Lionni Exhibition" held in 1996, and continued to have a relationship with him until his death in 1999. As a result, many of the works on display will have never been on public display before.
You may be eager to head to the Itabashi Art Museum right away, but don't rush, take a moment to relax.
Please note that you must currently reserve a date and time online to enter.
(If the reservation capacity has not been reached, you can enter without a reservation.)
I'm interested in this exhibition, but I'm also very curious about the museum shop that will be opening during the exhibition period.
Come experience Leoni's deep and fascinating world.
For more information, please see the link below.
"Leo Lionni: The Unknown Exhibition"
https://www.city.itabashi.tokyo.jp/artmuseum/4000016/4001385/4001386.html
Itabashi Museum of Art
5-34-27 Akatsuka, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo
MidiUmi
