POLA Museum of Art

Monet: In The Light Exhibition Design: Hideyuki Nakayama

* Museum will be closed from September 6 through September 10, 2021.

11 masterpieces of Monet from the museum collection.

Claude Monet was one of the preeminent Impressionist painters. The Pola Museum of Art houses 19 of the artist’s works, more than any other institution in Japan. In the late 19th century, after moving from place to place along the Seine River basin, Monet arrived at what would be his final abode, located in Giverny on the outskirts of Paris. He continually painted landscapes all over France as well as travel destinations such as London and Venice. Throughout his career, Monet pursued the changing light, which conveys a wide variety of expressions depending on the season and time. In this exhibition, we present 11 masterpieces from the museum collection, including Rouen Cathedral (1892) and Water Lily Pond (1899). The innovative display space, designed by the up-and-coming architect Hideyuki Nakayama, attempts to discover new allure in Monet’s works.

  • 1：Claude Monet,Rouen Cathedral, 1892 Oil on canvas
  • 2：Claude Monet,Water Lily Pond, 1899 Oil on canvas
  • 3：Claude Monet,The Rio della Salute, 1908 Oil on canvas
  • * All the works are from the collection of Pola Museum of Art.

Exhibition Design: 
Hideyuki Nakayama

Born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1972. Graduated from the Department of Architecture at Tokyo University of the Arts in 1998 before completing a master’s course at the same school in 2000. After working at Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects, Nakayama established his own firm, Hideyuki Nakayama Architecture, in 2007. Since 2014, he has served as an associate professor at Tokyo University of the Arts. Major works include 2004, O House, Y Building, Y House, House and Road, Stone Island’s Stone, Curves and Chords, mitosaya botanical distillery, and Printmaking Studio / Frans Masereel Centrum (collaboration with LIST).

Monet: In the Light Playlist

To accompany the exhibition, enjoy the music playlist on Spotify specially selected by young prodigy Nico Muhly, one of today’s most in-demand composers.
The playlist ranges from pop to classic music by artist such as Björk, Sigur Rós, Ravel, Saint-Saëns, and Michio Miyagi. Please enjoy these with your memories of the exhbition.

Access the playlist: 
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1VxcAihdQi6LSXf5M1GcGQ

Photo: Heidi Solander

Liner Notes by Nico Muhly

List of Works

1. Rouen Cathedral
 1892 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
2. Water Lily Pond
 1899 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
3. The Rio della Salute
 1908 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
4. Haystacks at Giverny
 1884 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
5. Houses of Parliament, Symphony in Rose
 1900 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
6. Landscape, Varengeville
 1882 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
7. Winter in Giverny
 1885 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
8. Sunset on the Seine in Winter
 1880 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
9. Gladiolus
 1881 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
10. Gladiolus
 1881 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.
11. Sunset at Etretat
 1885 Oil on canvas Pola Museum of Art.

11 works in total

Exhibition

Monet: In The Light Exhibition Design: Hideyuki Nakayama

Opening Hours: 
9:00 - 17:00 (Last Admission 16:30)
Organaizer: 
Pola Museum of Art, Pola Art Foundation
Venue: 
Pola Museum of Art, Gallery 3
Support: 
Maruhachi Tent Co., Ltd., ENDO Lighting Corp., ARTERIOR Co., Ltd.
In association with: 
Embassy of France / Institut français du Japon
Exhibition cooperation: 
Hideyuki Nakayama Architecture, Izumi Okayasu Lighting Design Office