Moomin

Over the weekend, A.S. brought me to check out Tove Jansson's Moomin Exhibition at the Daimaru Museum. I wasn't actually familiar with the Swedish-Finnish artist's work, but in Japan, it's widely popular, as there was an animation series created specifically for the Japan market (of course there was), as well as a full length movie. However, I became a fan instantly.

The Moomins are a carefree and adventurous family of trolls that live in Moominvalley in the forests of Finland.

Jansson's illustration style is similarly carefree and naive, yet at the same time, very expressive and detailed. The exhibition was brought from the permanent collection of the Moomin Museum in Tampere, Finland, and featured works from the Moomin books, as well as original illustrations and hand-made models.

The Daimaru Museum is on the top floor of the Daimaru Department Store at Tokyo Station. In the 80's and 90's, there began a trend for department stores in Japan (Daimaru, Parco, Mitsukoshi, etc.) to have a museum or gallery so that art and shopping could be enjoyed together. It's a great idea and I wish more commercial venues would incorporate art and culture into their spaces.