Hokusai Exhibit at Dupage - Chicago

Summer 2025 | Indigo Diaries

If you're searching for an unmissable cultural experience this summer in the Chicago suburbs, look no further than “Hokusai & Ukiyo‑e: The Floating World” at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art inside the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage. Running May 31 to September 21, 2025, this landmark exhibition brings over 60 original artworks and artifacts from Japan's Edo period of the 17th century—many appearing in the U.S. for the very first time.

Practical Info:

Location: McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn

Dates: May 31 – Sept 21, 2025

Highlights

This exhibit offers a fully immersive experience, inviting visitors to engage with Japanese art and culture through a variety of interactive features. Throughout the space, you'll find stamp stations that add a playful, collectible element to your journey. Iconic Ukiyo-e prints are on display, including the world-renowned “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” by Hokusai, allowing guests to appreciate the intricate beauty of traditional woodblock printing. There's also a concession area serving authentic Japanese cuisine—don't miss the delicious ramen, available for just $7! Additionally, a captivating 2D section explores the rich history of Japanese manga, tracing its cultural significance and evolution over time. And that's just the beginning—there’s so much more to discover in this thoughtfully curated celebration of Japanese artistry.

The Great Wave

The Great Wave - My highlight of the exhibition

Among the most recognizable images in the world, The Great Wave off Kanagawa is part of Hokusai’s legendary Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series—a collection that solidified Mount Fuji as both a spiritual icon and a visual motif in Japanese art. At first glance, this dramatic scene is often interpreted as one of peril: early Western scholars believed it depicted fishing boats being overwhelmed by a monstrous tsunami. But a closer, more informed look tells a very different story.

First, the wave itself—while towering and powerful—is not a tsunami, but rather a massive okina nami, or "great wave," breaking away from shore. The fluid curve of the wave and the white, claw-like foam are stylized but grounded in Hokusai’s keen observation of natural patterns. The boats, too, reveal crucial context. While fishing boats of the Edo period typically held four oarsmen, the vessels in this woodblock print each carry eight rowers—a sign that these are not fishing vessels, but rather high-speed transport ships, likely carrying goods or passengers back toward the shore of Edo (modern-day Tokyo).

Rather than braving the open ocean, these boats are racing toward land—perhaps with urgency, but not with panic. This changes the tone of the piece entirely. Rather than emphasizing terror or helplessness, The Great Wave becomes a moment frozen in time—where human determination, skill, and resilience are shown against the awe-inspiring forces of nature. It’s not a scene of doom, but a testament to strength and motion, echoing the broader themes of perseverance found throughout Hokusai’s work.