Past Exhibitions
- Feature Exhibition: Aquarium at the Kyoto National Museum: What Kind of Fish Can You Find? II. Fish as Symbols of Human Ambition
- July 25, 2017 - September 3, 2017
This summer, the galleries of the Kyoto National Museum will transform into an artistic aquarium! Organized together with the Kyoto Aquarium, this is the museum’s first exhibition oriented specifically towards young people. How have human beings interacted with fish? How have we imagined underwater life? From familiar fish to legendary sea creatures, this exhibition provides an opportunity to explore a wide variety of aquatic life. Bring your family and come see all the fish living at the Kyoto National Museum.
II. Fish as Symbols of Human Ambition
People in Japan and East Asia use fish and other sea creatures to express some very human hopes and aspirations. The carp swimming upstream is thought to turn into a dragon, representing the overcoming of difficulties to achieve success. The shrimp, with its rounded back, stands for long life. Using symbolic images of sea life in paintings, clothing, and various other daily objects helps us remember what is important to us as human beings.
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