Literary Gibbes

CCPL's Zoom Server - Join us for a book-club style discussion in collaboration with Charleston County Public Library inspired by "Lasting Impressions: Japanese Prints from the Read-Simms Collection." The Gibbes Museum of Art is home to one of the most significant collections of Japanese woodblock prints in the Southeast. This exhibition will present 60 exceptional and rare prints amassed by Charleston collector, Motte Alston Read, and his sister, Mary Read Hume Simms of New Orleans, during the first decades of the 20th century. The Read-Simms Collection reflects the full range of popular print subjects by master Ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period, from famous Kabuki theater actors portrayed by Suzuki Harunobu and Tōshūsai Sharaku in the 18th century, to vibrant landscapes by Utagawa Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusai in the 19th century.

In "An Artist of the Floating World," Kazuo Ishiguro, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, explores the role of the artist in a changing world. In the aftermath of World War II, artist Masuji Ono reflects upon his youthful experiences painting the "floating world," the world of beauty and pleasure, and his decision to use his art for the political purpose of supporting the imperialist movement that led to the war. 

The discussion will focus on the book and the works in the exhibition. Please read the book so you can participate in the discussion. For more information, contact Becca Hiester at 843-722-2706x237 or [email protected].

Please note: The discussion will take place on Zoom and will NOT be held at the Gibbes Museum of Art.

Discussion is free for all, but please register in advance to receive the Zoom meeting information.