30 Years Since Release of Studio Ghibli's "Whisper of the Heart": Exhibition of Painter Naohisa Inoue, Known for His Fantastical Background Art, to be Held at Sendai Mitsukoshi Starting July 15 (Wed). Featuring Approximately 50 Works, Including Original Paintings and New Prints.

"Unexpected Reunion" 10M Acrylic

What is IBLARD?

After graduating from art university, he worked at an advertising agency and as a high school teacher before becoming a painter. Just as Kenji Miyazawa once called his home prefecture of Iwate "Ihatov," Inoue calls his hometown of Ibaraki City "IBLARD" and has created a unique worldview. IBLARD is a magical world where wizards live, and planets and Laputa fly through the sky. His picture book "The Journey of IBLARD," published when he was 35, won the Kodansha Picture Book Newcomer Award.

In 1995, Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli, who had long sympathized with Inoue's worldview, commissioned him to create the background art for "Whisper of the Heart." The play-within-a-play, "Baron's Gift of a Story," was a perfect expression of Inoue's world and deeply moved viewers. It has now been 30 years since its theatrical release.

Furthermore, since participating in the anime "Whisper of the Heart," he has been involved in creating murals for the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, and a short animated film based on his picture book "The Day I Bought a Star" (original work: Naohisa Inoue) was produced by Director Miyazaki and screened at the museum's "Tsuchi-za" and Ghibli Park's "Oriwon-za," receiving high acclaim both domestically and internationally.

New Print "Shining Evening" Premieres in Sendai, Ahead of the Rest of Japan

This new print was created to commemorate his 77th birthday this year. One of these works, "Shining Evening," will be shown for the first time in Sendai to fans at Sendai Mitsukoshi, ahead of its release nationwide.

New Print "Shining Evening" Image Size: 26 x 41cm

Other New Prints

New Print "Evening Waiting with Friends" Image Size: 26 x 41cm

New Print "Tanimachi" Image Size: 55 x 66.4cm

New Print "Mountain Garden" Image Size: 50 x 72.7cm

New Print "Hill with a Good View" Image Size: 28.5 x 45.5cm

Naohisa Inoue's Attendance Dates and Times

July 18 (Sat), 19 (Sun), 20 (Mon, Holiday) 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Mr. Inoue will provide autographs in person for those who purchase prints or art books.

[Biography]

1948 Born in Osaka 1971 Graduated from Kanazawa College of Art and Craft; worked at Daiko Advertising Inc. 1973 Worked at Kasugaoka High School, Osaka Prefecture (until '93) 1983 Picture book "The Journey of IBLARD" (Kodansha Picture Book Newcomer Award; republished by Kakusha in '96) 1985 Comic "IBLARD Story" (Seishinsha; expanded edition and collector's edition published in '95) 1994 Art book "IBLARD Natural History" (Kakusha; published up to Vol. 6 until '11) Solo exhibition of new works at Hankyu Department Store Osaka Art Gallery (1996-2000, '02, '04, '06, '08, '10, '13, '14)

Numerous solo exhibitions and print exhibitions held annually in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, and other locations since then. 1995 Created the art for the episode "Baron's Gift of a Story" in the film "Whisper of the Heart" (Studio Ghibli; screenplay: Hayao Miyazaki; director: Yoshifumi Kondō)

Lecturer at Seian University of Art and Design (until '01)

Professor at Seian University of Art and Design (until '07) 1998 "The World of IBLARD: Naohisa Inoue Exhibition" at Toyoshina Modern Art Museum 2000 Field trip and sketching trip to Colorado and Utah; solo exhibition at Espace Japon, Paris 2001 Large art book "The World is Your Collection" (Kakusha) published Solo exhibition at Espace Culturel Bertin Poirée, Paris 2002 Created the mural "Updraft II" for the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka hall 2003 NAOHISA INOUE Recent works exhibition at Caelum Gallery, New York 2004 Sketching trip to Ireland (Galway, Aran Islands, Sligo, etc.) Wrote "Drawing What Cannot Yet Be Put Into Words" for a junior high school Japanese language textbook (Educational Publishing) 2005 Work "Airship Tree" featured with commentary in a junior high school art textbook (Nihon Bunkkyo Publishing) Research trip to Sweden, etc. (Stockholm, Uppsala, Helsinki) 2006 Short animated film "The Day I Bought a Star" (Studio Ghibli; original work: Naohisa Inoue; director: Hayao Miyazaki) Picture book "The Day I Bought a Star" (Kakusha) published 2007 DVD/BD Visual Art Book "IBLARD Time" (Studio Ghibli; director: Naohisa Inoue) 2010 Lectures at Nagaoka Institute of Design, Aichi University of the Arts, and art education research groups nationwide 2012 Work "The Day I Found a Ship" featured with commentary in a junior high school art textbook (Mitsumura Tosho) 2013 Solo exhibitions at Umeda Hankyu and other venues in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, etc. 2014 Solo exhibition at Espace Japon, Paris; sketching in Uppsala, Sweden Second large art book "Light Particles Inviting Travel" (Kakusha) published

2015 Solo exhibitions in Shanghai and Beijing ('16)

2017 Art book "IBLARD Naohisa Inoue - The World Looks Even More Beautiful -" (Seishinsha) published

2018 "Naohisa Inoue World Exhibition" held at Umeda Hankyu to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Ibaraki City's incorporation

Solo exhibition at Galerie Metanoia, Paris

2019 "Naohisa Inoue Exhibition" held at Kougen Museum, Fujimi Town

2025 "Naohisa Inoue Exhibition: Journey to IBLARD" to be held at Kougen Museum, Koumi Town, Nagano Prefecture

Solo exhibition at Espace Culturel Bertin Poirée, Paris

2026 Kiju Anniversary New Print Exhibition to be held at ART SPACE SKY GALLERY, Ariake, Tokyo

Exhibitions of works held nationwide in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, and other locations, continuing to the present.

[Exhibition Overview]

Event Name: The World of IBLARD: Naohisa Inoue Painting Exhibition

Dates: July 15 (Wed) - July 21 (Tue), 2026 *Last day ends at 4:00 PM

Venue: Sendai Mitsukoshi Main Building 7F Art Gallery

Address: 4-8-15 Ichibancho, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8543

Inquiries: 022-225-7111 (Main)

URL: https://www.mitsukoshi.mistore.jp/sendai.html