The Totoro Forest Project
Cartoon Art Museum Exhibition: September 20, 2008 - February 8, 2009
The Cartoon Art Museum proudly presents original works of art from The Totoro Forest Project Charity Auction, a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition featuring paintings, illustrations and sculptures from nearly 200 critically acclaimed animators, fine artists, cartoonists and illustrators. All of the art for the exhibition was inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic animated feature film My Neighbor Tororo. The artwork will be auctioned at a fund raising event at Pixar Animation Studios on September 6, 2008, and then exhibited at the Cartoon Art Museum from September 20, 2008 through February 8, 2009. Proceeds from the auction will support The Totoro No Furusato National Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of Japan's Sayama Forest.
Details regarding the December 2008 reception for this exhibition will be announced shortly.
About The Totoro no Furusato National Fund:
Sayama Forest is one of the most remarkable urban forests in Japan, located just outside of Tokyo. This forest is said to be the inspiration for legendary animated film My Neighbor Totoro. With Japan's rapid urban development in the 1970s and 1980s, the forest has been diminished to a small fraction of its former self. In 1990, Miyazaki helped set up a national trust, Totoro no Furusato National Fund, to preserve the park and promote awareness of environmental issues.
The Foundation has successfully raised more than 3 million dollars and has over 1500 members. The fund's primary purpose is to purchase forest land from the city, and its members have been involved with various nature preservation volunteer activities. While successful on many levels, the foundation's efforts continue to face many challenges and obstacles, including rising land values and real estate development.
For more information on this cause and how you can help, please visit
http://www.totoroforestproject.org/ About Hayao Miyazaki:
Anime is one of the most influential forms of contemporary art today. Among Japanese masters of animation, Hayao Miyazaki is undoubtedly the most popular and respected. The storytelling, visual approach and philosophical depth of his films have made a massive impact in the world of filmmaking , and many prominent animation and illustration artists in the world proudly recognize Miyazaki's strong influence and inspiration on their own work. The Totoro Forest Project provides the artists involved with the opportunity to voice their appreciation for Miyazaki and the inspiration he has given them through the years.