Eric Carle Exhibition Opens in Tokyo
Tokyo's Museum of Contemporary Art announced "Eric Carle Exhibition: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Origins" opening April 25, showcasing original artwork and production materials of the iconic children's book. The exhibit is generating buzz for family city breaks with 42 likes and promises an immersive look at Carle's creative process.
This retrospective celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Japanese edition of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," a book that first appeared in print in Japan. The exhibition, running from April 25 to July 26, 2026, will feature about 180 original works from 27 of Carle's picture books. After its Tokyo run, the exhibition is scheduled to travel to Fukuoka in the autumn of 2026 and Osaka in the spring of 2027. First published in 1969, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" has sold over 50 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 60 languages. The book, which contains only 225 words, has become a staple for early childhood education, teaching counting, the days of the week, and different foods. It is estimated that one copy of the book is sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds. Eric Carle, who passed away in 2021, was a trained graphic designer before becoming a celebrated children's book author and illustrator. His career in children's literature began in 1967 when he illustrated "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?". Over his career, Carle authored and illustrated more than 70 books, with total sales exceeding 170 million copies. The exhibition will offer a glimpse into Carle's distinctive collage technique. He created his vibrant and textured illustrations by painting acrylics onto tissue paper, which he would then cut and layer to form his images. Visitors will be able to see these hand-painted papers, along with early dummy books and developmental materials, revealing the layers of his creative process.
