Three former members of the enduring J-pop group SMAP — Shingo Katori, Goro Inagaki and Tsuyoshi Kusanagi — participated in an occasion Tuesday (Sept. 18) on the Maison de la Culture du Japon à Paris.
The ceremony honored Katori as goodwill ambassador for the Japonismes 2018: Les âmes en résonance exhibition, a venture at the moment underway in and round Paris celebrating 160 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and France. The former boy band member additionally kicked off his first artwork exhibit on the Louvre in Paris from Wednesday (Sept. 19), and the occasion served because the reception social gathering as nicely.
Aside from the three ex-SMAP stars, the Japanese ambassador to France, Masato Kitera, and former French ambassador to Japan Thierry Dana additionally participated within the festivities, in addition to Mansai Nomura, a famend kyogen actor who’s performing conventional Japanese theater on the Espace Cardin.
“I’m excited to see so a lot of you right here right this moment,” Katori stated throughout his speech. “I’m blissful to function the goodwill ambassador to Japonismes 2018. I’m grateful to everybody that I’m in a position to maintain my first exhibit on the Louvre. Right now, I’m simply overflowing with happiness.”
Japanese meals and sake have been served in the course of the social gathering whereas highlights from Katori’s illustrious profession have been proven on the display. The two different members flew in from Japan to have fun the momentous event with their youngest SMAP cohort, and spoke of their satisfaction in his accomplishments.
“Seeing (Katori’s) work on the Louvre was inspiring,” stated Inagaki, noting that he was feeling a bit nervous as a result of magnitude of Katori’s duties. Kusanagi, who is very near Katori, commented that he was happy with his finest pal’s achievements. “I’d all the time seen his artworks, and I really feel like every bit paved the best way to this place,” he stated.
Shingo Katori’s NAKAMA des ARTS exhibit continues within the Carrousel du Louvre Charles V Hall via Oct. 3. Admission is free.
