Justin Witte & the Art of Edo
In this episode of CleveCast, Justin Witte, Director & Curator of the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, reflects on his experiences working on Hokusai & Ukiyo-e: The Floating World. Recorded live at the College of DuPage’s Belushi Auditorium on August 23, this lecture offers an inside perspective on one of the summer’s most celebrated exhibitions.
Aurora Canepari Returns!
Aurora Canepari, Director and Curator of the Chiossone Museum, returns to the podcast to address visitor questions and offer deeper insight into select objects featured in the Hokusai & Ukiyo-e exhibition.
Rossella Menegazzo
This week, Justin is joined by renowned art historian and curator Rossella Menegazzo, Professor of East Asian Art History at the University of Milan. Rossella shares how she selected standout works from the Edoardo Chiossone Museum’s collection for Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World, and gives us a sneak peek into her work leading Italy’s cultural programming for Expo 2025 Osaka
Artist Andi Crist
This week on CleveCast, host Justin Witte shifts gears from Edo-period Japan to contemporary art, sitting down with Chicago-based artist Andi Crist, whose solo exhibition will open at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art this October.
Andi and Justin discuss her sculptural installations to playful material explorations. They also touch on the process of developing her upcoming show at CCMA—including her somewhat cheeky exhibition title (you’ll have to listen for that one).
This episode offers a refreshing conversation with one of the biggest up-and-coming artists in Chicago at the moment.
Hokusai’s Scrolls with Aurora Canepari
Echoes of Edo: Hokusai’s Hand-Painted Scrolls with Aurora Canepari
In this episode, host Justin Witte is joined by Aurora Canepari, Director of the Museo d’Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone in Genoa, Italy. Aurora discusses two hand-painted hanging scrolls by Katsushika Hokusai, currently featured in the CCMA's summer exhibition Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World.
She provides expert insights on the structure, symbolism, and significance of these rare kakejiku and shares how these works relate to the broader context of Japanese art history and the Chiossone’s world-renowned collection.
Echoes of Edo Episode 5: Kevin Yu from 2D Restaurant
In this episode of CleveCast: Voices of the CCMA, we dive into the world of manga and anime and how it connects to the broader visual legacy of Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World.
Justin sits down with Kevin Yu, co-founder of Chicago’s 2D Restaurant, who lent his creative vision to the History of Manga and Anime exhibit currently on view at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art. Joining the conversation are Julia Walker and Madelene Pryzbyz, two of the team members instrumental in researching, designing, and installing this dynamic, fan-favorite component of the summer’s main exhibition.
Together, they explore how modern Japanese visual culture draws from Edo-period traditions, and how this colorful, immersive space came to life.
Echoes of Edo – Walk into Edo with Sabrina Zeidler and Rick Arnold
Echoes of Edo – Walk into Edo with Sabrina Zeidler and Rick Arnold
In Episode 4 of CleveCast: Voices of the CCMA, we explore the immersive Edo-period village created for Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World. Set designers Sabrina Zeidler and Rick Arnold discuss their process, from historical research to full-scale theatrical construction inside the Playhouse Theater. Learn how exhibition and stage design intersect in this behind-the-scenes conversation about one of the most visually striking elements of the CCMA’s landmark exhibition.
Echoes of Edo: Miyagawa Chōshun
In this episode of CleveCast: Voices of the CCMA, we turn our attention to two rarely seen handscrolls by Miyagawa Chōshun (1683–1753), currently on view as part of Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art.
Justin Witte shares how these painted scrolls offer a unique and intimate view into the world of Edo-period Japan. Unlike woodblock prints, Chōshun’s handscrolls are entirely painted by hand, with continuous horizontal scenes that unfold across the length of the work—inviting viewers into a flowing visual narrative.
Echoes of Edo: BTS with Julia Walker
In this episode of CleveCast: Voices of the CCMA, we take you behind the scenes with Assistant Curator Julia Walker to explore one of the many layers of Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World. Our focus? The Historical Ukiyo-e and Edo exhibition in the Atrium of the McAninch Arts Center—a comprehensive contextual installation offering visitors insight into the social and cultural world surrounding the artworks on view in the museum galleries. Julia and Justin discuss how the exhibition came together, from initial research and layout planning to storytelling and design decisions, offering a candid glimpse into the curatorial process of expanding Edo-period Japan beyond the gallery walls. This installation is just one facet of a much larger exhibition—but as you’ll hear, it plays a vital role in helping visitors understand the "floating world" these artists depicted. Note: Due to a technical mishap, this episode was recorded using backup laptop audio. The sound quality may differ slightly from our usual standard, but the conversation remains just as engaging.
Echoes of Edo: Who Was Edoardo Chiossone?
In the debut episode of CleveCast: Voices of the CCMA, we introduce the remarkable figure who made the exhibition Hokusai & Ukiyo-e: The Floating World possible. Edoardo Chiossone, a 19th-century Italian artist and engraver who spent over two decades in Japan, where he built one of the most significant collections of Japanese art in Europe. This episode explores how his story—and his collection—came to Genoa, Italy and, eventually, to the Cleve Carney Museum of Art.