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.

This week, Aurora Canepari returns to CleveCast to discuss some of the most fascinating and important objects on loan from the Museo d’Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone to the Cleve Carney Museum of Art’s exhibition Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World.

Episode 8 – A behind-the-scenes conversation with Rossella Menegazzo, professor of East Asian art history at the University of Milan and head of Italy’s cultural program for Expo 2025 Osaka. She shares her experience curating the Edo-period masterpieces for CCMA’s “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World” exhibition and gives a insight into how she’s bringing Italian culture to Japan’s World Expo. From Hokusai prints to global cultural exchange, this episode blends art, history, and fascinating insider stories.

In this episode of CleveCast: Voices of the CCMA, host Justin Witte takes a brief break from Hokusai and Ukiyo-e to talk with Andi Crist, a Chicago-based artist whose upcoming solo exhibition opens at the museum this October. Andi and Justin dive into the ideas and processes behind some of her earlier work, and share some thoughts about her exhibition’s title. Their conversation offers insight into Crist's work and offers a preview of what’s to come in CCMA’s fall programming.

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.

In Episode 3 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.

n this episode of CleveCast, we explore the rich visual storytelling found in the painted handscrolls of Miyagawa Chōshun (1683–1753), currently on display in the Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World exhibition at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art. Join us as we take a closer look at how Chōshun’s work offers a more intimate, narrative form of ukiyo-e. Unlike the widely recognized woodblock prints of the era, these handscrolls are painted by hand and depict lively scenes of urban life in Edo-period Japan. Justin Witte how these works deepen our understanding of the floating world and highlight the unique artistic voice Chōshun brought to the genre.

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.

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.