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Home >> Culture >> Article
Art of John Howe lands in Shanghai
By:Wu Qiong  |  From:english.eastday.com  |  2019-08-07 09:41

“One day, I received a call from a director by the name of Peter Jackson, who asked me if I would be interested in working on a cinematic adaptation of the Lord of the Rings.” This is how John Howe started his career with Middle-Earth. On August 4, an exhibition featuring over 100 manuscripts illustrated by the famed artist opened in Shanghai Sinan Mansions.

Through the exhibition, which is John Howe’s first solo exhibition in China, the acclaimed Tolkien artist will take you on an unforgettable journey across Middle-Earth.

At the entrance of the exhibition venue, people will see a big letter “J” surrounded by a dragon. It is said that the dragon was created by John Howe himself as the key visual of the exhibition. Over an area of three floors, more than 100 pictures display John Howe’s creations based on the world created by J. R. R. Tolkien.

One of the works is Gandalf the Grey. As Peter Jackson said, Gandalf walking in the rain is the best illustration depicting Tolkien’s wizard he has ever seen. The tramp-like clothing and the eagle-like gaze capture the tension of the whole picture, which is completely different from what wizards looked like before Tolkien. It is because of John Howe’s illustration that the movie Lord of the Rings earned Hollywood’s appreciation and its investment.

However, the original work was stolen in 1997 when exhibited in France. What is now on display in Shanghai is a replica.

Another highlight of the exhibition is the latest work by John Howe for A Song of Ice and Fire - an illustration named Ice Spider for the 2020 Song of Ice and Fire Calendar.

In addition, limited edition merchandise exclusively licensed by John Howe, like umbrellas, postcards and post-it notes, are available for sale.

Exhibition information:

Name: “A Middle-Earth Traveller: The Art of John Howe”

Opening hours: 10:00-21:00, August 4 to August 31

Address: Sinan Mansions, 515 Middle Fuxing Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai












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