Pixar artists support Totoro fund
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Artists from around the world contributed work to an auction in California aimed at preserving Sayama Hills, also known as Totoro’s Forest, in western Saitama Prefecture.
The area was the setting for Hayao Miyazaki’s famous anime film “Tonari no Totoro” (My Neighbor Totoro).
About 190 artists from about 20 countries contributed 205 works, including paintings and sculptures, to an auction held on Sept. 6 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif.
Most of the 201,236 dollars (21.13 million yen) raised at the auction will be donated to Totoro no Furusato (The Homeland of Totoro) Foundation.
Pixar artists, who created famous animated films such as “Finding Nemo” and “Toy Story,” heard the foundation was not doing so well.
Since many of the artists had been inspired by Miyazaki’s work, they launched the Totoro Forest Project in order to hold a fund-raising auction and exhibition to help preserve the area.
Project members called on artists around the world to contribute artwork conveying a childlike sense of wonder and the spiritual beauty of nature evident in “Tonari no Totoro.”
The studio, which is usually closed to the public, held an open auction on Sept. 6.
All of the artwork was auctioned off. Organizers are planning to send the proceeds, after deducting costs for carrying out the auction and sending them to the foundation in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, in November, when it celebrates its 10th anniversary.
The foundation was established in 1990 by Miyazaki and Tokorozawa residents. Since then, it has collected donations of more than 300 million yen.
The money has been used to acquire about 1.3 hectares of the forests to protect it from development.
Due to rising land prices and a decline in the remaining donations, however, it has become more difficult for the foundation to buy more land, it said.
“We’ll use all of the newly donated money to buy more land in the forest. We really appreciate this international assistance,” the foundation’s standing director said.
All of the auctioned artwork will be on display at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco through Jan. 18.
(Oct. 18, 2008)
yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20 … Y15003.htm
1.3 hectares=3.21 acres
) where you can view the art as well as find other information, such as the auction date at Pixar Studios and art exhibit at the San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum.