Kishida Ryusei, Portrait of Reiko, 1923, oil on canvas, 40.9 x 31.7 cm. Collection: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.

TOKYO, JAPAN.- To kick off 2007 the Mori Art Museum is proud to present two exhibitions exploring laughter. “The Smile in Japanese Art: From the Jomon Period to the Early Twentieth Century,” examines the many faces of the smile in Japanese art from the prehistoric Jomon Period until the Taisho Period (1912-1926). “All About Laughter: Humor in Contemporary Art,” looks at the multifaceted role of humor in contemporary art throughout the world. Start 2007 with a double dose of laughter at the Mori Art Museum! (www.Artdaily.org)

Clay Mask (Excavated from Butsunami site), Late Jomon Period. Collection: Osaka Center for Cultural Heritage