Durham research is supporting a new exhibition inspired by the works of Lafcadio Hearn.
Hearn is a writer who went to school in County Durham, UK, and went on to transform Western understandings of Japan in the 19th century.
‘Kwaidan: Encounters with Lafcadio Hearn’ at Ushaw Historic House and Gardens brings together 40 prints inspired by Hearn’s supernatural tales, created by artists in Japan and Ireland.
The exhibition has been brought to Durham by Dr Fraser Riddell in our Department of English Studies, in collaboration with arts and culture organisations from Ireland and Japan.
Inspiring figure
Durham research has been central to the rediscovery of Lafcadio Hearn’s stories, essays and travel writing.
It has also generated fresh knowledge about how 19th century writers imagined an expanding world.
Dr Riddell said: “Lafcadio Hearn’s journey from his birthplace in Greece and school in Durham to his adopted homeland of Japan made him one of the 19th century’s most distinctive writers.
“This exhibition shows that his transnational ghost stories continue to spark the imagination of readers and artists today.
“While Hearn is now little-known in Britain, in Japan he remains one of the most celebrated Western interpreters of Japanese culture.”
North East England’s literary heritage in a global context
Our collaboration with Ushaw is part of the University’s wider commitment to deepening our understanding of the cultural heritage of our region.
Dr Riddell has previously worked with our Oriental Museum to think about how Hearn’s writings can bring to life its collection of Japanese artefacts for new audiences.
The new exhibition at Ushaw runs until November 2, 2025 and is accompanied by a range of public events, including contributions from our Faculty of Arts and Humanities researchers.
These include Dr Amanda Hsieh, Department of Music, sharing her work on music and politics between Japan and Western Europe in the early 20th century.
And Dr Hansun Hsiung of our School of Modern Languages and Cultures who will reflect on his research on Japan and the history of science.
Main image shows (left) Lafcadio Hearn and Koizumi Setsu. Image credit: The Koizumi Family, and (right) the front cover of ‘Kwaidan’ first edition. Image credit: Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum.
AloJapan.com