August 21, 2017
Immerse yourself in Japanese art
Some suggestions for those looking for a hands-on experience in Japanese art.
By Seira Duncan
Ever wanted your visual masterpiece to be part of an art exhibition? Do you want your museum experience to go beyond observing art? Whether you are crazy-for-ceramics, a folding-screens-fan, ornaments-obsessed, a painter or an art addict in general, these museums in the heart of Tokyo invite you to immerse yourself in the dynamic Japanese art scene.
Celebrating a Decade in Roppongi
A Wonderland of Japanese Art 2017
Open daily until the end of the month, the exhibition presents you with numerous facets of Japanese art. On the the 31st of August tea ceremonies will be held in the Genchoan Tea Ceremony Room. In terms of the art exhibition, think folding screens from hundreds of years ago, sake cups made of glass and objects with ink-spray. You can even create your very own kimono design which will become part of the exhibition. The museum hosts a shop with a myriad of stunning Japanese items, including exclusive products echoing the exhibition’s style. If the displayed art satisfies your visual appetite and fuels a thirst for artistic flavour, drop by the café and enjoy some colourful Japanese delights. Ticket prices for the exhibition are 1000 yen for adults and 800 yen for college and high school students. For both, advanced tickets are available (and a few hundred yen cheaper). The museum is connected to Roppongi Station and is a stone’s throw away from the National Art Center and the Mori Art Museum.
Japanese Expanded Cinema Revisited
The 1960s saw artists deviate from established media and encourage the audience to interact with their art. The settings in which artists presented their works included galleries as well as outdoors. Japanese Expanded Cinema Revisited at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum will touch on Japan’s contribution to this transnational phenomenon. Works by artists such as Azuchi Shuzo Gulliver, Iimura Takahiko, Oe Masanori, Sasaki Michiko, Jonouchi Motoharu, Matsumoto Toshio and Manabe Hiroshi will be exhibited. The show starts on August 15 and ends on October 15. Ticket prices are 600 yen for adults, 500 yen for college students and 400 yen for high school and junior high school students as well as visitors over the age of 65. The museum also organizes workshops and lectures. If you decide to visit, don’t forget to check out the free-of-charge Tokyo Photographic Art Museum Library. Want to join the fun? The building is a short distance from JR Ebisu Station.
Crafts Gallery for Kids x Adults: Furnishings-Forms to be HAPPY
In celebration of the gallery’s 40th birthday, the Crafts Gallery at the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo will exhibit stylish everyday objects ranging from furniture to plates. On its website the museum shares with readers the positive influences such articles have on their surrounding space. “Before we even notice it,” the museum writes, “a room lights up, filled with a calm presence we experience with a sense of delight.”
The exhibition is open until September 3 and is accompanied by a Touch & Talk event during which you can touch pieces. The event is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the exhibition period from 14:00 to 15:00. Similar to the Suntory Museum of Art, the Crafts Gallery has a museum shop and a library. Brimming with excitement but saving up? No problem! Admission is free on September 3.
Crafts Gallery at the National Museum of Modern Art
Discounts, anyone? The Tokyo Museum Grutto Pass 2017 can be used at 80 locations. The price is 2000 yen and the pass is valid for 2 months. They are available for purchase at all 80 destinations. The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum and Crafts Gallery at the National Museum of Modern Art are two of the museums. A discount coupon for the Suntory Museum of Art is available on its website under the Visit section. At some museums, visitors are required to enter at least 30 minutes before the closing time.
