マグカルWEBプチツアーで神奈川県の人気美術館へGO！

(Top image) Yokohama Museum of Art, Photo: Yuichiro Tanaka

Kanagawa Prefecture is home to many art museums, each with its own unique appeal, not only in the artworks they house, but also in their size and location. Spending time surrounded by art or relaxing in an attached cafe is a truly blissful experience that cannot be replaced by anything else. It was truly unfortunate that these museums were forced to close in the first half of 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the state of emergency now lifted, museums are taking various precautions and preparing to reopen. As June approaches, more and more museums are opening, but many people are still unsure when it's time to go out.
So, we asked some popular art museums in the prefecture to share some of their collections and special exhibitions!

Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art

It opened in 1951 within the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura as Japan's first public modern art museum. The former Kamakura building, designed by Junzo Sakakura, closed in 2016 due to deterioration. The museum currently operates as a two-building facility: the Hayama building, which overlooks Isshiki Beach, and the Kamakura Annex, located about a 15-minute walk from Kamakura Station.

[Venue] Kamakura Annex, The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura (currently closed for renovations [until January 2021 (planned)])
[Closed] Mondays, exhibition changeover periods, New Year's holidays (12/29-1/3)
[Opening hours] 9:30-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
[Address] Yukinoshita 2-8-1, Kamakura City
［TEL］ 0467-22-5000

*Hayama Hall

Meanwhile, the Hayama branch was closed for renovations, but reopened on Tuesday, July 1, 2020.

Current exhibitions are here!
[100th anniversary of Japan-Czech relations]
A 100-year journey through Czech design
[Venue] Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, Hayama Hall, Exhibition Rooms 2 and 3
[Period] July 31, 2020 (Friday) – September 22, 2020 (Tuesday/Holiday)
[Closed] Mondays
[Opening hours] 9:30-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
[Address] 2208-1 Isshiki, Hayama-cho
［TEL］ 046-875-2800

Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art
*For more details, please check the official website .

Yokohama Museum of Art

Since its opening in 1989, the museum has been collecting and holding exhibitions focusing on modern and contemporary art, fitting for the international port city of Yokohama. In addition to seven exhibition rooms, it is also home to an art information center with a collection of over 110,000 books, and an atelier where a wide variety of workshops are held, making it one of the largest museums in Japan.
The building, characterized by its impressive and symmetrical exterior, was designed by one of Japan's leading architects, Kenzo Tange.

The Grand Gallery, which consists of a spacious 20-meter-high atrium entrance made of granite and a stepped exhibition space stretching approximately 100 meters on both sides, is a space that can be said to be the symbol of the museum.

This year marks the opening of the Yokohama Triennale, an international contemporary art exhibition held every three years. The museum is currently closed, but preparations are underway for its opening on Friday, July 17th.

[Yokohama Triennale 2020 " AFTERGLOW - Capturing Fragments of Light "]
[Period] July 17th (Friday) – October 11th (Sunday), 2020

Following the conclusion of Yokohama Triennale 2020, an exhibition will be held in collaboration with the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art and the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art. Drawing from the Western art collections of these three large public art museums, the exhibition will trace the footsteps of 20th-century Western art, a time of constant innovation in expressive techniques and concepts, through over 100 works by artists such as Picasso, Klee, Miró, Ernst, Dali, Magritte, Pollock, Bacon, and Richter.

[ Trilogy: 20th Century Western Art Collections from the Yokohama Museum of Art, Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, and Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art ]
[Duration] November 14, 2020 (Sat) - February 28, 2021 (Sun)
[Closed] Thursdays (except February 11, 2021), December 29, 2020 (Tuesday) - January 3, 2021 (Sunday), February 12 (Friday)

The man in a bowler hat appears repeatedly in Magritte's works from the 1920s until his final years. Only his eyes, nose, and mouth remain, and his silhouette projects a landscape of forests and mountains enveloped in tranquility. By painting a distant scene that should be depicted in the background in the foreground, he overturns the rules of painting and invites the viewer into a mysterious, otherworldly world. Magritte is said to have often entrusted the titles of his works to his friends, and in this case, his old friend Scutenaire, who he had known since 1927, testified that he named this work himself. The artist, who explored "what must be depicted for a mystery to exist," also conceals mystery in the relationship between the work and its title. (From Kanai Mayuko, curator at the Yokohama Museum of Art, "Selections from the Yokohama Museum of Art Collection" [2014])

Three motifs reminiscent of human figures are drawn with sharp lines against a pale color palette, forming a vector from left to right. This work was created using Klee's unique technique of "oil transfer," in which he first drew the original sketch, then applied oil-based ink to the back of it and traced the sketch over with a pointed stylus, transferring it to the paper underneath. The original sketch (1922, whereabouts unknown) bears the title "Aggression as Symbol ← Will ← and Execution," and also has "Execution," "Will," and "Symbol" written on the three motifs from left to right. This work thematically explores Klee's thoughts on the creative process of painting itself. (From "Selections from the Yokohama Museum of Art Collection" [2014] by Matsunaga Shintaro, Chief Curator, Yokohama Museum of Art)

Geometric motifs such as straight lines, triangles, rectangles, and crescents combine to create a harmonious picture plane. Kandinsky's appointment to the Bauhaus, a German art school, in 1922 marked a major shift in his paintings from so-called expressionist abstraction to geometric abstraction. This work, produced midway through his Bauhaus period, also shows the influence of the contemporary Russian and Dutch constructivist movements, while its diverse forms and soft colors maintain the artist's unique lyrical sensibility, setting it apart from the strictness of constructivist painting. (From "Selections from the Yokohama Museum of Art Collection" [2014] by Matsunaga Shintaro, Chief Curator, Yokohama Museum of Art)

Yokohama Museum of Art
[Address] 3-4-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama
［TEL］ 045-221-0300
*For more details, please check the official website .

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki

The museum opened in 1999 within Ikuta Ryokuchi Park as a collection and exhibit of 1,779 pieces donated to Kawasaki City by the artist Taro Okamoto. Outside, the museum's symbolic tower, Mother's Tower, the prototype of which was created in 1971, is on display.

The exhibition room inside the museum is designed to convey the trajectory of Taro Okamoto's artworks, writings, performances, fieldwork, and more, and showcases his works with lighting, video, and other effects. It is a space where you can "experience" the world of Taro Okamoto.

Currently, the permanent exhibition room is hosting an exhibition titled "The Road to the Tower of the Sun - The Tower of the Sun was the 'Tree of Life'" (until October 11th).

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art , Kawasaki
[Opening hours] 9:30-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
[Closed] Mondays (except on public holidays), the day after public holidays (except on Saturdays and Sundays), New Year's holidays, and other temporary closing days
[Admission fee] Varies depending on the exhibition, so please check the official website.
[Address] Ikuta Ryokuchi, 7-1-5 Masugata, Tama Ward, Kawasaki City
［TEL］ 044-900-9898

Kamakura Kaburagi Kiyokata Memorial Museum

The following special exhibitions are currently being held.

[Sparkling Summer - Kiyokata and Yushinan]
[Dates] July 4th (Sat) - August 25th (Tue) 9:30-16:20
[Opening hours] 9:30-16:20
[Closed] Mondays
[Admission fee] Adults 200 yen, elementary and junior high school students 100 yen

Inspired by Izumi Kyoka's essay "Ichiyo's Grave" (published in the literary magazine Shinshosetsu in 1900), he visited the Higuchi family grave, which was then located at Tsukiji Honganji Temple, and was inspired by the sketch he made at that time. The figure of Midori, the protagonist of Higuchi Ichiyo's book "Takekurabe," leaning against the Higuchi family grave is based on a sketch he made at that time.

This work was exhibited at the government-sponsored Teiten exhibition. Kiyokata was feeling lost in his creative process, but this work was the one that he described as "completely bringing me back to myself." It is one of his most famous works, and is based on his life in Kanazawa-Hakkei (now Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture), where he had a villa.

" Kamakura City Kaburagi Kiyokata Memorial Museum "
[Address] 1-5-25 Yukinoshita, Kamakura City
［ TEL ］ 0467-23-6405

Chigasaki City Museum of Art

This art museum was established by Chigasaki City in April 1998.
The museum's collection includes approximately 2,000 pieces, mainly by artists and works with ties to Chigasaki, including Yorozu Tetsugoro, who left his mark on the history of modern Japanese Western-style painting, Western-style painter Koyama Keizo, who was awarded the Order of Culture for his solid painting techniques, watercolor painter Mitsuhashi Kyoji, who was fascinated by Spain, Tsuchiya Koitsu, who created captivating woodblock prints depicting landscapes from all over Japan, and up-and-coming artists currently based in Chigasaki.

The museum has been temporarily closed for some time, but is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, July 1st. For those who feel lonely, the museum has kindly provided us with images of its collection.

The rose arch depicted in this work is a scene from the garden of the Franciscan monastery in Cimiez, a suburb of Nice, where Henri Matisse, one of the greatest painters of the 20th century, rests. Matisse is said to have admired Aoyama's colors and remained close friends with him until his death.

Man moved from Koishikawa, Tokyo to Chigasaki to recuperate from an illness in March 1919. From then on, he fell in love with Chigasaki's pine forests, the sound of the waves, and the gentle breeze from the sea.

Chigasaki City Museum of Art
Address: 1-4-45 Higashikaigankita, Chigasaki City
［TEL］ 0467-88-1177
*For more details, please check the official website .

Yokosuka Museum of Art

The museum opened in 2007 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the city's founding. The museum is located in a blessed environment, surrounded on three sides by the lush greenery of the prefectural Kannonzaki Park, with Tokyo Bay stretching out before it. The museum has an open space with large and small circular holes in the ceiling and sides, allowing visitors to always feel the surrounding nature even inside the museum.
The museum features a collection of works by Western-style painters Asai Kan'emon and Kawabata Minoru, as well as other artists with ties to Yokosuka.

Yokosuka Museum of Art
[Opening hours] 10:00-18:00
[Closed] First Monday of every month (open on public holidays), December 29th to January 3rd
[Admission fee] Adults: 380 yen, High school students, university students, and those 65 and older: 280 yen, Junior high school students and younger: Free
[Address] Kamoi 4-1, Yokosuka City
［TEL］ 046-845-1211

Okada Museum of Art

The museum opened in Kowakudani, Hakone in 2013. It boasts the largest indoor exhibition area in Hakone, and regularly displays around 450 pieces of art, including Japanese and Asian ceramics and paintings. Its appeal lies in the wide range of ways it can be enjoyed, including a footbath cafe in front of the large mural "Kaze Toki" (Wind and Time) of the wind god and thunder god painted by contemporary Japanese painter Fukui Kotaro.

[ Celebrating the 260th Anniversary of His Birth: Hokusai's Original Paintings - Along with His Masterpieces of Woodblock Prints and Shunga ]
( Until Sunday, September 27, 2020)
The exhibition features 17 of Hokusai's works, including woodblock prints, prints, and shunga, centering on 11 exquisite original paintings that represent each period of Hokusai's 70-year career, from his 40s to his final years. It also explores the genius Katsushika Hokusai from various angles, including the works of French glass artist Emile Gallé (1846-1904), who was influenced by Hokusai.

Hokusai, who was around 50 years old when he painted Summer Morning, also devoted himself to creating hand-painted portraits of beautiful women, producing many works that are considered masterpieces. In this exhibition, this work will be exhibited alongside another renowned masterpiece, Summer Beauty (private collection).

The world-famous "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" series was created by Hokusai when he was over 70 years old, and was praised for its innovative expression using the latest imported Western art material, Prussian blue (commonly known as "Bero-ai").

The Hakone Open-Air Museum opened in 1969 as Japan's first outdoor art museum. Located in a 70,000 square meter garden overlooking the Hakone mountains, it permanently exhibits 120 masterpieces by leading modern and contemporary sculptors.

The museum reopened on Sunday, June 8th, but some facilities, such as the Net Forest, Bubble Castle, and Kitoki Log Square, which are popular with children, remain closed. However, the attraction here is undoubtedly its pleasant outdoor exhibition space. Once you exit the tunnel from the entrance and emerge outdoors, you will find the garden museum framed by the Hakone mountains.

Léger, a painter active in the first half of the 20th century, created this monument in his later years as a collaboration with architecture. This dynamic work appears to be moving forward with great force towards the sun.

He created this work based on a portrait photograph at the request of the Society of Artists and Authors, but the plaster statue wearing a gown was harshly criticized by the society and was refused to take it. Rodin kept the statue and never took it out of the public's sight. The work was installed and unveiled in Paris in 1939, after his death.

This is a scene from Greek mythology in which Bellerophon rides his winged horse Pegasus to defeat the monster Chimera. Displayed on a 19-meter pedestal, this work stands out outdoors against the sky.

The Hakone Open-Air Museum
[Opening hours] 9:00-17:00 (entry until 16:30)
[Closed] Open daily
[Admission fee] Adults 1,600 yen, University and high school students 1,200 yen, Junior high and elementary school students 800 yen
[Address] 1121 Ninohira, Hakone-machi
［TEL］ 0460-82-1169

Pola Museum of Art

Opened in Hakone in 2002, this museum houses a collection of Western paintings, Japanese Western paintings, Japanese paintings, prints, oriental ceramics, glass crafts, and cosmetics from all over the world, past and present.
The concept behind the construction was "the symbiosis of Hakone's nature and art." The building, which takes into consideration the nature and landscape of Hakone, is limited to a height of just 8 meters above ground, with most of the building located underground, allowing it to blend into the forest.

To allow visitors to see the Impressionist works in their best light, the exhibition room is lit with fiber optic lighting that recreates the atmosphere of a "July evening in Paris." Visitors can enjoy a beautiful world woven together by the outstanding works, the beautiful greenery of nature, and the architectural space filled with light.

The museum reopened on Monday, June 1st, and is currently hosting the following exhibitions.

[Monet and Matisse: Another Paradise]
[Dates] Until Tuesday, November 3, 2020
[Closed] Open every day during the exhibition period (may be closed temporarily due to changing exhibits)
[Opening hours] 9:00-17:00 (entry until 16:30)
[Admission fee] Adults 1,800 yen / 65 years and older 1,600 yen / University and high school students 1,300 yen / Junior high school students and younger free

Monet painted a landscape of a water lily pond and a bridge in the fantastical garden he created. This work is one of a series of 18 works. After this, his interest gradually shifted to the various effects that changing light due to time and weather had on the surface of the pond.

Matisse created this work in 1943 while he was staying at the Régina Hotel in Nice, southern France, having escaped the war. "At times I have tried to achieve a certain balance and expressive rhythm using color alone, and at other times I have tried to confirm the power of arabesque alone," Matisse confessed during this period.

Renoir's joy in painting can be felt in the brushstrokes that convey the texture and lightness of the lace hat. As can be seen in the depiction of the dress, with its skillfully expressed volume at the cuffs, Renoir was skilled at capturing the texture of clothing.

Pola Museum of Art
[Address] 1285 Kozukayama, Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi
［ TEL ］ 0460-84-2111

Take a mini Magcal WEB tour to popular art museums in Kanagawa Prefecture!

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