Hirokazu Tategata's Danceable LIFE Vol.10

Recharge your batteries at the Yokohama Museum of Art Collection Exhibition!
Hirokazu Tategata (Actor, Dancer, Choreographer)

Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a tough situation, there are always chances to encounter wonderful things. This time, at the suggestion of the Magcal editorial department, we had the opportunity to guide you through the Yokohama Museum of Art. We had a very enjoyable time, so we will report on the whole experience.

The Yokohama Museum of Art opened in 1989. It was designed by the late Kenzo Tange, one of Japan's leading architects. The symmetrical exterior is impressive and overwhelming, but once inside, you'll be greeted by a spacious Grand Gallery that is bright and relaxing.

Tange, who viewed architecture as "urban development," originally wanted to open the building 24 hours a day, making it a space where people could freely come and go. This never came to fruition due to security and other considerations, but it is free to enter during opening hours, and concerts and other events have also been held there, so perhaps it was able to fulfill its function as a "town square."

Looking up from the front of the museum, there is a space in the center that looks like an observation deck.
When I asked the curator, I was surprised to find out that it really was an observation deck!

At the time, there were no tall buildings nearby, so the sea could be seen from here.
This is what the view looks like now. It is usually used for volunteer staff activities and is not open to the public.

Grand Mall Park was developed in front of the museum, and you can feel the bustle of the town that Tange envisioned. Perhaps the construction of this museum was the reason that the town of Minato Mirai has developed to this point.

From here, chief curator Katada Yuko gave us a tour of the "Yokohama Museum of Art Collection Exhibition."

"The theme of this exhibition is 'Yokohama Polyphony: Yokohama and Art from the 1910s to the 1960s.' It was a tumultuous time in which Japan went from Meiji to Taisho to Showa, and Yokohama suffered devastating damage twice, in the Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II, before recovering from those losses. We hope that visitors will be able to see this historical flow through the art."

The prologue and first chapters correspond to the "youth of Western painting" for Japanese people, and you can feel the "passion" of painters who admire Western art and search for "what is Japaneseness?" As they learn Western painting techniques and learn about overseas trends and coolness, they search for what it means for them to paint them. I felt that the conflict of making it their own expression rather than imitating is the same as in the world of dance.

Chapter 3 is "Recovery from the Great Kanto Earthquake."

"While some artists created works that chronicled the Great Kanto Earthquake, two years after the disaster an exhibition showcasing French art was held at the site of the temporary city hall in front of Sakuragicho Station. People were now able to see the real thing, Western paintings that had previously only been available in small black-and-white illustrations, and postcards were apparently also popular as souvenirs."

Chapter 6 featured works by photographers.

"In 1938, the Yokohama Art Association Exhibition established a photography club, the first of its kind in the country. Photography, which had not been recognized as an art form, began to be recognized as a means of artistic expression."

What caught my eye was the work of Tokiwa Toyoko. She is said to be a pioneer among female photographers, and it is wonderful that a female artist was already active in Japan at that time.

What really attracted me was the circular exhibition room, with its high ceiling and very comfortable atmosphere.

"This exhibit features Yoshishige Saito's Interior. He has been creating semi-three-dimensional and abstract expressionist works since before the war. This work was originally created for a rectangular room, but when we held the exhibition Postwar Japanese Avant-Garde Art in 1994, it was exhibited for the first time in this circular exhibition room under the artist's own instructions."

It's bright and open, and a really wonderful space. When you hear avant-garde art, you tend to think it sounds difficult, but being in such a wonderful art space makes you feel very happy.

The last room is the "Today's Artists Exhibition."

"In 1964, the Yokohama Civic Gallery opened and began hosting the 'Today's Artists' Exhibition, showcasing notable contemporary artists. This exhibition showcases works from the gallery's collection that were exhibited in the 1960s, over the 40 years the exhibition has been held."

"In the 1960s, the so-called 'anti-art' movement became more active, and free expression unconstrained by existing frameworks began to emerge in Japan as well. The exhibition here also features Japanese artists parodying the works of great masters such as Marcel Duchamp."

Since the 1960s, there has been an increase in expressions that break away from existing art and attempt to turn space itself into a work of art, neither painting nor sculpture.
Performing arts such as dance are inherently ephemeral, disappearing in an instant, but there are also an increasing number of artworks that are not complete as objects. Contemporary art may be something to be enjoyed with all five senses, including taste, smell, and touch, not just with the eyes.

Finally, we were taken to the observation deck on the 8th floor once again.
It was completely dark outside, and Grand Mall Park was truly beautiful, illuminated all over!

I had always had an image of art museums being somewhat formal, but today I really had fun.
First of all, the museum building itself has a compelling presence, so it's a real pleasure to be inside. I was also surprised by how active the young staff are, including Katada-san, who guided me around. The Yokohama Museum of Art will be closed for an extended period from March 2021 for renovation work. Although the exterior design by Tange will remain almost unchanged, the air conditioning and other facilities will be reborn as more comfortable and youthful, so I'm looking forward to it.

The last special exhibition before the museum closes, "Trialogue," will apparently feature works by my favorite artist, Andy Warhol, so I hope I can visit one more time before it closes.
In that case, please include an explanation!

Yokohama Museum of Art Collection Exhibition
"Yokohama Polyphony: Yokohama and Art from the 1910s to the 1960s"
[Date and time] Saturday, November 14th to Sunday, February 28th, 2021 10:00-18:00 (entry until 17:30)
[Venue] Yokohama Museum of Art
[Closed] Thursdays (except February 11th), February 12th (Friday)
[Fee] Adults: 500 yen, university and high school students: 300 yen, junior high school students: 100 yen, elementary school students and younger: free, persons with a disability certificate and caregivers (1 person) free
*Reservation required for specified date and time
[Organizer] Yokohama Museum of Art (Yokohama Arts Foundation)
[Inquiries] 045-221-0300 (Yokohama Museum of Art)

*Please check the website for opening status in relation to COVID-19.