[The Magic of Art 04] Masterpieces of 20th-century art from Hakone and Yokosuka gather at the Yokosuka Museum of Art

"Resonating 20th Century Art: Hakone Open-Air Museum x Yokosuka Museum of Art," currently being held at the Yokosuka Museum of Art until December 22, 2024, is the second installment of "Connecting Mountains and Sea with Art," a collaboration with museums in the Hakone region. With the cooperation of the Hakone Open-Air Museum, which boasts an excellent collection of 20th-century art including works by Picasso and Moore, this exhibition combines masterpieces from both museums to create an exhibition that allows visitors to enjoy the resonance of art. This time, we spoke with Mr. Takehiko Okamoto, head of operations at the museum, and Mr. Kosuke Kutsuzawa, curator in charge.

A seaside art museum embraced by nature and history

The Yokosuka Museum of Art is located within Kanagawa Prefectural Kannonzaki Park, an area rich in history, including the Kannonzaki Lighthouse, Japan's first Western-style lighthouse, and the remains of a gun battery. The rooftop plaza offers panoramic views of Tokyo Bay, and the museum's design, which allows access from both the sea and the mountains, is also noteworthy.

—It's a beautiful museum, no matter how many times you see it.

Thank you, Okamoto .
Since its opening in 2007, the museum's magnificent location has been one of its attractions. The architect who designed it, Riken Yamamoto, received the 2024 Pritzker Prize, often called the Nobel Prize of architecture, this spring. Its distinctive features include an exterior made of nested glass and steel plates, and the creation of open spaces with large and small circular holes in the ceiling and walls. Due to its beautiful scenery, the museum is often used as a filming location for commercials, movies, and dramas, as well as for magazine shoots, and we are pleased that people come to see us for reasons other than art.

An exhibition to enjoy the interplay of masterpieces from two museums.

This exhibition, themed "Connecting Mountains and Sea Through Art," is a collaborative project between art museums in Yokosuka, located in eastern Kanagawa Prefecture, and Hakone, located in western Kanagawa Prefecture. The first installment, held from April to July 2023, showcased works by René Lalique from the collection of the Hakone Lalique Museum in the Yokosuka Museum of Art's collection exhibition room.

—Could you tell us about the background of this project?

Okamoto: After the self-isolation period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt that there was a growing awareness among us of micro-tourism, which involves enjoying and sightseeing in nearby areas. So I wondered if we could leverage that style and collaborate on cultural and artistic activities within the prefecture. That's when I started attending a meeting of the Hakone Promotion Forum, which was working on rebuilding the Hakone brand.

In the first phase, some visitors commented, "I've wanted to see René Lalique's work for many years, but I couldn't make it to Hakone. I'm so happy to be able to enjoy it locally." During the exhibition period, original goods were sold at each other's museum shops, collaborative menus were offered at the adjoining restaurants, and other area exchanges took place beyond the exhibitions. I heard that in Hakone, they offered dishes using Yokosuka vegetables and Miura vegetables.

—In the second phase of the exhibition, which is currently underway, there are many sculptures on display along with paintings.

Kutsusawa: The Hakone Open-Air Museum, which kindly cooperated with us on this project, has built an excellent collection, primarily of modern sculpture, since its opening in 1969 as Japan's first open-air museum. Of the 39 works we borrowed for this exhibition, 21 are three-dimensional works.

—Differences in the exhibition environment can also change the impression of the artwork.

Even works you may have seen at the Kutsusawa Open-Air Museum may take on a different appearance in our unique space. Three gigantic "ear" sculptures by Tomio Miki, a sculptor who dedicated his life to the left ear, are on display in the entrance hall. Listen carefully to the words that these works seem to be speaking to you.

As a museum rooted in the local community

The Yokosuka Museum of Art serves as a bridge connecting art and the local community. It also houses the "Rokuro Taniuchi Museum," dedicated to Rokuro Taniuchi, a painter who had his studio near Kannonzaki Park and continued to create cover illustrations for the weekly magazine "Shukan Shincho" throughout his life, starting from its inception.

—The Rokuro Taniuchi Museum is currently hosting the Rokuro Taniuchi "Adults" exhibition, featuring his cover illustrations for Shukan Shincho, until February 16, 2025.

Okamoto: This time, we have a unique exhibition that focuses on the adults who appear in the cover illustrations of Rokuro Taniuchi, whose works overwhelmingly feature depictions of children.

Rokuro Taniuchi had a signature dish he used to make for his family called "Soup You Can Eat as Much As You Want." To coincide with his birthday on December 2nd, last year at the end of November, a soup made by simmering meat and vegetables in milk was included in the school lunch menus of Yokosuka City elementary and junior high schools and special needs schools. During lunchtime, videos introducing Rokuro Taniuchi's artwork and the soup that we provided were also shown, and I think that local artists and art left a lasting impression on the children.

—I think that's a wonderful initiative.

Okamoto: In addition, I also recommend the free museum exhibition guide app, "Pocket Curator." It introduces explanations of the works in our collection and brief biographies of the artists, and features narration by former NHK announcer Touko Takeuchi and members of the Yokosuka Sogo High School Drama Club. Currently, explanations for about 120 works are available, and we will continue to add more works in the future, so please try using it when you visit the museum.

Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)

Yokosuka Museum of Art
Address: 4-1 Kamoi, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Phone number: 046-822-4000 (Yokosuka City Call Center)
Official website: Click here