[The Magic of Art 06] Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki: Unwavering Passion for Art

The Taro Okamoto Museum of Art in Kawasaki is expected to have reached a cumulative total of 2 million visitors by March 2025. Visitors can view the precious works donated by artist Taro Okamoto, who created the Tower of the Sun, the symbol of the 1970 World Exposition in Japan (Osaka Expo), and who also served as the exhibition producer for the Theme Pavilion, at the age of 80. With the Expo once again being held in Osaka, we spoke with curator Reiko Sato about this museum, which has been gaining attention.
(Top image: "Red Room" at Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki)

About Taro Okamoto as a person

Taro Okamoto was born on February 26, 1911, as the eldest son of manga artist Ippei Okamoto and poet and novelist Kanoko Okamoto, in Takatsu Village, Tachibana District, Kanagawa Prefecture (now Futago, Takatsu Ward, Kawasaki City), where Kanoko's family home is located. Raised in an artistic family, he enjoyed drawing from an early age, but by the time he entered junior high school, he began to wonder about the meaning of drawing and was unsure about becoming a painter.

-It's a wonderful art museum surrounded by the nature of Ikuta Ryokuchi.

Kawasaki City is Taro Okamoto's birthplace and a place filled with family memories. Between 1989 and 1991, a special exhibition on the Okamoto family was held at the Kawasaki City Museum (currently closed), which led to the decision to donate his major works to Kawasaki City, leading to the construction of this museum. The first donation included approximately 300 paintings and sculptures. The second donation included approximately 1,500 pieces of industrial design, prints, drawings, and writings. The museum now houses approximately 1,800 pieces, including representative postwar works.

-I heard that you hold special exhibitions four times a year.

Sato : Yes, we have five curators in charge. Our permanent exhibition changes its appearance to coincide with the special exhibitions, so it's popular with repeat visitors because they can see new works every time they visit. Depending on the theme, we also hold museum-wide exhibitions that eliminate the distinction between permanent and special exhibitions.

-It's definitely worth seeing. By the way, what impression do you have of Taro Okamoto, Mr. Sato?

Sato: I've been involved with the museum since its opening, and at first I simply thought of him as an artist. However, the more I learned about him, the more I was amazed by his depth of insight, and now I see him as more of a thinker.

Taro Okamoto graduated from Keio Gijuku Futsubu in March 1929 and enrolled in the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) the following month, but took a leave of absence in December. He accompanied his family on a trip to Europe to cover the London Disarmament Conference. He studied under sociologist and anthropologist Marcel Mauss at the University of Paris (Sorbonne). His study of ethnology gave him an interest in indigenous beliefs and ethnic rites, and I believe this new perspective indirectly influenced his work.

Farewell to his mother and meeting Picasso

After seeing his parents off to return to Japan, Taro Okamoto remained alone in Paris to pursue his own artistic expression. Despite learning a lot, his doubts about art still lingered. One day, he happened to stop by an art gallery and was shocked by Pablo Picasso's work, "Jug and Fruit Bowl."

-During your 10 years in Paris, you learned about ethnology and Picasso, which became the guiding principle for your work.

After witnessing the new depictions in Sato Picasso's works, he began to devote himself to painting and other activities with the idea of "polarism," with the goal of surpassing Picasso.

-Around the same time, I experienced a final separation from my mother, Kanoko.

The last time he saw Sato's parents was in Paris, when they returned to Japan. The Okamoto family had an unusual upbringing, but Kanoko's attitude towards his work and his approach to art was strongly influenced by her. The museum's symbolic tower, "Mother's Tower," was created to faithfully recreate the image of a rich, voluptuous mother with kindness. It was designed to face the Okamoto Kanoko Literary Monument "Pride," which was erected by Taro on the banks of the Tama River in 1964.

Carrying on the works and thoughts

-Taro Okamoto has left behind works in many fields, not just painting. He also created many public art pieces, such as the Tower of the Sun, which was recently recommended as an Important Cultural Property.

Sato: Taro Okamoto is a multifaceted artist, with numerous objects and monuments throughout Japan. He not only created large works, but also many photographs and writings, and has a wide range of connections. It is no exaggeration to say that our museum "represents the essence of Taro Okamoto's art." We hope to continue to convey the appeal, breadth, and depth of his work.

Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki
Address: 7-1-5 Masugata, Tama Ward, Kawasaki City, Ikuta Ryokuchi
Phone number: 044-900-9898
Official website: here