National Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo

The National Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo is located in the special Chiyoda district, not far from the Imperial Palace. Achievements of Japanese and Western contemporary art are exhibited here. In addition to exhibition halls, there is a library, a Crafts Gallery and a National Film Center. In society, the museum is called a center of attraction for creative people.

History of creation

Even during the Meiji period, there was an understanding of the need to create a place to demonstrate the achievements of modern art. Hearings were even held in parliament on this matter, but the plan was realized only in the mid-20th century after the end of the World War. The National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo was founded in 1952 in a building designed and renovated by architect Kunio Maekawa, a student of the famous Le Corbusier.

Some time later, the area of the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo was further expanded by acquiring neighboring buildings. The adaptation of one of the premises for exhibition activities in 1969 was carried out by Yoshiro Taniguchi, a hereditary architect. In 2001, further transformations were completed. Exhibition galleries were expanded, a library was opened, recreation space was expanded, and a store and restaurant were added. Work has been carried out to strengthen the building to make it more resistant to earthquakes.

Exposure

The National Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo contains works by some of the most famous artists from the late 19th to 20th centuries, as well as some Western artists from the same period. Paintings by Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Amadeo Modigliani and other popular Western painters are exhibited here.

The museum collection was started by the Japanese connoisseur of beauty Matsukata Kojiro, who searched for ukiyo-e prints all over the world. The first exhibition of woodblock prints took place in Japan in 1925. Currently, the collection of the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo contains about 8,000 pieces of ukiyo-e collected by Matsukata. Of great interest is the collection of works made in the nihonga style using traditional Japanese techniques. Painters used ink, water-soluble paints, and mineral pigments on silk and paper. The Nihonga style (which literally means Japanese painting) was created as a counterweight to Western influence to preserve national identity. This is an exquisite colorful painting, examples of which always delight museum visitors.

Information for visitors

Since 1977, the institution has opened a Crafts Gallery, where textiles, ceramics, varnish, and handicrafts from craftsmen from different countries are exhibited. There is also a research library here. The National Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo houses the National Film Center, which has a collection of about 40,000 films and film materials. Visitors have access to the best examples of Japanese and world cinema, including those designated as the most important cultural objects of Japan.