Kyoto City Museum of Art Reopens in Spring, 2020

KYOTO,Japan,Dec. 11,2019 -- Widely loved by citizens as one of Japan's oldest public art museum buildings,built 85 years ago in Okazaki,the foremost cultural district of Kyoto,Kyoto City Museum of Art will reopen on March 21,2020 as Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art after an interval of three years.

Courtesy of Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art,Photo: Takeru Koroda

Approx. 5 Billion Yen for 50-Year Naming Rights Contract

In order to minimize the burden on citizens for construction costs totaling over ten billion yen,a naming rights system was introduced and a 50-year contract costing five billion Yen was signed with Kyocera Corporation,a major company headquartered in Kyoto.

Architect Appointed as Museum Director

Following an open call for redevelopment proposals,a collaborative plan by architects Jun Aoki and Tezzo Nishizawa was selected. Active not only as an international architect but also as an artist,Aoki was appointed director of the museum after his deep involvement in the renewal project.

New Wing Dedicated to Contemporary Art,Toward a More Open Art Museum

While making every effort to retain the visage of the main building,the renewal will involve a radical modernization of the museum's function as an exhibition venue. The architecture,which,in the hands of Aoki,seamlessly fuses old and new,is photogenic from any angle,while the Japanese garden seen from the lobby of the new wing centered on contemporary art is majestic. Moreover,a drastic increase in public space including cafe and shop will lead to a museum even more open to citizens.

Opening Exhibition by Hiroshi Sugimoto,Warhol Exhibition in the Same Year

To commemorate the opening of the main building,250 Years of Kyoto Art Masterpieces will be held,while the new wing will present HIROSHI SUGIMOTO- POST VITAM,an exhibition by artist Hiroshi Sugimoto who is at the forefront of the international contemporary art scene.

In the future,the museum has a long-term plan to systematically collect artists' works and materials for a comprehensive collection that permits an overview of the art of Kyoto from the modern period onwards. Under the leadership of a new world-renowned director,the museum aims to widely disseminate the interweaving of various genres through the modern era to today extending from fine art and manga to fashion and architecture,while introducing a new vision of culture in Kyoto where tradition and innovation converge and evolve.

www.kyotocity-kyocera.museum

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