21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

The founding purpose of the Kanazawa 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art is to "create new culture" and "create new vitality for the town." Since its establishment in 2004, this year has entered its 18th year, shouldering the four major missions of "open art museums". From 1999 to 2006, I participated in the establishment of the 21st Century Museum of Art in Kanazawa. Today, 15 years later, when I serve as the director, I want to reflect on its various meanings again. I want to talk about some key words in the word "open".

Democracy: the democratization of art

One is the “democratization” of contemporary art. By making contemporary art accessible to everyone, we can discuss what we feel about it, reflect internally and take some kind of action, and create new knowledge. An art gallery whose purpose is to sensitize people to the times.

Polyphony/Diversity:

The museum must be open to a wide variety of people, including residents of Kanazawa as well as visitors from Japan and abroad. We accept different people gathered here, and we work together harmoniously while respecting everyone's personality and background culture. A museum where you can hear polyphonic music.

Development: Facing the future

Contemporary art is an expression activity that faces the future, tries new methods, and creates the unknown. An art museum that is constantly open to future possibilities and constantly accepting challenges.

Interaction/Interdependence: Interaction, mutual symbiosis

An art museum that is open and interactive to Kanazawa, a city with a profound cultural history and a high level of citizens’ interest and literacy in art. "The town (city) is the museum, and the museum is the town (city)" refers to a living relationship in which we rely on each other and grow together. SANAA's highly transparent building is circular in shape and quite open in all directions, clearly representing the shape of an organism that grows in interaction with the city.