Moves are being made to utilize artwork and art museums to promote local revitalization in a notable number of cases. Efforts to enrich people's minds and their communities should be further expanded.
Precedents have been set by such endeavors on Naoshima, Teshima and other islands in the Seto Inland Sea. In Teshima, illegal dumping of industrial waste became a problem at one time.
Each island there is dotted with peculiarly shaped structures and sculptures, among other things. These artifacts attract many people from other parts of Japan and abroad, as visitors are moved by the peaceful atmosphere they create, blending into the natural environment.
Artwork can stir the emotions of anyone who looks at it. Some people may experience a strange feeling when they stand in front of peculiarly shaped artwork. If this potential power is given full play, it is possible to gather people and create a lively atmosphere.
The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, located in the central district of the city, is a popular site that attracts more than 2 million visitors annually. People can readily visit the glass-covered museum, and enjoy the fanciful contemporary artwork exhibited there.
It is safe to say that a distinctive space has great potential in this respect.
A growing number of facilities are exercising ingenuity in an effort to properly convey the appeal of excellent works to visitors.
Create lively atmosphere
Worthy of note is an interactive style of appreciation in which visitors are allowed to freely converse with each other while looking at artwork. Different people feel differently about each piece of art. Knowing how others view it can enhance one's powers of imagination and creativity. This style of appreciation seems like it could be utilized in educational and business activities.
A system for admitting people to facilities at specific times and dates lets visitors view artwork without being in a rush. On a trial basis, the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum in Tokyo's Marunouchi district has set aside special days for people to visit the facility with their children and enjoy looking at artwork without any hesitation.
Some museums allow visitors to photograph artwork with their smartphones and spread related information through social networking services. This is aimed at getting their exhibits widely recognized. Permitting various styles of appreciation helps make art museums familiar to people.
Needless to say, efforts to create a lively atmosphere at museums must be based on the assumption that they have the ability to collect excellent work. It is important to secure curators who can discern the values of artwork.
It is also effective to hold creative events in cooperation with companies that have strong planning abilities. Art festivals regularly held on the islands in the Seto Inland Sea are playing a great role in increasing their name recognition as bases for artwork.
If a place of artwork becomes a popular site, it will make artists want to have their works exhibited there. It is important to build a network through which to utilize artwork.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 13, 2019)
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