午夜剧场

Hijiribashi Bridge in Ochanomizu is a popular spot where the intersection of three railway lines makes for a photogenic scene. It is a reconstruction bridge completed in 1927, designed by Mamoru Yamada, a member of Japan's first architectural movement, the Bunriha Kenchikukai (Secessionist Architectural Society). In the "Bunriha Kenchikukai 100 Years" exhibition, Hijiribashi was introduced through a photograph featuring a bright red new Marunouchi Line train. Drawings precisely rendered in traditional shaku-sun measurements on tracing cloth reveal that the parabolic arches—seemingly a manifestation of the most advanced mechanics of the time—were actually sculptural expressions utilizing the plasticity of concrete. Architecture exhibitions bring together various elements, from photographs and drawings to artworks, to approach the essence of architecture.

On the other hand, an exhibition of the modern Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen this past summer was affected by the pandemic, leading to the difficult decision that some exhibited works would inevitably have to be reproductions. Furthermore, curators (couriers) who usually accompany the transport of artworks could not fly, so a method called "virtual couriering" was adopted via web conferencing. The venue was designed by an architect with the image of Finland's white lakes in mind. Through the contemporary art exhibitions at the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, where I worked immediately after graduation, I learned firsthand how to share the beauty that exists only in that specific place.

In the 2018 exhibition "Architecture and Space for Children," we introduced everything from famous school and kindergarten architecture by renowned architects to small structures like "adventure playgrounds" from a broad perspective of urban planning and nurturing the next generation.

The Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art collects the works of the modern French painter Georges Rouault and takes pride in being an orthodox, albeit small, institution. The scope of the collection is likely to continue expanding.

There is a saying about "reading between the lines" or seeing through to the core. For a curator, it is important to have a good eye—one that can constantly observe, be moved, and sublimate those experiences. The role of an architecture exhibition is not limited to introducing buildings or presenting ways of looking at them. Excellent works and the thoughts of their creators overlap to become design for people. Architecture exhibitions convey the relationship between people, society, and beauty. A leading authority on architectural history once told me, "Continue to communicate the interest and depth of art, including architecture. Precisely because the world is a difficult place to live in, people seek the meaning of life, the meaning of connection, and the reasons why they must accept unreasonable things. There must be something that art can do."

As I continue my work, I am blessed with interactions where we exchange information and connect it to the next project to make architecture exhibitions flourish. With everyone's cooperation, I hope to continue enlivening the museum.