PRESS RELEASE 2011.10 - senju-museum.jpsenju-museum.jp/download/HSMK_release1010_EN.pdfmuseum will be home to about 100 works of Senju, dated from 1978 to 2011. The museum building

P R E S S R E L E A S E

2 011.10.10

International Cultural College Foundation

This fall, Kokusai Bunka College has opened a new cultural location in Karuizawa, the HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWA. (Location: 815 Shiozawa, Nagakura, Karuizawa-machi, Nagano).

The museum was established to display the works of Hiroshi Senju, the first Asian artist to receive an individual fine arts award at the Venice Biennale for his acclaimed Waterfall paintings in 1995 and exhibits his works worldwide. The museum will be home to about 100 works of Senju, dated from 1978 to 2011.

The museum building was designed by the world-renown architect Ryue Nishizawa, co-winner of the 2010 Pritzker Architecture Prize (with Kazuyo Sejima under the joint name of SANAA.) Senju and Nishizawa, two artists receiving attention at home and abroad, have exceeded the boundaries of architecture and art, to bring out the beauty of the Karuizawa location. Site-specific exhibit spaces make it possible for visitors to comfortably enjoy Senju’s art almost as if they were strolling through the woods.

It is our desire that visitors make new discoveries in the spatial experiences offered by the museum.

○ For further information about HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWA, please contact:

Tsuchiya (Mr.)Person in charge, Preparatory Office of HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWA, International Cultural College FoundationPhone: +81-3-3361-1811 Facsimile: +81-3-3367-3114 E-mail: [email protected]: 4-1-9, Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 169-0075, Japan

H I ROSH I SENJ U MUSEU M K A RU I Z AWA　PR ES S R EL E A SE　2011.10.10

HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWAOpening: October 10 (Monday, national holiday)

The approach to the museum

The museum has approx. 1,500 m² of exhibition space


“Waterfall” on exhibit

A museum that embraces art and nature


The sloping floor line is characteristic

Nightfall installation


Hiroshi Senju

I’ve always believed that beautiful harmony can be created out of a performance by dissimilar items. I had hoped that given the opportunity to create this museum with an avant-garde architect would result in a new kind of space seen nowhere else. And that is exactly what is happening̶a brand-new type of space is appearing before our eyes, one I have come across nowhere else in the world. Here surrounded by the nature of Karuizawa, a popular destination for escaping the heat of summer, we are building a museum full of light. My works are displayed by date, here in this ideal space. I will be delighted if many visitors come to the museum and leave it feeling that they have observed beauty, obtained courage, felt the power to live well up in them, or made a new discovery. That is the sort of experience I hope they have.

Hiroshi Senju Painter. President of Kyoto University of Art and Design. Born in 1958, in Tokyo. He graduated from the Department of Japanese

Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts in 1982. He completed his MFA, The Graduate School of Tokyo University

of the Arts in 1984, and his graduation work was purchased by his University. He completed his Ph.D. (A.B.D) at the Graduate

School of Fine Arts of the same university in 1987, and his graduation work was purchased by The University of Tokyo. In 1995, he

became the first Asian to win an honorable mention prize for work exhibited at the 46th Venice Bienniale, which coincided with the

100th anniversary of the Biennale. In 2002, his works of the sliding-door paintings for the Jukoin Betsuin, Daitokuji, were open to

the public for the first time. He won the 13th MOA Mokichi Okada Award (Grand Prize Award of Painting Division). In 2003, he

produced a wall painting 3 meters in height and 25 meters in length at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. In 2004, he worked as an art

producer/director for the Domestic Terminal 2 building of Tokyo International Airport (Haneda). In 2005, he participated in the 44th

Milano Salone “Lexus L-Finesse” group exhibition, Milan, Italy. Also he participated as a stage director for “All about Noh and

Kyogen: Intangible Cultural Heritage, Tradition in Bloom” at the Exposition of Global Harmony (EXPO 2005). In 2006, he participated

in the 6th Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, Republic of Korea. In 2007, sliding-door painting works for Shofuso were opened to the

public in Philadelphia. In 2008, he produced a wall painting 8 meters in height and 24 meters in length at Akasaka Biz Tower (TBS

renewal building). He also produced a wall painting 2.3 meters in height and 10 meters in length at Shinjuku 3-chome Station of

Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line. In 2009, the main building of Benesse Art Site Naoshima Ishibashi Project was completed and opened

to the public. In 2010, he participated in Setouchi International Art Festival, and produced art works for the new International Flight

Passenger Terminal Building at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), in addition, Senju organized the decoration and composition of

the venue using modern Japanese paintings at APEC Japan 2010. In 2011, he worked as an art director for the wall painting of the

new Terminal Building of JR Hakata Station, and also he worked as an art producer/director for the Domestic Terminal 1 of Tokyo

International Airport (Haneda). He participated in the 5th Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu, China. He held many personal and group

exhibitions, and wrote numerous books.

Photo: Kazuya Yamaguchi


Flat Water #9　1981

Waterfall　1996


The Architecture

○ Concept (Ryue Nishizawa, architect)

Senju asked me to create an open, luminous space where people would observe his works, relax and spend time in contemplation. The museum, which gently hugs the natural slope of the site, has lighting controlled by deep eaves, silver screens, and UV cut glass while allowing in the greenery. The open space was designed to unite Kazurizawa’s nature and Senju’s art. I wanted to create a union of park and space that felt as inviting as a private living room.

Ryue NishizawaArchitect. Born in 1966 in Tokyo. In 1990, he graduated from Yokohama Graduate School of Architecture, Yokohama National

University, and joined Kazuyo Sejima and Associates. In 1995, he founded a firm named SANAA together with Kazuyo Sejima. In

1997, he founded Office of Ryue Nishizawa. In 2001, he was appointed as Assistant Professor at Yokohama Graduate School of

Architecture, Yokohama National University (Y-GSA), and has been a Y-GSA Professor since 2010. His numerous awards include the

Golden Lion Award of the 9th International Architecture Exhibition at the 2004 Venice Biennale of Architecture, and the 2010

Pritzker Architecture Prize. His main works include: International Academy of Media Arts and Sciences (IAMAS) Multimedia Studio*,

Weekend House, Dior Omotesando Store*, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa*, Moriyama House, House A, The

Glass Pavilion of the Toledo Museum of Art*, Marine Station Naoshima*, Stadttheater Almer (De Kunstlinie)*, New Museum*,

Towada Art Center, ROLEX Learning Center*, Teshima Art Museum.

* SANAA design collaborated with Kazuyo Sejima

Photo: Takashi Okamoto


Architecture model


Visual Identity (VI)

○ Concept (Atsuki Kikuchi, designer)

The museum’s symbol mark is a simple single line stretching horizontally. There is no symbol color, allowing the emission of light and reflection to assume a symbolic role. My intention was to avoid being bound by fixed colors or forms in order to reveal how nature evolves over time and the seasons. In other words, I was inspired by the dazzling luminescence of works such as Waterfall and the tranquil surface of Flatwater. The symbol mark also serves to contrast with the organic form of the architecture, emphasizing the space’s singularity. I proposed a design that would complement both the artwork and space, as well as function as part of the museum experience.

Atsuki KikuchiArt director. Born in Tokyo in 1974. He left the Department of Sculpture, the Musashino Art University before graduating. In 2000, he

established a design company, “Bluemark”. In 2011, he closed the company and then established Atsuki Kikuchi Ltd. His main works

include the Visual Identity (VI) Design for Aomori Museum of Art and Yokohama Triennale 2008, Poster/brochure works for

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art and 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, branding

design for the fashion brand “minä perhonen” and “Sally Scott”, seasonal visual design for the brand of “ISSEI MIYAKE MEN”, and

art direction for the magazine Shun’ga marugoto. His many awards include Japan Graphic Designer Association (JAGDA) New

Designer Awards, Tokyo ADC Award, NY TDC Award, Incentive Award of Japan Sign Design Association (SDA) Award, and Silver

Award of Japan Package Design Award (JPDA). He published a collection of works PLAY. He works as Visiting Professor at the

Tohoku University of Art & Design.


Overview of the Museum

□ Name HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWA　

□ OpeningOctober 10, 2011 (Monday, national holiday)

□ HoursStandard Hours: 9:30-17:00 (Closed Tuesdays)Summer Hours: 9:30-18:00 (July to September: Open 7 days a week)Closed for the winter: December 26 to the end of February

□ AdmissionAdults 1,200 yen / College or high school students 800 yenElementary or Junior high school students and younger Free / Disabled visitors Free

□ Location815 Shiozawa, Nagakura, Karuizawa-machi, Nagano, 389-0111, Japan Phone: +81-267-46-6565

□ AccessFrom Karuizawa Station (JR Nagano Shinkansen/Shinano Railway): About 10 minutes by taxiFrom Naka Karuizawa Station (Shinano Railway): About 5 minutes by taxiBy car from Usui Karuizawa IC (Joshinetsu high way): About 15 minutes.

□ ParkingAvailable for up to 50 private vehicles, 30 bicycles, and 5 motor-coaches

□ Officeial web sitehttp://senju-museum.jp

□ Management　International Cultural College Foundation　Phone: +81-3-3361-1811

□ President　Shigeho Shinagawa


Overview of Facil it ies

□ Site area: Approx. 10,000m²

□ Design and supervision: Office of Ryue NishizawaYasui Hideo Atelier（Shop/Café）

□ Construction: Shimizu Corporation and Sasazawa ConstructionSasazawa Construction （Shop/Café）

□ Building structure: Steel-frame constructio, Reinforced concrete

□ Total floor area: Exhibition space: 1,490.51m² / Museum office: 128.16m² / Gallery: 199.75m²Shop: 34.87m² / Café: 95.39m²

□ Other facilities・The Color Leaf GardenExperience the colorful landscaping featuring 60000 plants of 150 varieties.・Café　Enjoy an assortment of refreshments, as well as bread from Karuizawa’s venerable boulangerie, “Asanoya.”・ShopDiscover original goods, limited edition prints, glass objects and “Higashiya” Japanese sweets.

The Gallery will house special exhibitionsThe Color Leaf Garden The museum office


PR Visua ls

PR visuals are available for download. Register at the URL below.

http://senju-museum.jp/press/

【Requests for the use of PR visuals】

● Include credits when using photographs.

● Avoid trimming, printing on, and secondary use of photographs.

● Send us the article lay-out ahead of time for fact checking.

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01 02 03 04

05 06 07 08

09 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17

credits

01-08　PHOTO : DAICI ANO　©HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWA

09-15　©HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWA

09　Warterfall　1996

10　Falling Color　2005

11　Flatwater #9　1991

12　Moon Echo　2006

13　When the Stardust Falls #10　1994

14　When the Stardust Falls #14　1994

15　A Far　1978

16　Photo : Kazuya Yamaguchi

17　Photo : Takashi Okamoto


Documents

PRESS RELEASE 2011.10 - senju-museum.jpsenju-museum.jp/download/HSMK_release1010_EN.pdfmuseum will be home to about 100 works of Senju, dated from 1978 to 2011. The museum building