In the Bikan Historical Area, there is a Renaissance-style bank building that was constructed during the Taisho era.
After completing extensive exterior and interior renovations, it has been renewed as the new Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery (tentative name).
It opened temporarily on October 1, 2021.
Contemporary artist Yanobe Kenji's works are on display for a limited time.
The large statue of a girl, which stands out in the spacious area, moves occasionally!
After the official opening, there will be an admission fee, but for the time being, admission is free.
What kind of thoughts are embedded in the meditating girl statue?
We will introduce the reasons for the "temporary opening," the works that can be seen now, the museum shop pop-up store, and the backyard that was opened to the media.
In preparation for the grand opening, general public access ended on November 30, 2022 (Wednesday).
The facility will be named "Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery," and preparations are currently underway for the grand opening at the end of the 2024 fiscal year.
What is the Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery / New Kojima Gallery (tentative name)
The building that was used as the "Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch" until 2016 is a registered tangible cultural property of the country.
It is one of the facilities that supported the development of modern Kurashiki.
The decorations on the columns and the stained glass are beautiful and eye-catching.
It was designed by Yakushiji Kazue, who also designed the main building of the Ohara Museum of Art.
The Ohara Museum of Art has rebuilt this bank building as a museum, which is the "New Kojima Gallery (tentative name)."
For details about the building's history and its relationship with the Ohara Museum of Art, please read the next article.
First, let me tell you about the plans and current status of the New Kojima Gallery (tentative name).
Plans for the New Kojima Gallery (tentative name)
In January 2020, the Ohara Museum of Art announced its policy for the opening of the New Kojima Gallery (tentative name).
The New Kojima Gallery (tentative name) will have the following functions:
- Exhibition and preservation of art works
- Base for educational outreach and appreciation support projects
- Research institution functions
- Preservation and utilization of the building
The following items are planned to be exhibited and preserved:
- Ancient art from Egypt, West Asia, and others
- Works by Kojima Torajiro
Reasons for the temporary opening
Construction began as planned, but due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial situation of the Ohara Museum of Art worsened.
Before the pandemic, the number of visitors to the Ohara Museum of Art was about 300,000 annually, but in the 2020 fiscal year (April 2020 to March 2021), the number of visitors plummeted to about 70,000.
In the 2021 fiscal year, it slightly recovered to about 100,000, but this is only one-third of the pre-pandemic numbers.
As a private institution that has covered most of its operating costs (about 80%) with admission fees, the Ohara Museum of Art faced a severe blow from closures and visitor restrictions.
Various efforts were made, including crowdfunding in 2020, but the financial situation remains challenging.
The New Kojima Gallery (tentative name) was not originally built for the exhibition of art.
To display art, it is necessary to have high-performance display cases that prevent deterioration of the exhibits even in rooms with direct sunlight.
Protecting the works is one of the museum's missions.
However, it is said that equipping the necessary display cases requires funds in the hundreds of millions of yen.
For the following reasons, it has taken the form of a "temporary opening" without displaying the planned items:
- Due to financial difficulties, we cannot start preparing display cases and other facilities
- We cannot compromise on the optimal environment for the works. Without high-performance display cases, we cannot display as planned
- Since the construction of the building is complete, it is better to open it than to keep it closed
According to the Ohara Museum of Art staff, it is in a state of "like having a bathroom and hot water, but no bathtub."
The construction that arranged the appearance and interior, which corresponds to the bathroom, is called "Phase 1 construction," while the installation of display cases, which corresponds to the bathtub, has been postponed to "Phase 2 construction."
There is no clear schedule for the official opening, but the future policy remains unchanged.
Someday, it will welcome many people as a museum where works by Kojima Torajiro and precious ancient art can be seen.
Although the temporary opening was a difficult decision, it is not just about being able to see the building.
To provide some enjoyment for visitors, works by Yanobe Kenji will be displayed for a limited time, and the museum shop will also open!
Now, let’s introduce what can be seen during the temporary opening!
Let's see Yanobe Kenji's works
The highlight of the temporary opening is the work of contemporary artist Yanobe Kenji.
Yanobe Kenji and the Ohara Museum of Art
Yanobe Kenji is a professor in the Department of Fine Arts and Crafts at Kyoto University of the Arts.
He has participated in art festivals such as the "Aichi Triennale 2013" and has held solo exhibitions both domestically and internationally.
His works focus on the theme of science and technology and humanity, creating large three-dimensional pieces.
At the "Setouchi Triennale 2013," he also gained attention for a collaborative work with Beat Takeshi on Shodoshima Island in Kagawa Prefecture.
His large robot-like works reminiscent of pop culture are likely to attract children's interest as well.
Yanobe has had a relationship with the Ohara Museum of Art for some time.
In 2010, he exhibited his created characters "Lucky Dragon" and "Tora-yan" at a special exhibition held at Yurin-so Villa, which is owned by the Ohara Museum of Art.
He draws parallels between the figures who laid the foundation for the Ohara Museum of Art, Ohara Magosaburo and Kojima Torajiro.
Magosaburo was born in the Year of the Dragon and had a fondness for dragon motifs.
The dragon depicted on the "Imabashi" bridge in front of the Ohara Museum of Art is also because Magosaburo liked dragons.
In 2011, Yanobe conceived a monument of a boy called "Sun Child," which gazes powerfully toward the future, inspired by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
It was also exhibited at a special exhibition at the Ohara Museum of Art in 2013.
Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the "Sun Sister," which is like an older sister to "Sun Child," was born.
Sun Sister (Reverse)
For the New Kojima Gallery (tentative name), the "Sun Sister" has been revamped and has come to Kurashiki.
That is, "Sun Sister (Reverse)."
Here is a message from Yanobe Kenji.
"Sun Sister" sits with her eyes closed in deep meditation, then stands up while spreading her arms and opening her eyes, symbolically representing the arrival of dreams and hopes for regeneration.
This time, at the request of the Ohara Museum of Art, as we reintroduce the bank building that has been loved by people for nearly 100 years as a new museum facility, I chose the themes of "reincarnation" and "regeneration." I decided to present "Sun Sister (Reverse)" as a motif of the phoenix, which is reborn again and again, wishing for the "reincarnation" of the building and the "regeneration" of Kurashiki and the Ohara Museum of Art, which have been severely impacted by the pandemic.
The costume was collaboratively created with students from Kyoto and Fukushima, adorned with many spiritual beasts and guardian deities such as dragons, tigers, kirin, and turtles, and the skirt rises like the feathers of the phoenix, wishing for "regeneration" and taking flight. I hope "Sun Sister (Reverse)" brings bright signs to the people of Kurashiki.
From the press tour distribution materials
Normally, it is 4 meters tall, and when it stands up, it reaches a height of 5.6 meters.
Opportunities to see such a large three-dimensional work are rare, don't you think?
Please pay attention to the strong dragons and tigers adorned on the fluffy and cute outfit.
The white reliefs (bas-reliefs) may have been created with the architecture of the New Kojima Gallery (tentative name) in mind.
At the feet, a mobile sparkles.
During the interview in September 2021, it was mentioned that the time for "Sun Sister (Reverse)" to stand up was undecided.
If you happen to encounter it with its eyes open, you might be lucky.
It is also a nice point that photography is allowed inside the gallery.
Akauishi Funamori Engi Neko (red lacquer boat guardian cat)
Utilizing a space that was once a bank vault, the exhibit features the "Red Lacquered Boat Guardian Cat."
Behind the heavy door, a glossy cat made of lacquer sits elegantly.
This is a collaboration between Mr. Yanobe and craftsmen from Kyoto.
During the Age of Exploration, rats that gnawed on cargo and ships were a great enemy to sailors, as they carried diseases.
Cats, which exterminated rats and protected crew members from illness, were cherished as a source of comfort and as guardians of the ship.
On the back of the cat, an Amabie is depicted.
You can also see the back side at the venue, so please take a close look.
There are many other auspicious motifs depicted, so surely there are wishes for happiness embedded within.
Let's shop at the Ohara Museum Shop
During the provisional opening, a pop-up store of the Ohara Museum of Art (a store that opens for a specific period) is also available.
It sells different products than those at the "Ohara Museum Shop" next to the Ohara Museum of Art.
There are plans to introduce goods featuring an illustration of "Sun Sister" drawn by Kenji Yanobe.
For example, the following products were available:
- T-shirts exclusive to New Kojima Hall (tentative name)
- Original masking tape
- Books on Matisse
- Earrings that you can assemble yourself
- Coloring books featuring Gauguin
- Books related to Japanese patterns and colors
These are also recommended as souvenirs from Kurashiki.
Let's see the empty exhibition room
During the provisional opening, works by Kojima Torajiro and antique art pieces are not displayed, but the exhibition room is complete.
It is rare to see a "display room without exhibits."
The first-floor exhibition room has light gray walls.
The second-floor exhibition room has distinctive red walls!
This exhibition room is planned to display works by Kojima Torajiro.
You might feel it is flashy.
I was surprised at first glance.
However, in the main building of the Ohara Museum of Art, the red walls and the paintings of Kojima Torajiro match very well.
Therefore, it seems they decided on a bold color, thinking that "the paintings will stand out in New Kojima Hall (tentative name) as well."
How will the works look when displayed in this red room?
I am looking forward to the official opening even more.
There is also a lecture room that can accommodate about 50 people.
The wall next to the lecture room is made of bricks from the Taisho era.
This is one of the efforts to preserve cultural properties.
Feel the ingenuity of the building
A round window, which is not in a prominent location but catches the eye, is visible.
From the window, you can see the pine trees of Yurin-so Villa.
The main building of the Ohara Museum of Art also features round windows.
It is nice to feel the connection.
The building is equipped with an elevator, and the stairs have two handrails, with wide corridors designed to be barrier-free.
The multipurpose restroom is equipped with an ostomate facility.
The back side of New Kojima Hall (tentative name) has a mirrored upper section to avoid a sense of oppression.
Please be sure to walk along the back road as well.
In the latter half, we will introduce the ingenuity of the backstage that is usually not visible.
Completion Ceremony on September 7, 2021
On September 7, 2021, a completion ceremony was held, attended by about 20 stakeholders to celebrate the completion.
Press Tour for Provisional Opening on September 29, 2021
On September 29, 2021, a press tour for the media was held ahead of the provisional opening, allowing us to see the backstage that is not open to the public.
Since large-scale renovations cannot be made to the cultural property from the Taisho era, functions related to preservation and research are packed into the newly constructed section.
The first floor of the newly constructed section features a truck yard essential for loading and unloading artworks, as well as a place for sorting goods.
It is designed to allow the transportation of artworks using an elevator.
It felt spacious, but according to the explanation, "the truck yard is just barely large enough for a museum-sized elevator and a typical 4-ton vehicle to fit on the premises."
There are also storage spaces and rooms for simple artwork repairs.
I realized that various functions are necessary for the operation of the museum, even in areas not visible to visitors.
Additionally, the back area has been made barrier-free so that a diverse range of staff can work in the future.
Even within the limited space, I felt that the emphasis on staff accessibility is wonderful.
Comment from Deputy Director Morikawa Masanori
During the COVID-19 pandemic, to be honest, there are areas where we are still feeling our way, and the Ohara Museum of Art itself is in a difficult situation.
I believe that initiatives that allow us to share the hardships and move forward are what a new era museum should be.
Currently, there is no admission fee, so I hope many people will visit and see "Sun Sister."
You can also take photos, and I hope it can be used as a meeting place.
Even though we are in a pandemic, all the staff sincerely look forward to welcoming you and hope you enjoy your visit.
Let's visit the New Kojima Hall (tentative) during its temporary opening
The New Kojima Hall (tentative) has become a "temporary opening" in a form that greatly differs from the initial plan.
However, since it can be viewed for free only now, it may be considered a fortunate situation in a sense.
The piece "Sun Sister (Reverse)," which represents the "dream of regeneration and the arrival of hope,"
matches very well with the open space.
I felt that "even in days when movement is difficult, it may be connected to the day we stand up and look to the future."
I feel that the New Kojima Hall (tentative) and the Ohara Museum of Art are exploring better paths with various innovations for the sake of the community and the viewers.
It may seem obvious that "if you go to the museum, you can see real works" and "the works are preserved in good condition."
However, a lot of effort is made behind the scenes to make that "obvious" state a reality.
They could have avoided the temporary opening and just postponed it.
Depending on the perspective, it might be possible to "force a display to save face, sacrificing the preservation condition of the works."
However, the Ohara Museum of Art sincerely faced the works, the community, and the viewers, and took the form of a "temporary opening."
Furthermore, they have prepared works that can only be enjoyed during the temporary opening.
I really like the attitude of the Ohara Museum of Art.
Even without the circumstances, you can simply enjoy Kenji Yanobe's works, and you will surely encounter exciting products in the museum shop!
Please enjoy the temporary opening that is available only now.
Articles about the Ohara Museum of Art
Data on New Kojima Hall (tentative)
| Name | New Kojima Hall (tentative) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-0005 |
| Parking | None |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Closed | Monday |
| Admission Fee (including tax) | Free only during the temporary opening |
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Restrooms | Western-style toilets, barrier-free toilets |
| Childcare | Nursing room, diaper changing station |
| Barrier-Free | Ramps, barrier-free toilets, elevators For restroom use during the temporary opening, please speak to the staff |
| Website | Ohara Museum of Art |
