"What is Important in Life Can Also Be Learned from Appreciating Art" Learning How to Enjoy Life and Art from the Director of the Yokohama Museum of Art | STORY (magacol)
Yokohama Museum of Art Director Mika Kuraya discusses fostering an open museum centered on diversity and how art appreciation teaches vital life skills.Summary
The Yokohama Museum of Art is undergoing a transformation, evolving from a place to view exhibits to a new venue for "creating value," with a full reopening scheduled for February 2025 after major renovations. Director Mika Kuraya took the helm during the pandemic and coinciding with the closure, she redefined the museum's core mission as "diversity." Aiming to create an open space accessible to everyone regardless of age, gender, or disability, especially catering to the many families in the Yokohama area, she emphasized creating welcoming environments, such as placing numerous original chairs in the entrance corridor to seamlessly connect with the public plaza. For those unsure how to enjoy art, Kuraya suggests confronting a piece, verbalizing everything depicted, and then questioning any points of dissonance—a process akin to communicating with the artist from 50 years ago. She believes that the process of observing, verbalizing, communicating, and understanding others—skills essential for navigating the modern era—can be learned through art appreciation, fulfilling the museum's mission to expand dreams through art.
(Source：Yahoo!ニュース)