President of Universidad del Este in Argentina visits TFAM

On May 23, President Maria De Las Mercedes Reitano of Universidad del Este (the Este University) of the Argentine Republic and other members visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, sharing discussions on cultural exchange and viewing the special exhibition, “Samurai Dandyism: The Pride of a Warrior, From Swords to Inro Medicine Cases,” now being held at the museum.

Museum hosts medical research session on health effects of art

On May 8, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum held an orientation on health effects on art (A-Health Japan) as part of an ongoing international medical research initiative. Conducted at museums, the research examines the effects of “participatory art” on people aged 65 and over, investigating how art influences in three categories: wellbeing, quality of life and physical health. This is a pioneering attempt in which museums from ten countries are taking part.

The examinees will participate in such activities as workshops and be asked to answer to an online questionnaire. The research aims to demonstrate that museums and art appreciation activities serve as a means to promote the mental and physical health of senior citizens.

Columbia University scholar speaks at TFAM

On May 2, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum hosted a lecture by Dr. Megan Laverty, associate professor of philosophy and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She spoke on philosophy and art appreciation, and the role museums play in educating the public on art. Yukiko Noguchi, a media interpreter for CNN and public TV network NHK, interpreted the lecture. Following the lecture, participants gathered before works on Napoleon Bonaparte on display at a TFAM permanent gallery to discuss the pieces based on what they learned from Dr. Laverty.

Former Okinawa governor visits TFAM

On April 24, former Governor of Okinawa Prefecture Hirokazu Nakaima visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. He was welcomed by TFAM Executive Director Akira Kaneko, viewing the exhibition “Samurai Dandyism: The Pride of a Warrior, From Swords to Inro Medicine Cases.”

Delegates from Shanghai University Fine Arts College visit TFAM

On April 18, Distinguished Visiting Professor Hu Mingzhe of Shanghai University’s Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts and Academy students visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. The Chinese delegation was welcomed by TFAM Deputy Director Yoshiro Shimizu, later viewing two ongoing exhibitions, “Samurai Dandyism: The Pride of a Warrior, From Swords to Inro Medicine Cases” and “500 Years of Western Paintings.” They spoke on TFAM’s longstanding initiatives to promote cultural exchange with China, as well as on “500 Years of Western Paintings,” which is currently being held at the Powerlong Art Museum in Shanghai, China.

TFAM officials pay courtesy call on PRC embassy in Japan

On April 15, senior representatives of the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum led by Board of Trustees Chair Kazuhiko Oshida and Director Akira Gokita paid a courtesy call on newly-appointed Cultural Counselor Shi Yongjing of the People’s Republic of China Embassy in Minato Ward, Tokyo. They spoke on past China-themed exhibitions held by TFAM—including “Treasures from Dunhuang, China,” “Great Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and “Chinese Characters: A Legacy and Marvel Perfected Over Three Millennia”—that have been realized through a longstanding cultural exchange program between the Japanese museum and China.

“The World of Man Ray” opened

The Tokyo Fuji Art Museum opened two exhibitions—“The World of Man Ray” and “Samurai Dandyism: The Pride of a Warrior, from Swords to Inro Medicine Cases”— on April 2 at its Permanent Gallery in the new annex. The Man Ray exhibition will be shown until June 30.

Man Ray (1890-1976) was a painter, photographer, objet d’art artist and filmmaker who, given his open and outgoing personality, formed friendships with numerous peers in the art world as well as Parisian aristocrats of his day.

The exhibition is divided into three sections—ranging from his stint and creations in New York and Paris to Hollywood—and features 80 of his paintings, photographs, objets d’art, books and film belonging to the TFAM collection.

TFAM Director Gokita pays courtesy call on Nicholas Poussin Museum

On March 15, Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Director Akira Gokita paid a courtesy call on the Nicholas Poussin Museum located in the heart of Normandy, Les Andelys, France.

Les Andelys is where 17th century painter Nicholas Poussin was born; the museum exhibits one of his masterpieces Coriolanus.

Director Gokita was welcomed by senior Les Andelys officials led by Mayor Frederic Duchet and enjoyed the artworks of Poussin guided by a museum curator Ms. Françoise Baron, with Director Sylvain Amic of Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen also in attendance.

PHOTO CAPTION: TFAM Director Gokita (third from left) flanked by Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen Director Amic, Mayor Duchet and others

University of Buckingham Professor Martin Ricketts visits TFAM

On March 19, University of Buckingham Professor of Economic Organization Martin Ricketts of the United Kingdom visited the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. He was welcomed by Executive Director Akira Kaneko and toured the “Léonard Foujita with His Private Works” exhibition as well as the permanent exhibition “From the Renaissance to the 20th Century–500 Years of Western Paintings.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Professor Martin Ricketts (center)

“Flowers of Immense Charm” exhibition closes in Taiwan

The exhibition “Flowers of Immense Charm—A Masterpiece Exhibition by Four Major Museums” held at the National Taiwan Museum (NTM) closed on February 10 with great success. The exhibition had been held from October 2018 with the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum among the four museums—led by NTM and including The National Palace Museum and Chimei Museum—collaborating in the event.

TFAM loaned 25 pieces from its collection of folding-screen paintings and Ukiyo-e woodblock prints from the Edo period as well as modern Japanese works. More than 420,000 people visited the TFAM collection.

TFAM has promoted cultural exchange with Taiwan through such exhibitions as “On Site: A Centennial Retrospective of Robert Capa” (2013) and “Grand Masters of Ukiyo-e from Tokyo Fuji Art Museum’s Permanent Collection” (2016) at the National Taiwan Museum in the past.