[Exhibition Report] KAMU kanazawa: Contemporary Art Appreciation x Walking Around Kanazawa = A New Experience!

[#290, approx. 4,100 characters, approx. 40 photos]
During my 2-day, 1-night Kanazawa art trip, I went to KAMU kanazawa. I will write my impressions and review here.

▶︎ Summary

During my trip to Kanazawa, I thought this was recommended for people who especially like contemporary art! This is mainly because 1) you can encounter impactful works by artists like Leandro Erlich, 2) by walking around the central city area of Kanazawa, you can get a sense of the local atmosphere, and 3) because there is no fixed route, you can enjoy it flexibly. Since it was a "museum" of a type I've never seen before, it was a fun experience!

▶︎ Reason for visiting

There are lots of museums in Kanazawa! Whether it's contemporary art, Japanese art, or libraries with beautiful architecture, you can't get around to everything in 2 days and 1 night. I decided to focus mainly on "contemporary art" and "architecture", and added KAMU kanazawa to my list of candidates.

▼ Posts that were helpful for Kanazawa x Contemporary Art

▶︎ Access

" KAMU Center," which is the starting point for KAMU kanazawa, is about a 3-minute walk from the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.

▶︎ What is KAMU kanazawa?

While KAMU kanazawa (hereinafter referred to as KAMU) is called a "museum," it adopts a format where participants tour art scattered throughout the city.

KAMU is an abbreviation for "K(⚫︎)en A(⚫︎)rt M(⚫︎)u(⚫︎)seum." It is named after the owner, Kentaro Hayashida, who studied design in Kanazawa.

The price is relatively high at 2,000 yen, but I thought, "I've come all the way to Kanazawa, so what the heck!" and pressed the button on the ticket machine.

✔️ Overall feel

Exhibited works change from time to time. In July, the following were being held. Bold text indicates the places I visited. Due to time constraints, I couldn't visit everything. However, because I was able to have a special experience while traveling, I felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

• Utility poles in the city

• KAMU Center

• Flag Art Project

• KAMU SsRg

• KAMU sky

• 076- Museum Shop & cafe

• Shintenchi

• KAMU L

• KAMU Black Black

Since the artworks are scattered throughout the city, I thought it was a benefit to not be tied down by time. In fact, I followed this route: 21st Century Museum → KAMU Center → D.T. Suzuki Museum → Taniguchi Yoshiro, Yoshio Memorial Kanazawa Architecture Museum → the remaining KAMU works.

✔️ KAMU Center

At the KAMU Center, you purchase tickets and receive an overall explanation from the staff. They told me that it takes about 40 minutes to walk from one end of the venue to the other, and that opening hours vary by location.

The KAMU Center has three floors, with artworks exhibited on each floor. For some reason, bringing in notebooks and writing utensils, including pencils, was prohibited. Note that the KAMU Center takes a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00.

An eye-catching work by Erlich that looks like it belongs in a trick art museum. Originally, it seems the correct way to take a photo is to look like you are "about to fall off the stairs~💦" as shown in the main visual. Erlich's work is also famous for the "Swimming Pool" at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.

✔️ KAMU L

I visited KAMU L some time after visiting KAMU center. I got lost trying to find it. It is located inside one of the food stall villages where bars and other establishments are gathered after passing through a large lantern.

There are many shady shops nearby, so it might take some courage to come here at night. Even during the day, there are many guys soliciting on the street. In Tokyo, unfair touting is prohibited, but it was happening normally in Kanazawa.

As I was confused while looking at the map, wondering, "Where is KAMU L?", I found a door with a logo that looked like it.

When I gathered the courage to open it, a mysterious space by Daido Moriyama spread out before me. It was a bit scary when I closed the door. KAMU L does not require a ticket and has no staff. It operates as a bar at night, and it seems you can actually enjoy drinks there.

✔️ KAMU Black Black

After walking a little from the shady town, I suddenly came out to the bright, all-ages-friendly Tatemachi Street. Next to KAMU Black Black is F.I.L. (with Animate across the street). Nearby, stylish shops like soph., HOODS, and Margiela continue.

The interior of KAMU Black Black is a long, narrow room with a high ceiling. Inside, blasting sound and lasers were being emitted (that's all).

Also, although Tatemachi Street is bright, the public safety was not good there either. There were many people smoking on the street and rowdy young people (just here?).

I thought that visiting museums and such while traveling, rather than just quickly moving on to the next place, and walking through the city to deeply feel the atmosphere of the surrounding area is a fun approach. I also love entering local cafes, shopping streets, and department stores to get to know the characteristics of the places I travel to.

✔️ KAMU sky

KAMU sky is located on the rooftop of the fashion building Kraso Place Korinbo. Take the elevator to the 6th floor and then take the stairs to the rooftop.

There is staff here, and your ticket will be checked. KAMU has significant costs, such as personnel expenses to keep staff stationed depending on the location, and rent to install the works. Therefore, I thought the 2,000 yen admission fee is reasonable.

On the rooftop, a large "foot" is installed. It was a work by an artist I had seen before at Rokko Meets Art. It has an impact when photographed from the front. I was warned not to photograph the adjacent Tokyu Hotel when shooting on the rooftop (perhaps because the inside of the guest rooms might be visible?).

Seeing artwork on the rooftop of a building reminded me of Arts Maebashi.

After that, I returned to the building and went down the spiral staircase. There, I heard birds chirping. At the foot of the stairs, one piece of art was placed all alone without any explanation. I thought that renting out not just the rooftop but also the staircase to install art was a quite bold attempt.

✔️ 076- Museum Shop & cafe

On the first floor of the building, there is a cafe & shop called "076-". "076-" is the area code for Kanazawa City. It is said that the name was chosen with public awareness in mind, aiming to be a place that can be shared with people.

When I visited, the cafe was already closed. I was tired from walking and wanted to take a break, though. Behind the cafe, there is also an exhibit of the work: Squat "Material Matters".

✔️ Flag Art Projet

Looking for a final work to visit, I chose the Flag Art Projet. When I heard there was art by Ryan Gander, I thought, I'm curious!

The location was only listed as "Mitani Sangyo Kanazawa Headquarters". I spent about 10 minutes wandering around wondering, "Is it on the rooftop? Is there a permanent exhibition inside?" (The building was closed that day).

When I looked it up online, the artwork was just a single flag! Compared to other works, it was far away, so I felt like, "I walked all this way for this...😅". Moreover, you couldn't really see the work unless the wind was blowing..., it was a mysterious exhibition.

It was exactly 6:00 PM here. After this, I walked toward Kanazawa Station and returned to my hotel near the station.

▶︎ Summary

What did you think? Although the price is a bit high, KAMU is a great choice for enjoying contemporary art in Kanazawa. By walking around Kanazawa city, I was able to get a feel for the area and learn about the local atmosphere. Since there is no set route, it was also nice to be able to visit flexibly. For those who want to experience a new form of art museum, I highly recommend it!

▶︎ Today's Museum Meal