DIC Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art: I want it to stay in this place
The DIC Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art is located in Sakura City, Chiba.
It is operated by DIC, a chemical manufacturer that conducts business in over 60 countries and regions around the world. This company manufactures printing inks and pigments that hold a top global market share.
Its research facility was quietly situated adjacent to the vast grounds where this museum stands.
Crossing through Tokyo, it took about two hours one way to visit for the first time.
Actually, I was extremely panicked the other day when I saw the news that it would be closing early next winter.
Even though an art-loving acquaintance had recommended it to me many times last year...
After getting my ticket and walking through the green path, the museum came into view.
It is more compact than I imagined.
Beyond it lies a spacious pond and a vast, lush green garden. It is said to be about 30,000 tsubo (approx. 99,000 square meters). You can enjoy flowers in each season, such as cherry blossoms, azaleas, and hydrangeas.
It reminded me of the American NIKE headquarters, which I was shown photos of at a design firm the other day.
Passing through the museum entrance, I felt as if I had stepped into a European church. The space, as if embraced by light, seems designed for people to gather.
My main purpose this time was the "Rothko Room," where I could see Mark Rothko's murals. I wanted to spend a relaxing time in this exhibition room, which was specially designed for these works. I entered the room without any exhibition descriptions, and after admiring the murals, I sat on the only sofa in the room. The scorching summer sun was softly streaming into the room.
(*Photography is prohibited inside the museum... It would be nice if there were at least some photo spots.)
And then, the special exhibition "Katsuhito Nishikawa: The Resonance of Silence," which opened today.
Looking at his profile, it says he went to Germany at the age of 23, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich and the Düsseldorf Art Academy, and has been involved in the Insel Hombroich project in the Neuss region. When I visited Insel in the spring, I found buildings and works here and there. Mr. Nishikawa's works, such as sketches of flowers and color palettes reflecting the colors of the natural world, reminded me of the land of Insel.
Because the space is large and the distance between the works is wide, the works do not interfere with each other.
The museum restaurant, surrounded by greenery on all sides, is in a prime location. After having a high-quality lunch, I took a walk along the garden path.
Summer flowers, swans relaxing in the large pond, and cicada shells clinging to tree branches. Just when I thought there were azaleas pruned with short hair, there were mushrooms growing on sturdy, shady trees. As I walked along the path, I came across a lotus pond. Perhaps I was reminded of Monet's garden in Giverny, near Paris.
I like the museum building and the works, but this environment surrounded by nature is the foundation of the museum. There are no unnecessary buildings, and it is designed to place oneself in nature as much as possible.
If it weren't for the scorching summer heat, I would like to bring a picnic mat and rice balls and spend the whole day here relaxing.
I want to visit during the cherry blossom season too... but sadly, it is said to be closing in January next year.
The time spent in this lush green land, along with the building and the works, which are the collection of a company called DIC. I cannot help but think that it must be essential and special for many people.
For corporate management, capital efficiency must be a must. However, is that why this irreplaceable place, which has been nurtured for 30 years, is being closed? What does it mean to earn efficiently? Will society become better?
Thinking from a long-term perspective, I cannot help but think that this rich cultural facility attracts many people and could even be a part of the company's brand...
