In Japan's Kanazawa Prefecture, a 2.5-hour bullet train from Tokyo to the country's western coastline takes visitors to an immersive museum of contemporary art, quietly enjoying two decades of ambitious growth. Designed by Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA—recipients of the 2010 Pritzker Prize and the duo behind New York's New Museum of Contemporary Art and the Louvre-Lens in northern France—the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa is housed in a striking circular building composed primarily of glass, creating a structure as open and fluid as the experience it offers.
Under the leadership of Yuko Hasegawa Director, the museum debuted in 2004 with only 200 works of art, a construction collection for about four years. Twenty years later, the permanent collection includes about 4,170 works, an increase of 1,900%. These ranges spanned a variety of mediums, but remained limited in scope: the museum acquired only works from 1980 or later, narrower, only works that influenced new values or reference points provided in the context of art history after 1900, and preferred works by artists from the Kanaze region. The museum-commissioned artists are encouraged to create site-specific installations that will lay their work in Kanazawa.
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“I think permanent exhibition works related to the museum's architecture and reasons are unique and noteworthy in part of our collection,” Hiroaki Ochiai, head of public relations at the museum, told Observer. “Because contemporary art covers a wide range of expressions, we do not focus on any particular genre. Instead, we aim to avoid overemphasizing any one genre, but instead look for multiple expressions.”
The most recent three-part exhibition series (“Collection Exhibition 1”, “Collection Exhibition 2: Drifting in the City” and “Collection Exhibition 3”) showcases the main works of the museum. In the first show, the works ranged from Shimizu Akira's perspective Color blindness test figure No. 10 To German artist Carsten Höller Kanazawa closes (Keep your opinion on the second show). As museum registrant Yishu Hanu wrote, “Drifting in the City” focuses on the theme of urban life, and they encourage self-care in the face of the city, “violently eliminating human memory and feelings.” How people “raft along the rivers of the city” at the heart of the exhibition. Homma Takashi's outstanding performance Suburbs of Tokyo The photography series depicts scenes in the daily lives of children in the suburbs of Tokyo.
In the third performance before May 11, 2025, including works by twelve artists, including the glass and glacier fusion sculptures by Yasura Takeshi universe and photography series glacier, Both were inspired by the tour to Nepal in 2023.
The extensive collection strategies reflected in these exhibitions have contributed to the rapid growth of the museum, with major acquisitions from the Kiyoshi Awazu archives. “In 2006, we received a large donation of 2,944 items from his family, which greatly contributed to the increase in the total number of work in our collections,” said Ochiai. Despite the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa maintained a clear collection philosophy, but the institution remained open to thoughtful detours when it made sense.
Andy Warhol Diamond dustproof shoes From his 1980-81 years Retrospective series Appears in the first exhibition. Still seeing Anish Kapoor L'Origine du Monde, A visual illusion composed of large oval painted on the gallery wall is easy to debate whether it is flat or three-dimensional. Olafur Eliasson's 2010 Colorful mobile houses and swimming pool Argentine concept artist Leandro Erlich is also a favorite among visitors.
Only 5% of the artists represented are from Kanazawa, and although 53% are Japanese artists, 53% are Asian. This balance may change over time. As Ochiai notes, the agency has no plans to slow down the collection efforts in a very fast time.
