The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art ワタリウム美術館
Contemporary art in Harajuku
The small Watari contemporary art museum will be of interest to all contemporary art enthusiasts passing through Tokyo. Located not far from the chic district of Ometosando, its exhibitions and retrospectives will delight all!
A private museum in the center of Tokyo
The Watari Museum is a private institution, located in the ward of Shibuya, not far from the popular areas of Harajuku and Omotesando. This place, which now shines on the international contemporary art scene, was opened in 1990 at the will of Shikusho Watari, an art enthusiast belonging to a large family. It was the Swiss architect Mario Botta who was chosen in 1985 to design the building that would house the museum. The latter is very well known for his modern designs of churches and cathedrals, and in particular for the design of the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco.
The museum now stands on a triangular plot, at the crossroads of two streets. Floors 2 to 4 are devoted to exhibitions, while the ground floor houses a café and a bookstore. The top floors are reserved for staff and the private residence of the owners.
- To read: The Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art
The museum and its mission
This museum focusing only on contemporary art does not present permanent collections but organizes temporary exhibitions, generally centered on such or such contemporary artists, of any nationality.
The museum presents contemporary art through all media: painting, sculpture, photography, and even industrial design.
This private museum has given itself the mission of promoting contemporary art in Japan. This unique space gives voice to both emerging and famous creators from the art world. He is also interested in the place of Japanese artists on the contemporary scene and strives to create links between Japanese and Asian artists.
The Watari Museum thus regularly invites curators, specialists, and curators to organize exhibitions highlighting international artists who are committed to the development of contemporary art. Retrospectives of major artists such as Joseph Beuys, Larry Clark, or Henry Darger have been offered in its rooms.
The French artist JR, who notably became known for having made the Louvre pyramid "disappear" in 2016, was notably exhibited at the Watari Museum in 2013, a first for him in Japan.
From April 5 to July 7, 2019, the American artist John Lurie is highlighted in an exhibition entitled "Walk this Way".
The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art
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Address, timetable & access
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Address
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Phone
+81 (0)3-3402-3001 -
Timetable
7 minutes walk from Gaienmae station on the Ginza line -
Price
Adult ticket: 1000 yen, Student ticket: 800 yen. -
Access
11 am to 7 pm, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays 11 am to 9 pm, Wednesday
