21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, was opened in September 2004 in Hirosaka in the center of Kanazawa City. With the aims of enhancing the charms and reputation of Kanazawa City, and creating an innovative culture, this museum offers various kinds of activities centering on contemporary art, such as exhibitions, an education program, and other events.

Besides the collections, storing, and research, along with the high-level exhibition project, The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa has been highly evaluated by the original long-term project exhibition, "Young People of Kanazawa, Dream Challenge Art Program", that supports the growth of young people of Kanazawa artists through art activities, and also runs a business cooperating with educational institutions in the Kanazawa.

It is also noteworthy that the architecture of the museum designed by Sejima Kazuyo and Nishizwa Ryue/SANAA, two architects who have received international acclaim, features a unique circular design and elegant galleries white in tone. The traditional image of the museum that had been assumed to feel self-conscious, was turned into a new image with a bright, openhearted space as a result of such architecture which gave us freshness and a surprise. The ideas "Openheartedly", "Exchange", and "Citizenry participation" are the concepts in the museums frequently requested. However, The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa is a rare example of having beautifully embodied these concepts as construction. SANAA won the Grand Prize/Prix at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2004 with this design.

In the facility, most of the commission works produced for the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa can be seen free of charge. There are many works which stimulate the viewers' perceptions, such as Leandro Erlich's "Swimming Pool" and James Turrell's "Blue Planet Sky", which give us the valuable experience of re-examining our traditional concept of museums.

* Photo by Takeshi NAKASA / Nakasa & Partners, courtesy of 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa