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Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum
Galleries
Written by KALONSNET Editor   
Published: March 29 2011

Copyright© Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum was opened in October 1983 in Minato-Ward, Tokyo. The building was formerly a mansion built for Prince Asaka Family in 1933 (The 8th year of Showa). This is one of a few buildings designed in perfect Art Deco style. It is designated as a tangible cultural property from Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It holds three to four feature exhibitions a year. Feature exhibitions show works of art, designs and artworks in the period of 1920-1930 (which is when the this mansion was built) to modern age.

Art Deco is a style of design that swept over the decorative art in Europe from 1920s to 1930s. The interior ornamentation of Teien Art Museum was created by a French painter and interior designer Henri Rapin and a sculptor Ivan-Leon Branchot. The glass-relief of a statue of goddess at the front door and the chandelier in the Great Hall were made by a jewelry designer and a glass artist René Lalique and others. The basic plan and part of interior design were undertaken by architects of the Imperial Household Ministry’s Construction Bureau which added Japanese unique esthetic taste to Art Deco style. It is interesting to see from cultural aspect that it was how Japan had accepted Art Deco style. The Great Hall, the Grand Guest Room and the Great Dining Hall on the first floor and guest rooms and private rooms on the second floor are open to the public as exhibition rooms. You can immerse yourself in the creative and beautiful designs of bygone days.

As This Museum was primarily build as a residence, it is not like conventional art museums in that it does not use the white cube format. The architecture of the building itself is a work of art. It is a new art space which bears phatic communication between works of art and viewing space.

You get out of the building and you will see a spacious green garden rarely seen in metropolitan Tokyo. The garden consists of three distinctive gardens, a lawn garden, a Japanese garden and a Western garden, are open to the public. You will enjoy the different facets of nature in every season while you appreciate sculptures exhibited outside. The sculptures in the garden are of Kan Yasuda, and Edouard-Marcel Sandoz. Teien Art Museum offers a unique environment in which you can enjoy nature, architecture and works of art at the same time.

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum offers a unique dress code discount for each exhibition. You will get a discount if you visit an exhibition in the fashion closely related to that particular exhibition. Just dress up for an exhibition and you will merge yourself into the space of Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum. Art appreciation starts right after you step out of your door.
(Translated by Yoshikazu Noda)


Address: 5-21-9, Shirogane-dai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Phone: +81-(0)3-3443-0201
Open: 10:00 - 18:00 (last admission at 17:30), closed Second and forth Wednesdays (except for National Holidays)
Website: http://www.teien-art-museum.ne.jp/info/e_index.html

Last Updated on March 29 2011
 

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