Watarium Art Museum

Our first director Shizuko Watari (1932-2012) organized Gallery Watari there from 1972 to 1988 and was one of the first to introduce the world’s leading contemporary artists to Japan, including Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Donald Judd, and Sol LeWitt. The WATARI-UM collections are based on the works collected in the 1980s through these activities. The architecture was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, and the granite and concrete striped facade, with its impressive and strong design like a bird spreading its wings over the city, has become a landmark in the area. To have desirable features as a museum and to be able to exhibit new artworks in the future, world-renowned curator Harald Szeemann advised on the architectural design. In the terms of exhibitions, WATARI-UM has been hosting international contemporary art exhibitions since its opening, inviting Harald Szeemann and another legendary curator Jan Hoet as guest curators. We have also featured the figures who have supported Japanese culture, such as Kumagusu Minakata and Tenshin Okakura, from a unique perspective. Furthermore, since the 1990s, we have also focused on introducing young Japanese contemporary artists, thereby expanding the fan base of contemporary art. It is also our uniqueness to hold a variety of events to help visitors gain a deeper understanding of the exhibitions. We have held over 1,000 events since our opening, including lectures, workshops, lecture series, study tours to Japan and abroad.