Visitors from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
On December 18, 2025, a delegation from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) visited the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN). Founded in 1969, MMCA is a national museum under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and currently operates four venues, in Gwacheon, Seoul, Deoksugung, and Cheongju. Unlike many contemporary art museums in Japan, MMCA also includes modern art within its scope of collection and research, and is widely recognized as a leading institution representing modern and contemporary Korean art.
In June, the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems at TOBUNKEN conducted a project titled “Survey of the Current State of Art Archives in Korea”* as part of the broader research initiative “Comprehensive Research on the Sharing of Research Findings and Scholarly Information on Cultural Properties” (Project Code: SH01). During this survey, representatives of the Institute visited and examined the archives of MMCA. This time, in a reciprocal exchange, representatives from MMCA visited Japan. The delegation consisted of three members: archivist Ms. Lee Ji-hee (이지희), Research Fellow; Ms. Park Hye-seong (박혜성), Curator; and Ms. Kim Su-jin (김수진), Head of the Collection Management Division.
Prior to this visit, Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki, Head of the Department of Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts, and Mr. TASHIRO Yuichiro, Research Fellow of the Department of Cultural Property Archives, who had visited Korea in June, held an online meeting on October 15 with MMCA archive staff. During this meeting, they delivered a presentation on the history of TOBUNKEN, and on the formation process and distinctive characteristics of its collections. Building on these preliminary exchanges, the focus of the present visit was placed on viewing and examining actual archival materials.
Guided by Mr. KIKKAWA and Mr. TASHIRO, the delegation toured the reading room and storage facilities in sequence, examining a wide range of materials. Particular attention was given to gallery and exhibition-related materials concerning Korean (formerly referred to as Chosŏn) artists who resided in Japan. Since its establishment in 1930 as the Art Research Institute, attached to the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, the Institute has accumulated materials contemporaneously with their production. As a result, its collections are especially rich in resources related to modern and contemporary art, many of which hold significant value for the study of Korean art history. Similarly, MMCA has focused its collecting activities on modern and contemporary art, and the two institutions’ collections share many common characteristics.
In the discussions following the tour, it was confirmed that the collections of TOBUNKEN and MMCA are mutually complementary, and that further research collaboration could contribute meaningfully to the field of art history in both Japan and Korea. By moving beyond one-time exchanges and continuing to share information and deepen cooperation on an ongoing basis, it is hoped that a more fruitful and sustainable partnership can be developed.
*Activity Report, June 2025: “Survey of the Current State of Art Archives in Korea”
https://www.tobunken.go.jp/materials/katudo/2396756.html