On March 19, the winner of the 44th Kimura Ihei Award (Sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun Company and the Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.), the award given to exceptional new photographers in honor of photographer KIMURA Ihei’s achievements, was announced. The award was given to IWANE Ai for her photobook ‘KIPUKA’ and exhibition ‘FUKUSHIMA ONDO’. (Japanese)
On March 18, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on seven assets to be designated as National Treasures and 41 assets to be designated as Important Cultural Properties to SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The seven assets to be designated as National Treasures were Kitora Tumulus Mural Paintings (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology); wooden seated statues of Five Wisdom Buddhas (Anshōji temple, Kyoto); wooden standing statue of the Medicine Buddha, wooden standing statue of Bodhisattva (attributed to Shūhō bosatsu), wooden standing statue of Boddhisattva (attributed to Shishiku bosatsu), wooden standing statue of Boddhisattva (attributed to Daijisaiō bosatsu) and wooden standing statues of Two Tennō (Tōshōdaiji temple, Nara). One of 41 assets to be designated as Important Cultural Properties was statues of Twelve Bronze Falcons (National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo). The Council for Cultural Affairs also recommended that 153 buildings, including the former Kudan-Kaikan, a modern building that conveys the spirit of the early Shōwa period; and two artworks (historical material) including educational and research materials collected at the architecture department of the former Sendai College of Engineering, be registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. (Japanese)
The Northen Song dynasty painter LI Gonglin’s ‘Five Horses’ was discovered for the first time in 80 years, which was donated to the Tokyo National Museum. As a favorite of successive Chinese emperors, the work was brought to Japan in the early Shōwa period and exhibited at the Exhibition of Masterpieces from the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties held in 1928. It was purchased by businessman SUENOBU Michinari in 1930, however its whereabouts were lost after the war. The painting was discovered within Japan and donated to the Tokyo National Museum in 2017, where it was exhibited in the special exhibition titled ‘Unrivaled Calligraphy: Yan Zhenqing and His Legacy’ held from January 2019. In March of the same year, the full image of the painting was published in full size in the book titled ‘Li Gonglin’s Five Horses’ (Hatori shoten), edited by ITAKURA Masaaki. (Japanese)
On March 8, the Hasselblad Foundation in Sweden announced MORIYAMA Daidō as the winner of the Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography, an international photography prize given to a photographer recognized for pioneering achievements. (Japanese)
On March 6, the Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the recipients of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for the fiscal year 2018. In the Fine Arts category, artist OZAWA Tsuyoshi for his exhibition titled ‘Imperfection: Parallel Art History’ and artist NAITŌ Rei for his exhibition titled ‘Naito Rei: on this bright Earth I see you’ shared the prize. In the Development of Art category, graphic artist SATOH Taku was awarded for his exhibitions titled ‘Design Ah! Exhibition neo’ and other exhibition. In the Criticism category, visual artist as well as critic OKAZAKI Kenjirō received the prize for his monograph titled ‘Abstract Art as Impact: The Analysis of Modern Art’. In the Media Art category, manga artist ARAKI Hikomaro received the prize for his exhibition titled ‘Hirohiko Araki JOJO Exhibition: Ripples of Adventure’. The two recipients of the Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists were architect ISHIGAMI Junya for his botanical garden art Biotop titled ‘Water Garden’ in the Fine Arts category; and SUGAWARA Mayumi, Professor at Osaka Metropolitan University, for her monograph titled ‘Life and Works of TSUKIOKA Yoshitoshi’ in the Criticism category. (Japanese)
On March 5, ISOZAKI Arata won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the annual award for outstanding architects, known as the Nobel Prize in architecture, which was announced by the Hyatt Foundation (sponsor of the prize) in the United States. ISOZAKI was recognised for his fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and his significant influence on Western architecture design. (Japanese)
On March 3, the Japanese government and the Agency of Cultural Affairs held the inauguration ceremony for the Japan Cultural Expo, the core project of the cultural program on the occasions of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics at the National Theatre of Japan in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. Under the overall theme of ‘Japanese people and nature’, the project aims to promote the beauty of Japan from the Jomon period to the present day, both within Japan and worldwide, in the field of art, cultural heritage and media arts. It will be widely developed in 2020. (Japanese)
On March 1, the Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the winning works for the 22nd Japan Media Arts Festival Awards that are given to excellent media artworks from inside and outside of Japan. The Grand Prizes were given to a sound installation titled ‘Pulses/Grains/Phase/Moiré’ by FURUDATE Ken (Japan) in the Art Division; a TV program titled ‘Chico Will Scold You!’ by the ‘Chico Will Scold You!’ Production Team (Japan) in the Entertainment Division; an animated short film titled ‘La Chute’ by Boris LABBÉ (France) in the Animation Division; and a manga titled ‘ORIGIN’ by Boichi (Korea) in the Manga Division. (Japanese)
On February 5, Miyakonojō City, Miyagi Prefecture, announced its plan to demolish the former Miyakonojō Civic Center, designed by KIKUTAKE Kiyonori, which is regarded as a masterpiece of Metabolism architecture. The building was completed in 1966 and used as a cultural promotion center of the city of Miyakonojō since. However, it was closed in 2007 due to its age. The decision to demolish the building was based on the results of a citizen’s survey as there were no prospects for its future use. Demolition work began on July 23 and would be completed in March 2020. A digital archiving project was carried out at the time of demolition to record the building’s shape in three dimensions using 3D scanning, with the aim of passing on its architectural value and establishing a new preservation method. (Japanese)
On January 16, the exhibition titled, ‘Unrivaled Calligraphy: Yan Zhenqing and His Legacy’, opened at the Tokyo National Museum (until February 24). Focusing on the Tang dynasty when the universal beauty of calligraphy was standardized, the exhibition explored the essence of calligraphy and the personality of Yan Zhenqing, who had a profound influence on future generations. It featured masterpieces such as ‘Draft of a Requiem to My Nephew’ from the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei. It also drew attention for its concept of questioning the history of calligraphy from oracle bone script to the Qing dynasty and calligraphy in Japan. (Japanese)
On January 1, the winners of the 60th Mainichi Art Award (sponsored by the Mainichi Newspapers Co.), the annual award given to outstanding individuals in art and culture, were announced. In the Art Category I (Painting / Sculpture / Crats / Graphics), contemporary artist NAITŌ Rei won for his solo exhibition titled, ‘Rei Naito: on the bright Earth I see you’. (Japanese)
With the conclusion of the Comprehensive and Advanced Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP11 Agreement), a multilateral economic partnership agreement aimed at economic liberalization by the countries of the Pacific Rim, and the amendment of the Copyright Act by the TPP Development Act, the term of protection of copyrights was extended from 50 years after the copyright holder’s death to 70 years. (Japanese)
On December 19, the winners of the VOCA Prize, which encourages young artists who create two-dimensional artworks, were announced. The Grand Prize of the VOCA was given to TOJŌ Shinnosuke (‘Atene Nagano Tokyo no kabe ni arudearō mosha’). ISHIBA Ayako (‘2 to 3, moshiku wa sore igai (sobo no ie)’) and Jong YuGyong (‘Let’s all go to the celebration square of victory!’) jointly received the VOCA Encouragement Prize. ENDŌ Kaoru (‘Uesu’) and mé (‘Akuriru gasu’) jointly received the VOCA Honorable Mention Prize. The Ohara Museum of Art Prize was given to KITAMURA Mika (‘TOPOS’). The VOCA exhibition 2019, where the winners’ works were exhibited, was held at the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo from March 14 to March 30 in 2019. (Japanese)
On November 30, the Japan Art Academy (Director: KUROI Senji) announced that it had elected two new members to the Japan Art Academy for their outstanding achievements in artistic activities. Yōga artist MAKOSHI Yōko and critic and translator HAGA Tōru were elected. The election was officially announced by SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on December 15. (Japanese)
On November 16, the 40th Suntory Prize for Social Science and Humanities (sponsored by the Suntory Foundation) announced that, in relation to art, KYŌTANI Yoshinori (Associate Professor, Kyushu University) for his monograph titled ‘Gaisenmon to Katsujiga no fūzoku shi: Hakanaki supekutakuru no chikara’ was awarded in the Literary and Art Criticism category. (Japanese)
On November 16, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on the following places to be designated as Places of Scenic Beauty or Historic Sites to SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes nine sites such as the remains of Kōfu Castle (Kōfu City) to be designated as Historic Sites; the former Ekishūkan Garden to be designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty; three sites such as Byakkotai cemetary on Mr Iimori in Aizu (Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukuoka Prefecture) to be registered as Registered Monuments; and the landscape of terraced fields and agricultural and fishing villages at Uwakai Karihama (Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture) to be selected as an Important Cultural Landscape. The Council also suggested 185 structures to be registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, including the solarium of the former residence of YOSHIDA Shigeru, designed by architect YOSHIDA Isoya. (Japanese)
The Ringa Art Encouragement Award (organized by the Ringa Art Encouragement Fund), which publicly honors outstanding individuals for their exceptional achievements in the field of art criticism and art history research, announced the winners of the 30th Ringa Art Encouragement Prize. In the Art History Research Division, MATSUKAWA Ayako (Curator, Nara Prefectural Museum of Art) was awarded for her curated exhibition titled ‘Tetsu Fusen: A Retrospective – 40th Anniversary of His Death’ and contribution of her essay to its exhibition catalog. In the Art Criticism Division, KITA Takaomi (Curator, Nerima Art Museum) received the prize for his curated exhibition titled ‘Ikeda Tatsuo: An Elliptical Visionary: The Present Tense of Postwar Art’ and contribution of his essay to its catalog. (Japanese)
On October 26, the Japanese government announced five recipients of the Order of Culture and twenty recipients of the Person of Cultural Merit for the fiscal year 2018. In relation to art, the Order of Culture was given to ceramic artist IMAI Masayuki, who developed the technically difficult inlaying technique into a wide-surface inlaying technique and opened up new possibilities for ceramic art. The Person of Cultural Merit was given to highly acclaimed calligraphy artist ISHIGE Keidō, whose innovative scattered writing combines traditional elegance with a modern sense of formality; architect Toyo ITO), who attracted attention with his methodology of ‘lightness in architecture’ and whose projects were developed through Japan, contributed to the development of contemporary architecture; and art director KITAGAWA Fram, who is a leading figure in the unprecedented field of art projects that lead to regional development. (Japanese)
On October 19, the winners of the ICOMOS Japan Prize 2018 as well as the ICOMOS Japan Honorable Mention Award were announced. The ICOMOS Japan Prize and the ICOMOS Japan Honorable Mention Award aim to encourage the preservation and conservation of structures, groups of historic buildings, cultural landscapes, monuments and historic ruins as well as historic sites. The ICOMOS Japan Prize was given to MATSUKUMA Akira (Representative director of General Incorporated Association Chōchikukyo Club) for his long-standing conservation activities and achievements of research and publications on Chōchikukyo; and KATŌ Tomoki (President, Ueyakato Landscape Co., Ltd.) for his research on conservation of Japanese gardens as cultural heritage and contemporary measures and practices for their use. The ICOMOS Japan Honorable Mention Award was given to EDANI Hiroko (Researcher, Cultural Landscape, Department of Cultural Heritage, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties) for her work on research, dissemination and conservation of cultural landscapes. (Japanese)
On October 19, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on one structure to be designated as National Treasures and eight structures to be designated as Important Cultural Properties to SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes Tamaudun (Naha City), a royal mausoleum of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, to be designated as a National Treasure; and Ōsaki Shrine (Mooka City, Tochigi Prefecture), built between the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries and decorated with geometric patterns on the pillars and walls of the shrine, to be designated an Important Cultural Property. This was the first time that a structure in Okinawa Prefecture was designated as a National Treasure. (Japanese)