On our visit to the Setouchi region, one artist caught our eye: Inokuma Genichiro, a painter born in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture in 1902. He is also widely known for his design of "Hana Hiraku," Mitsukoshi's wrapping paper, featuring Schiaparelli pink pebbles playing around, and the mural "Freedom" that hangs above the central ticket gates of JR Ueno Station. Everyone has surely seen Inokuma's work at least once.
Today, FASHION HEADLINE visited the Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (commonly known as MIMOCA, hereafter referred to as MIMOCA) in his hometown of Kagawa Prefecture to learn more about Inokuma Genichiro through his work.
■The reason for creating a contemporary art museum in front of the station
MIMOCA is a museum that was completed during Genichiro Inokuma's lifetime. As such, it embodies the enthusiasm of Marugame City, which proposed the establishment of the museum to Inokuma, as well as Inokuma's own thoughts. The museum is located just a one-minute walk from JR Marugame Station, which is about 40 minutes from Takamatsu Station on the JR Yosan Line. It is truly a museum located in front of a station.
Genichiro Inokuma was born in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture in 1902, and spent part of his childhood in Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture. The founding of MIMOCA began with a proposal from Marugame City to Inokuma, "We want to create a memorial museum for Genichiro Inokuma." However, Inokuma countered by proposing, "Rather than a memorial museum for me, let's make it a museum where people can experience contemporary art from around the world," according to museum curator Kanako Furuno.
Inokuma's desire to turn it into a contemporary art museum stemmed from his desire to create a place that would attract repeat visits by showcasing not only his own work but also outstanding contemporary artists and art. During his lifetime, Inokuma said he wanted it to be like a Western church, "a hospital for the soul, where visitors can feel refreshed and refreshed."
■MIMOCA's architecture was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the architect behind MoMA.
As you approach MIMOCA from the station, you'll find a small door next to Inokuma's mural, "Square of Creation," which resembles a vast, canvas-like expanse. Passing through the entrance, which gives the feeling of entering a tunnel, we are greeted by a 14-meter-high atrium bathed in natural light. "From a young age, Inokuma wanted people to experience good things and good spaces," says Furuno. This desire is reflected in the fact that even today, high school students and younger can enter the museum free of charge.
Inokuma was also skilled at recognizing talent. The Kagawa Prefectural Office, one of Tange Kenzo's most famous buildings, was originally mentioned by the then-Kagawa governor when Inokuma sought advice on the prefectural office building. For the MIMOCA building, Inokuma selected architect Yoshio Taniguchi, who would later win the design competition for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
A long horizontal window at the top of one of the exhibition rooms designed by Taniguchi offers a view of the Marugame skyline. Visitors to the museum can appreciate the day's weather while gazing at the artworks. A glass-enclosed walkway connects the exhibition room to the cafe, offering a view of the station.
MIMOCA's passion for becoming a place that can be visited by the people of the city is clearly evident from the fact that it has another entrance. Next to the aforementioned entrance is a large staircase that can be accessed without entering the building. Further ahead is MIMOCA, a cafe and restaurant with an impressive blue carpet reminiscent of the Seto Inland Sea, and shared spaces such as an art library displaying Inokuma's collection of books. The desire to be a place open to the community is evident everywhere.
In the second part, we learn about the "beauty" that artist Genichiro Inokuma pursued throughout his life, through the works in MIMOCA's collection.
Today, FASHION HEADLINE visited the Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (commonly known as MIMOCA, hereafter referred to as MIMOCA) in his hometown of Kagawa Prefecture to learn more about Inokuma Genichiro through his work.
■The reason for creating a contemporary art museum in front of the station
MIMOCA is a museum that was completed during Genichiro Inokuma's lifetime. As such, it embodies the enthusiasm of Marugame City, which proposed the establishment of the museum to Inokuma, as well as Inokuma's own thoughts. The museum is located just a one-minute walk from JR Marugame Station, which is about 40 minutes from Takamatsu Station on the JR Yosan Line. It is truly a museum located in front of a station.
Genichiro Inokuma was born in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture in 1902, and spent part of his childhood in Marugame City, Kagawa Prefecture. The founding of MIMOCA began with a proposal from Marugame City to Inokuma, "We want to create a memorial museum for Genichiro Inokuma." However, Inokuma countered by proposing, "Rather than a memorial museum for me, let's make it a museum where people can experience contemporary art from around the world," according to museum curator Kanako Furuno.
Inokuma's desire to turn it into a contemporary art museum stemmed from his desire to create a place that would attract repeat visits by showcasing not only his own work but also outstanding contemporary artists and art. During his lifetime, Inokuma said he wanted it to be like a Western church, "a hospital for the soul, where visitors can feel refreshed and refreshed."
■MIMOCA's architecture was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the architect behind MoMA.
As you approach MIMOCA from the station, you'll find a small door next to Inokuma's mural, "Square of Creation," which resembles a vast, canvas-like expanse. Passing through the entrance, which gives the feeling of entering a tunnel, we are greeted by a 14-meter-high atrium bathed in natural light. "From a young age, Inokuma wanted people to experience good things and good spaces," says Furuno. This desire is reflected in the fact that even today, high school students and younger can enter the museum free of charge.
Inokuma was also skilled at recognizing talent. The Kagawa Prefectural Office, one of Tange Kenzo's most famous buildings, was originally mentioned by the then-Kagawa governor when Inokuma sought advice on the prefectural office building. For the MIMOCA building, Inokuma selected architect Yoshio Taniguchi, who would later win the design competition for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
A long horizontal window at the top of one of the exhibition rooms designed by Taniguchi offers a view of the Marugame skyline. Visitors to the museum can appreciate the day's weather while gazing at the artworks. A glass-enclosed walkway connects the exhibition room to the cafe, offering a view of the station.
MIMOCA's passion for becoming a place that can be visited by the people of the city is clearly evident from the fact that it has another entrance. Next to the aforementioned entrance is a large staircase that can be accessed without entering the building. Further ahead is MIMOCA, a cafe and restaurant with an impressive blue carpet reminiscent of the Seto Inland Sea, and shared spaces such as an art library displaying Inokuma's collection of books. The desire to be a place open to the community is evident everywhere.
In the second part, we learn about the "beauty" that artist Genichiro Inokuma pursued throughout his life, through the works in MIMOCA's collection.
![Not Picasso or Matisse, but Genichiro Inokuma -- A Visit to the Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art [Report--2/2]](https://wrqc9vvfhu8e.global.ssl.fastly.net/api/image/crop/380x380/images/migration/2016/06/4fc38816d8c72f6454c686c0fe1d0656.jpg)
