Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin were painters who both lived at the end of the 19th century. Both influenced each other. This column explores the painters in two installments.

The first part focuses on Van Gogh, whose life was filled with highs and lows. His works failed to receive recognition during his lifetime. Because of his nervous temperament, his life was not easy. Gauguin was one of the few painters who associated with Van Gogh. Their lives in Arles, southern France, are described in this column.

For a theater company, securing a practice space can be a major challenge. In this article, we will cast a spotlight on SUITENGU PIT (official name: Tokyo Metropolitan Arts Studio) operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, and report on its facilities, as well as on two theater troupes, OTONAKEIKAKU and FUKAIPRODUCE HAGOROMO, that are preparing for their upcoming stage openings.

At the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, participants in the Teachers’ Program spent half a day experiencing stone-grinding, fire-making and trying out architecture gymnastics, in addition to going around the museum. They were supposed to take part in the museum’s program for schools, which accepts up to 50 schools a year.

Director Yuya Ishii gained praises through works like The Tokyo Night Sky Is Always the Densest Shade of Blue (Yozora ha itsu demo saikou mitsudo no aoiro da), a film based on a book of poems. Shinsaku Nagata is a well-loved artist active in the world of picture books. The two have been close friends and worked together on the book Blue Frog (Aoi kaeru) by contributing text and art, respectively. Here is a conversation they had on the topic of “expression.”

This installment presents Denchu Hirakushi (1872-1979), a master in Japan’s world of modern sculpture and recipient of the Order of Culture in Japan. Even at the age of 100, he was active in creating works reflecting strong passion. He left behind words of wisdom and episodes imbued with the human touch.

How should artists best handle digital technology? We looked into an artist support program hosted by a private studio called FabLab Setagaya at IID, and art gallery Hakkendo Gallery.

The Teachers’ Program, connecting schools and cultural facilities, is organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture to provide teachers from elementary to high schools in Tokyo with learning opportunities during summer vacation. Teachers are invited to educational events held at 7 cultural facilities and one institution, such as art museums, museums, and halls run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, so that they can have ideas useful to their teaching.

This report is the first installment of three reports on the program, such as the event held at the Tokyo Open-Air Architecture Museum in August. Let us introduce what the Teachers’ Program is all about by showing what was done at facilities other than the Tokyo Open-Air Architecture Museum.

EAT&ART TARO is an experiential artist who takes food as his theme. Ulala Imai paints with a light touch and vibrant colors to depict everyday objects such as fresh fruit and buttered toast. The two artists, both of whom focus on the familiar with food, share ideas and talk about their art.

A master of the Italian Renaissance, Michelangelo (1475-1564), is well known for several of his masterpieces, including “David,” the mural on the Sistine Chapel ceiling and “Last Judgment.”

In addition to paintings and sculptures, his accomplishments have been recognized in architecture and poetry. His achievements have been transmitted by word of mouth even today, more than 450 years since he passed away.

For aspiring artists, securing an art-making space is a crucial issue. Hanga-Kobo (“printmaking studio”) Kawalabo! is a private art studio space of approximately 200m2, furnished with a range of equipment needed for printmaking. The studio offers a research student program, as well as art print production and publishing services. We talked to the chief printer Masahiro Kawara, and one of the research students, Sou Imaizumi.

The Izumis (Kei and his parents) are at the Summer Children’s Concert 2015 at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. They have used the “Ueno One-day Pass,” which came with the concert ticket, to spend a fun time at museums and the zoo. They are about to have a long-awaited lunch. The following is the afternoon of their day in Ueno.

What happens when music is born and played, and then reaches its audience?

A conversation between two people working in different fields

The Mingei Theatre Company celebrated its 70th anniversary in April 2020. Three of its members—actors Fumie Kashiyama and Shigenori Chiba, and director Ikumi Tanno—discuss a variety of topics, including the enthusiasm for their upcoming performances, the process of creating drama works, and the unprecedented situation in which the COVID-19 pandemic has placed the world of stage play.

This first edition of the new column “Next Tokyo Discovery Squad!” features an interview with Ven. Masaomi Tomomitsu (vice priest of Jogyoji Temple), who is the organizer of the Buddhist and Shinto festival Kohgen held in May 2018 in Meguro. Kohgen is a modern and comprehensive event that transcends religions and sects and provides opportunities to experience a combination of various traditional cultures.

The inaugural issue of this new series, “Examining the Artists,” focuses on Yajuro Takashima (1890-1975). Often called a “Solitary Painter” and “Painter of Candlelight,” his artistic life has been featured repeatedly on Sunday Art Museum, an NHK TV program. With his highly stoic and fastidious nature, Takashima has been gaining more and more attention recently.

We talked with Kentaro Taki and Kenji Yamada, who took part in the Tokyo Wonder Site Residency 2016-2017 “C/Sensor-ed Scape” (April 15-May 28), an art exhibition of works created during the TWS Residency Program. The exhibition was held at the Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo. We asked the two artists about their ways of surviving by making use of the artist-in-residence programs.

This is a column to introduce art events held in Tokyo. Would you like to bring art to your daily life, whether it is in physical reality or online?