The term “public domain” refers to public intellectual property that is not copyrighted. There are art museums around the world that offer open online access to works in their collections. Here, we highlight works that have entered the public domain and redefine the appeal of such collections.

In the “SDGs × Art” series, we introduce art and activities that contribute to the experiment of a sustainable world. This installment focuses on efforts to use “laser retinal projection technology” to make reading and art appreciation easier for people with visual impairments. The tools include the RETISSA ON HAND, a magnifying reader that allows people to read text by looking through it, and the DSC-HX99 RNV kit, a retinal projection camera kit that lets people take photos by looking through the viewfinder. We interviewed Hironori Miyauchi of QD Laser Inc., who is involved in business development, about the background of this development and the future using this technology.

In our series of columns Recommending Audio Guide Use, we interview audio guide producers and others to delve into the enjoyment of “listening” to art.

An exhibition titled “Art and Power: From Pharaohs to Daimyos, Masterworks from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,” which was once canceled due to the impact of the COVID-19, has finally opened after a two-year delay. In the summer of 2020, as all events were canceled due to the state of emergency, the audio guide for this exhibition was temporarily distributed via an app “Listening Art” and became a hot topic. In this series of columns, we talked to Natsumi Uemura of Acoustiguide Japan Ltd., who was in charge of planning and production, about the behind-the-scenes story.

Art Emergency Hotline provides urgent assistance for distressed artists. Several legal professionals answer to a range of consulters each time. The law does not restrict your creative activities, and having the right knowledge can provide vital support.

This time, the consultation is “If a work of art is broken at a solo exhibition venue.” If an audience damages a work of art, how should compensation be considered?

At the age of 17, starting with a solo trip to India, Naoki Ishikawa embarked on a journey fueled by an insatiable curiosity to explore polar region, high peaks, and vast oceans around the world. Mr. Ishikawa documents these experiences through photographs and writings. Tokyo is the city where he was born and raised, and it continues to be a departure and arrival point for journeys. We will follow various places in Tokyo in chronological order of his memory.

Examining artists is a series of articles introducing the lives of painters and composers from all over the world in the past and present along with illustrations by Sora Toshima. This installment focuses on Yuzo Saeki (1898-1928), who celebrated the 125th anniversary of his birth in 2023. Saeki had painted landscapes and encounters as motifs while living in Osaka, Tokyo, and Paris. Why did he change his painting style so drastically during his short career? We will explore the drama that lay behind the change.

In this series of interviews, we engage with artists who are at the forefront of their fields, delving into the pivotal moments in their careers. Each artist will discuss how their perspectives and artworks have evolved from their youth to the present, while also sharing insights into their current creative endeavors. For the inaugural installment, we interviewed Atsushi Suwa, whose solo exhibition “Fire in the Medial Orbito-Frontal Cortex” was held at the Fuchu Art Museum from December 17, 2022-February 26, 2023.

（*The exhibition has ended.）

This is a series of visits to gardens in Tokyo featuring photographs by photographer Norihisa Kushibiki and commentary by Miho Tanaka, curator at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. This time, we visited the Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens, a stylish Western-style building associated with the Meiji-Era industrialist Iwasaki family. For this occasion, we have invited Isamu Yoneyama, an architectural historian and researcher at the Edo-Tokyo Museum as a special guest, we will provide a wealth of highlights of the buildings as well as the gardens.

The term “public domain” refers to intellectual property that is not copyrighted and is freely available for public use. There are art museums around the world that provide open online access to works in their collections. In this article, we showcase works that have entered the public domain and explore the unique value of such collections.

This installment of the “Examining Artists” series features Henri Matisse, one of the greatest masters of 20th-century art.

Born in northern France, he played a central role in Fauvism and greatly influenced later artists.

In the first part, we follow the early life of the artist, during which he established his distinctive style of vivid colors and color fields.

TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR 2022 (TABF 2022) was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo from Thursday, October 27 to Sunday, October 30, 2022. Unique art books creators came together to showcase their works directly to visitors. Held since 2009, this edition marked its 12th occurrence. TABF 2022 hosted approximately 200 exhibitors from Japan and abroad, including publishers, galleries, artists, and printing houses. We invited voice actor Soma Saito to make purchases worth 20,000 yen at this event within one hour. He is an art enthusiast who frequently explores Tokyo’s art museums and is renowned for his avid reading habits. What did Mr. Saito select from the multitude of art books available?

People often say that the autumn season deepens the appreciation of art. If you are considering visiting art spots in Tokyo in November, be sure to check out “Art Week Tokyo (AWT),” an international art event that kicked off in full swing in 2022. This event ran for four days, starting from November 3, 2022, with the participation of museums and galleries at the forefront of contemporary art in Tokyo.

In this column, we report the event based on the press conference and press tour held on October 27.

In February 2021, an open-to-the-city space integrating “working” and “living,” was established in a business district just a 5-minute walk from JR Shinagawa Station. The facility is named “THE CAMPUS.” This facility is the result of KOKUYO Co., Ltd., founded in 1905 and known for its stationery and office furniture, renovated its own building. We report on “THE CAMPUS,” where 25 works by 12 domestic and international artists are exhibited in the building.

The series of articles introduces the allures of gardens in Tokyo with commentary by Miho Tanaka, curator at the Edo-Tokyo Museum.

This time, we visited the Former Yasuda Garden (Kyu-Yasuda Teien), located by the Sumida River in Ryogoku. The garden is abundant in water and greenery, offering a place of relaxation to the locals. What laid the foundation for it was a lofty aspiration of businessman Zenjiro Yasuda.

Photos: Norihisa Kushibiki, Shu Nakagawa

Commentary: Miho Tanaka (Curator, Edo-Tokyo Museum)

Collaboration: Sumida Tourism Association

“Tokyo Museum Grutto Pass 2023” is a set of free and discount QR-code tickets to 101 art and science museums in Tokyo and nearby areas. It costs 2,500 yen and can be used once at each facility for two months from the date of first use. This article will introduce a special “budget” walking route that includes one of the country’s largest book museums and two gardens.

The term “public domain” refers to public intellectual property that is not copyrighted. There are art museums around the world that offer open online access to works in their collections. Here, we highlight works that have entered the public domain and redefine the appeal of such collections.

This time, the Examining Artists series picks up Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959), a master of modern American architecture. A lover of ukiyoe prints and an ardent Japanophile, Wright designed “the Imperial Hotel (now partially relocated and preserved at Museum Meiji-Mura)” and “the Jiyu Gakuen School”. He was active across the world, with a broad perspective spanning not only art, architecture, and design, but also education and urban planning. The article introduces Wright’s life and episodes with Nanako Kakei’s colorful illustrations.