Watari-Um Tokyo

The world of art is increasingly becoming art in the world. Within that development I find the Watari-Um Museum to be one of the central places. It is realizing on the highest level and in a very refined way what many people are trying to do everywhere. From the very beginning the Watari-Um Museum has aimed its gaze at the top of the mountain. This could already be seen in the decision to invite Mario Botta to design the building. It could be seen by the invitation of world specialists in exhibitionmaking and the inclusion of artists that are international references for the development of contemporary art. Never was there a confusion between having local roots and being regionalistic. Due to these extremely high standards there is now a platform arising for redefining the place of Japan within international art. Choosing for the highest measures does not only mean making the most severe judgments, but also generating the highest challenges. The choices that are appearing in the list of the artists are clearly Japan –based. The Watari-Um Museum is neither regionalistic, nor inter-nationalistic in the sense that it is showing whatever is considered important everywhere. It is: Japan choosing its links, based on the sensibilities of its own culture. At the same time it is intensively researching and carefully engaging with Japanese and Asiatic artists, therewith enabling them to be an integral part of the whole proposition of the museum, which is one that is becoming a voice to be listened to everywhere. Once Japan will feel more grateful to the Watari-Um Museum than it can now imagine.

Jan Hoet