Exhibition "The Tree of Collection, Spring in its 36th Year - Focusing on New Acquisitions"　　　　Dates: April 11 (Sat) - June 28 (Sun) Ashiya City Museum of Art & History

Exhibition Flyer Image

Dates: April 11 (Sat) - June 28 (Sun), 2026 10:00 - 17:00 (Last admission 16:30) Closed: Mondays (except May 4 (Mon, holiday)), May 7 (Wed) Admission Fees: General ¥800 (¥640), University/High School Students ¥500 (¥400), Junior High School Students and younger free ※ ( ) indicates group rates for 20 or more people. ※ Seniors (65 and over) and individuals with disability certificates (physical disability, mental disability, developmental disability) and one caregiver receive a 50% discount on the same-day admission fee. ※ April 19 (Sun): Free admission for residents, students, and workers in Ashiya City (please present proof of residency/enrollment/employment). ※ May 9 (Sat), 10 (Sun): Free admission (holding "ART MARKET Ashiya Tsukuba"). Venue: Ashiya City Museum of Art & History Organizer: Ashiya City Museum of Art & History Sponsorship: Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education, Hyogo Prefectural Arts and Culture Association, Asahi Shimbun Kobe General Bureau, Kobe Shimbun, NHK Kobe Broadcasting Station, Kiss FM KOBE

Exhibition Overview This museum, which opened on March 22, 1991, as part of Ashiya City's 50th-anniversary project, celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. The museum's art collection, which began in 1989 when the preparatory office was established, now comprises a total of 1,531 works. The collection systematically includes works by artists associated with Ashiya, such as modern Western-style painters like Narashige Koide, post-war avant-garde art group Gutai Art Association, and the Ashiya Camera Club, which pioneered the emerging photography movement. Initially, representative works by each artist were purchased with funds. However, since 2000, the collection has been expanded through donations from artists, their estates, and related parties. In recent years, in addition to valuable works by Narashige Koide and members of the Gutai Art Association, works by contemporary artists such as Keiji Uematsu and Yukinori Yamamura have been newly acquired. The journey of building this collection over the past 35 years is akin to a tree growing its trunk, extending its branches and leaves, bearing flowers and fruits with the changing seasons, and attracting birds and insects – a process of rich growth. This tree, rooted in the scenic land of Ashiya, historically praised for its white sands and green pines, must be preserved so that it can continue to be a place of rest and exchange where people gather. In this exhibition, held in the museum's 36th spring, we will display and introduce works by 18 artists acquired since the beginning of the Reiwa era, alongside works acquired at the museum's opening. Through this exhibition, we hope to provide an opportunity to reflect together on the growth of our collection's tree and the various events that have surrounded it, and to consider the future of our collection and this tree.

Highlights ・Works by 18 artists newly acquired in recent years will be exhibited together. You will see a diverse range of modern and contemporary expressions, including paintings, prints, sculptures, and videos.

・For each artist, recently acquired works and works from the museum's opening will be displayed side-by-side. This contrast allows us to reflect on the history of the museum's art acquisition. Approximately 100 works will be on display.

・Stories before and after acquisition. Artworks are acquired by museums through people who cherish them. After acquisition, they undergo restoration, framing, research, and are invited to various exhibitions to be introduced to the public. In this exhibition, we will present the stories that artworks weave, both before and after their acquisition by the museum. We hope this will be an opportunity to consider the future of each artwork and the collection as a whole.

・Works unique to Ashiya and newly discovered works. We will exhibit works that were inspired by the exhibition space during the artist's solo exhibition at our museum, such as the work by sculptor Keiji Uematsu, and video works created by contemporary artist Yukinori Yamamura after touring the Ashiya area. These are works that could only have come into being in Ashiya. Additionally, we will present for the first time newly discovered works by Gutai Art Association members such as Atsuko Tanaka and Satoshi Tai, as well as a collaborative work between Narashige Koide and Kyoshi Takahama.

・Related events are also planned. Details will be announced on our website around May.

Exhibiting Artists *Tentative list, in Japanese alphabetical order Sadami Higashi, Jiro Ito, Keiji Uematsu, Terukazu Oishi, Shintaro Kataoka, Narashige Koide, Kazuo Shiraga, Tsumugu Sugai, Satoshi Tai, Atsuko Tanaka, Sadaharu Horio, Masatoshi Masanobu, Takesada Matsutani, Kimiyo Mishima, Takao Yamazaki, Yukinori Yamamura, Jiro Yoshihara, Nobuko Watanabe Exhibited Works/Materials Approximately 100 artworks, plus related materials.

For details on exhibition promotional images and related events, please check our website. https://ashiya-museum.jp/exhibition/exhibition_next/20614.html