Special Exhibition: "The Tree of the Collection, the 36th Spring — Focusing on New Acquisitions"

Exhibition Dates: April 11 (Sat) – June 28 (Sun), 2026, 10:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)

Closed: Mondays (except May 4, which is a national holiday), May 7 (Wed)

Admission: General 800 (640) yen, University/High School students 500 (400) yen, Junior high school students and younger free * Prices in parentheses are for groups of 20 or more. * Half-price for seniors (65+) and holders of Physical Disability Certificates, Mental Disability Health and Welfare Certificates, or Rehabilitation Certificates, as well as their caregivers. * Free admission on April 19 (Sun) for residents, students, and commuters of Ashiya City (please present proof). * Free admission on May 9 (Sat) and 10 (Sun) (during the "ART MARKET Ashiya Tsukuruba" event).

Venue: Ashiya City Museum of Art and History Organizer: Ashiya City Museum of Art and History Supported by: Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education, Hyogo Prefectural Association for Art and Culture, The Asahi Shimbun Kobe General Bureau, The Kobe Shimbun, NHK Kobe Station, Kiss FM KOBE

Exhibition Overview Opened on March 22, 1991, as a project commemorating the 50th anniversary of Ashiya City, our museum celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. Our art collection, which began in 1989 when the preparation office was established, now totals 1,531 pieces. We have systematically collected works by artists associated with Ashiya, including modern Western-style painters like Narashige Koide, the post-war avant-garde art group Gutai Art Association, and the Ashiya Camera Club, which led the emerging photography movement. While representative works by these artists were initially purchased through funds, since 2000, the collection has been expanded through donations from artists, their families, and related parties. In recent years, we have acquired new works by contemporary artists such as Keiji Uematsu and Yukinori Yamamura, alongside valuable pieces by Narashige Koide and members of the Gutai Art Association.

The journey of building this collection over the past 35-plus years is like the growth of a tree—stretching its trunk, spreading its branches and leaves, blooming and bearing fruit with the changing seasons, and attracting birds and insects. We must protect this collection so that this tree, rooted in the scenic land of Ashiya—long celebrated for its white sands and green pines—can continue to be a place of rest and exchange where people gather.

In this exhibition, held during the museum's 36th spring, we will display and unveil works by 18 artists acquired since the start of the Reiwa era, alongside works acquired when the museum first opened. Through this exhibition, which looks back on the time the museum's "tree" has grown and the various events that have surrounded it, we hope to take this opportunity to think about the future of our collection—the future of this tree—together with you.

Highlights - A comprehensive exhibition of works by 18 artists newly acquired in recent years. Enjoy a variety of modern and contemporary expressions, including paintings, prints, sculptures, and video works. - For each artist, we will display both recently acquired works and pieces from the museum's initial collection. Through this contrast, we look back on the history of our museum's art acquisition. Approximately 100 items will be on display. - The story of "before/after" acquisition. Artworks reach the museum after passing through the hands of people who cherished them. Even after acquisition, they are restored, framed, researched, and studied to be appreciated for a long time, and are invited to various exhibitions. In this exhibition, we introduce the stories woven by these works before and after they were acquired by the museum. We hope this will serve as an opportunity to think about the future of each work and the collection as a whole. - Works unique to Ashiya and newly discovered works. We will exhibit works born specifically because of Ashiya, such as pieces inspired by the exhibition space by sculptor Keiji Uematsu, and video works created by contemporary artist Yukinori Yamamura while touring the city. We will also debut newly discovered works by Gutai Art Association members such as Atsuko Tanaka and Satoshi Tai, as well as a collaborative work by Narashige Koide and Kyoshi Takahama. - Related events are also planned. Details will be announced on our website around May.

Exhibiting Artists *Subject to change, in Japanese alphabetical order Sadami Higashi, Tsuguro Ito, Keiji Uematsu, Kiichi Oishi, Shintaro Kataoka, Narashige Koide, Kazuo Shiraga, Kumi 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 and other related materials

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