30th Anniversary of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, opened in 1995, will be welcoming its 30th anniversary on March 18th, 2025.
To commemorate its 30th year, through a wide range of exhibitions and programs held over the course of a year, we will be exploring the future role of museums in a more diverse society and for a broader public. We hope this serves as a platform for considering the possibilities of museums in the coming 30 years.
1. Free Admission on 3/18 (Tues) to MOT Collection Exhibition
On our March 18th (Tues) anniversary, the following exhibitions may be viewed free of charge:
MOT Collection Seven Beauties in the Bamboo Forest ／
Small Glow ／ Pre-30th Anniversary Exhibit: Leiko IKEMURA Mark MANDERS
Rising Light / Frozen Moment
2. MOT 30th Anniversary Symposium -
How Museums Change?
Founded in 1995, MOT will be welcoming its 30th anniversary this year. Looking back on the last 30 years marked by the spread of the Internet and diversification of values, the role of museums is also being reconsidered along with shifts in society. As a “contemporary art museum” that aims to constantly represent the era’s new forms of expressions, we have always challenged ourselves in exploring ways that go beyond the traditional museum. Looking ahead, what kind of place will museums become in the future?
In this symposium, we invite young curators from Hong Kong, South Korea, and Indonesia to discuss with us the new possibilities of museums. With experience in running alternative spaces and activities by art collectives, these speakers have realized many projects in a variety of places that go beyond the museum framework. Rethinking museums as “places to gather”, we will share our thoughts on the future role of museums.
Time/Venue: 2:00 - 4:30 PM / Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Auditorium (B2F) / Free Admission / Includes Simultaneous Interpretation (Eng/Jp)
Speakers: Eunice Tsang (M+ Associate Curator/Hong Kong), Jiwon Yu (Leeum Museum of Art, Curator/South Korea), Leonhard Bartolomeus (Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM], Curator/Indonesia)
Organized by: Sanghae Kwon, Mayu Torigoe, Mio Harada (Curators, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo)
/en/news/2025/02/20250207094125/
3. “MOT Plus” New Project
MOT is launching "MOT Plus Project", a new initiative dedicated to the development of experimental projects that move beyond conventional exhibition formats to encompass performances, film screenings and other works. This first period will include the 2 projects listed below.
- Soundwalk Collective & Patti Smith: CORRESPONDENCES
April 26 (Sat) – June 29 (Sun)
https://mot-art-museum.jp/en/exhibitions/MOTPlus-correspondences/ - Collaboration with Han Nefkens Foundation: Shahana Rajani
April 29 (Tues/Hol.) - June 29 (Sun)
https://www.mot-art-museum.jp/en/exhibitions/MOTPlus-HNF2025/
4. 30th Anniversary Project of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Period: August 23 (Sat) – November 24 (Mon)
https://www.mot-art-museum.jp/en/exhibitions/30th-Anniversary/
In commemoration of the museum's 30th anniversary, this project presents a large-scale exhibition featuring both domestic and international artists, alongside a wide range of programs. As a platform for exploring the future role of museums in a more diverse society and for a broader public, the project will introduce artworks that offer multiple perspectives on the dynamics of how places and spaces are formed and transformed, and how these changes influence the way people live. Throughout the exhibition period, we will host performances, workshops, tours, and other events by emerging artists.
5. 30th Anniversary MOT Collection Special Exhibition (working title)
Period: From April 29 (Tues/Hol.) throughout the year
https://www.mot-art-museum.jp/en/exhibitions/mot-collection-250429/
https://www.mot-art-museum.jp/en/exhibitions/mot-collection-250802/
https://www.mot-art-museum.jp/en/exhibitions/mot-collection-251225/
Through the “MOT Collection” exhibition, works from the diverse collection of the museum are presented in various combinations under themes to convey the appeal of the collection from new perspectives. This year, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the museum’s opening, we will hold special exhibitions that reexamine the flow of contemporary art through multiple lenses. During the first and second periods, we will attempt to outline 90 years of art between 1934 to 2025 through nine rooms separated by decades. We will reflect on the history of our collection through representative artworks, while also introducing many newly acquired pieces. For the third period, we will structure exhibitions by themes, interweaving those featuring collaborations with collection artists.