The first art museum I went to in Japan was the National Art Center in Roppongi. One exhibit there was a traditional art gallery filled with black-and-white paintings of nature. The other was dedicated to pottery and ceramic figures. The art gallery was slightly underwhelming for me. Some of the paintings were quite beautiful but nothing stood out to me as especially engaging or thought provoking. I enjoyed the art in the pottery exhibit more because it seemed to take up a presence in the room. Additionally, there were many small sculptures and pseudo-human figures that told a story or had meaning that could be drawn out of them.
The other museum I went to was the Mori Art Museum, specifically the Shiota Chiharu exhibit. I thoroughly enjoyed this exhibit because it drew emotions and feelings out of me. The all-encompassing red and black strings made me feel comforted but also entrapped. The grotesque video of Shiota in a mud bath made me feel deeply uncomfortable and question what its purpose was. To me, this is the most meaningful part of art. Another person’s self-expression can spark emotions within its audience and make them ask questions that transcend just the art itself.
I do think that art can aid in learning about a different culture. However, simply looking at a single exhibit created by one artist cannot be generalized to make an overarching statement about a culture as a whole. As you experience more and more art from a single culture, it lays a better groundwork for understanding that culture. It is also important to remember that art is not only found in museums. It can be found in architecture, paintings at shrines or temples, graffiti, or even manhole covers. I find these expressions of art to be more meaningful when trying to learn more about a different culture.
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