With the Hsinchu County Museum of Fine Arts construction project progressing rapidly, Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke and the County Government team are studying successful experiences from many different large exhibition venues’ architectural features, exhibition planning, and operating models. Today (April 1st), Magistrate Yang led a delegation to visit the Kyōtō City Kyocera Museum of Art. The visit is intended to provide in-depth insights into the historical progression of Japan’s oldest public art museum, and to witness how the Museum interweaves tradition and innovation, in hope of bringing a different look to cultural construction and art spaces in Hsinchu County in the future.
Magistrate Yang said that the Kyoto City Art Museum, which opened in 1933, is been beloved by local citizens. In 2017, it temporarily closed for a major renovation, with the redesign done by Japanese architects Aoki Jun and Nishizawa Tezzo, The museum finally reopened in March 2020. It was also renamed, incorporating corporate sponsorship to become the Kyōtō City Kyocera Museum of Art. The overall exterior retains the original architectural style, but the west plaza incorporates a streamlined glass curtain wall. This creates a striking visual contrast with the historic building that is both eye-catching and innovative. The interior space cleverly integrates into the original design features, while optimizing visitor flow and facilities. All of these provide lessons in planning the Hsinchu County Museum.
The Hsinchu County Museum of Fine Arts planning and construction budget is approximately NT$2.1 billion. In the first stage of the open competition, 27 firms participated in the selection. 5 top architectural teams were shortlisted after the preliminary selection, and site visits have been completed. The final selection results are expected to be announced by the end of April. The Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that the Hsinchu County Museum of Fine Arts’ architectural design will also exhibit distinct characteristics, while integrating with the surrounding environment, the Hsinchu County Main Library, and the Dongxing Canal Park to form a unique cultural landscape. The museum is expected to be not only an art exhibition space, but also an artistic space that fuses with nature, culture, and urban spaces; to become a platform for international exchange; and to become a major site for culture and art in Hsinchu County.
Magistrate Yang’s delegation coincided with the Kyōtō stop of the Monet: The Late Waterscapes touring exhibition. Magistrate Yang and the rest of the delegation were indeed fortunate to see the works of Impressionist painter Monet. The touring exhibition consists of 48 works, sent directly from the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris to Japan. The first Japanese exhibition was held at the Ueno Royal Museum. Structured around four major themes – the Seine to water lily ponds, water and floral decoration, moving toward large decorative paintings, and symphonic colors – the exhibition not only featured 7 treasured pieces that were exhibited for the first time, but more than 20 paintings from Monet’s Water Lilies series.
Magistrate Yang stated that they were very fortunate to see the Kyōtō stop of this international Monet: The Late Waterscapes exhibition. It comprehensively presents the artistic creations of the “Painter of Light” in his later years. Magistrate Yang noted that it was extremely impressive to walk into the exhibition venue, surrounded by water lilies, and to see masterpiece after masterpiece in person. Hsinchu County has officially launched the Hsinchu County Museum of Fine Arts construction project, which will be positioned as a “Future Museum” and aim to create a diverse, multi-functional cultural platform that incorporates deep interaction, diverse curation, expert displays, international special exhibitions, and new media art. It aims to be, in short, a comprehensive cultural venue. In the future, the project hopes to invite special exhibitions of internationally-renowned artists such as Monet to Hsinchu County, creating world-class artistic exchange events.