Ueno is a city where you can enjoy a wide variety of cultures, including art galleries and museums. This area is home to Tokyo University of the Arts, known as one of Japan's leading centers for the arts.

Geidai Art Plaza is a gallery and shop located on the university campus that anyone can visit.

A space filled with works by people with ties to the Tokyo University of the Arts

Geidai Art Plaza is a gallery and shop that was jointly established by Tokyo University of the Arts and Shogakukan in 2018.

The slogan is "Filling homes all over Japan with art."

The museum focuses on works by people connected to Tokyo University of the Arts, such as graduates and faculty members, and regularly exhibits and sells around 500 pieces, ranging from small to large, by 40 to 50 creators.

The Geidai Art Plaza is the only place where Tokyo University of the Arts can exhibit and sell works on this scale.

"The exhibits change every month, so we hope you'll come visit. We hope you'll enjoy discovering new artists and their works," says Naoko Saito, the museum's director. If you have any questions about the works or artists, you can ask them here.

Art is not just for special people

In order to provide many opportunities for everyone to experience art, Geidai Art Plaza does not limit itself to large-scale or specialized works, but also exhibits and sells small items that can be easily picked up, tableware that can be easily incorporated into daily life, and accessories.

Regarding the concept of art, Shiro Takagi, editor-in-chief of the official website, "Geidai Art Plaza Times," has this to say:

"I think that artworks and shapes are the outward manifestation of 'artistic activities.' Art itself is special, but it doesn't have to belong to 'special people.' In other words, it's not just the artist, but the actions and behaviors that customers have toward the work that are 'art.'"

As the name suggests, the Geidai Art Plaza regards all actions such as appreciating, taking pictures, purchasing, and thinking as "art" and proposes various ways of experiencing art.

Participate, wear and enjoy "art"

The special exhibitions, which change every one or two months, also include interactive exhibits.

For example, there is a special exhibition called "The Art of Tea," which is based on "The Book of Tea" written by Okakura Tenshin, who served as the principal of Tokyo School of Fine Arts, the predecessor of Tokyo University of the Arts.

Okakura is said to have played an important role in the development of Japanese art. The cards on display feature phrases excerpted from his books about the Japanese culture and traditions he felt through the tea ceremony.

Another unique feature is that you can take home three pieces that interest you as souvenirs. By taking them home, you can feel art closer to you and experience it in your daily life.

*This exhibition has ended.

Furthermore, among the "art" symbolized by the actions and behavior of our customers, we are particularly focusing on "drawing T-shirts."

"Drawing" is a technique that focuses on drawing simple lines and shapes. Artists make many drawings in the process of creating their works. Generally, most of these are discarded, but this "Drawing T-shirt" finds new value in these drawings.

Unlike a finished work, it is, so to speak, a "work in progress." The Drawing T-shirt has a unique appeal in that it allows you to wear the artist's "act of drawing itself."

Engaging with sustainable art

Geidai Art Plaza is a new initiative created by academic institutions and private companies on the ground floor to promote the arts.

The works, which are familiar and easy to incorporate into daily life, have created a new form of art.

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藝大アートプラザ 
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住所：東京都台東区上野公園12-8 東京藝術大学美術学部構内 
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