Establishment of the Taguchi Art Foundation – In Search of More Public Benefit
Our collection holds exhibitions all over Japan and so far, we have had exhibitions at more than ten public and private museums. While holding the exhibitions, we noticed the weakness of Japan’s cultural administration, especially the difficulty of managing public museums due to budget reductions by local governments. There is also a lack of opportunities for children to appreciate art in their educational programs. Curators of local museums who we worked together were all excellent and highly conscious, but they were struggling to face the reality – because there are “no budget,” “no staff,” and “no collection of contemporary art”. On the other hand, world-famous museums have rich collections and funds, and moreover, these museums are filled with children. Therefore, I am very concerned that the foundation that supports Japanese art will collapse if things continue as they are.
Considering the current Japanese situation and how our collection contributes to improving this situation, we established the Taguchi Art Foundation in August 2020 within the Public Promoting Association. In order to ensure that the collection is seen and secured in the future, we have decided to gradually transfer ownership from the Taguchi family to the Foundation, which will collect and exhibit the artwork for the purpose of carrying out permanent and active public service activities.
As a result, the collection of the Taguchi Art Foundation will be reborn with openness and will become everyone’s collection. By opening the collection from private to public, we will be able to utilize the collection for a wider range of exhibitions and educational activities.
Specifically, we will (1) increase opportunities for children to see artwork, (2) support the holding of exhibitions of contemporary art in local museums and other public venues, and (3) create opportunities for people to become familiar with artwork outside of museums.
We believe if we unify the power of many people, we can create the foundation for a future that fosters a rich culture.
Public Promoting Association/ Taguchi Art Foundation
Founder Hiroshi Taguchi
Executive Adviser Miwa Taguchi
Adviser Under consideration