21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa to Close for an Extended Period from May 2027; Its Last Special Exhibition Before Closure, “From Today to Tomorrow”

The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture) will close for an extended period from May 2027 to March 2028 to upgrade equipment such as air conditioning and electrical systems and carry out repairs. As its last special exhibition before the closure, it will hold “From Today to Tomorrow: Passing On Artworks” from Saturday, October 31, 2026 to Sunday, April 18, 2027. The exhibition reexamines what it means to pass works on to the future and presents the processes of research, conservation, re-performance and documentation as part of the exhibition.

“From Today to Tomorrow”: how to preserve works for the next 20 years

According to the museum’s press release, “today” in the title refers to the “now” of contemporary art and the roughly 20 years since the museum opened, and “tomorrow” to the next 20 years and beyond after the closure. The museum says it will confront the practical challenge of how to preserve works 20 years into the future. Focusing on works in its collection that require consideration of conservation and methods of passing them on, it will present the challenges of preserving media art, installations and other works.

“Laboratory of Passing On” in Gallery 4 is a space reminiscent of a backyard or the anteroom of a storage facility. Storage boxes normally hidden from view and materials from inspection, research and documentation are displayed alongside the works. The participating artists include Kiyoshi Awazu, Yoshitomo Nara, Yuko Mohri and Rhizomatiks, with the display planned in three phases.

In Gallery 2, James Turrell’s “Gasworks” (1993) is shown for the first time in 16 years. In this work, viewers lie down and enter a sphere, enveloped in shifting light and color. The experience is free (a ticket for the day is required), with same-day registration on a first-come, first-served basis, about 10 minutes per person.

In Gallery 6, Chiharu Shiota + Toshiki Okada’s “On the Room of Memories” is performed and exhibited. Performances are planned in three periods, including Thursday, November 19 to Tuesday, December 1, 2026. In Gallery 3 and the exchange zone, Kenta Ishige, Sen Takahashi and Miyu Hosoi present new works.

The permanently installed works inside and outside the museum are also treated as part of the exhibition, tracing the relationship between works, architecture, installation environments and daily care. They include Leandro Erlich’s “The Swimming Pool” (2004) and Patrick Blanc’s “Green Bridge” (2004). As a related program, “Things That Fall Apart, Things That Are Passed On” is held in collaboration with Hermès Japon. The second part, a symposium, will be held at Theater 21 on Saturday, November 14, free of charge with no reservation required.

The series “With Noto”: works toppled by the earthquake reconstructed at the museum

Since the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, the museum has continued to support recovery through art. “Hitoshi Ushijima and Hiraki Sawa: Landscapes Together,” part of the series “With Noto,” is on view free of charge until Sunday, April 18, 2027, in the Long-Term Installation Room and the Project Studio. It introduces two artists who took part in the Oku-Noto Triennale and have close ties with the museum.

Ushijima moved “Shoun Kaifu Hashike-gumo,” a climbable work he showed at the Oku-Noto Triennale 2023, to the museum and reconstructed it in a new form. The work had collapsed in a landslide caused by the earthquake and was slated for demolition. Based on research in Suzu and conversations with residents, Sawa created a new video installation, “Black and White” (2026).

Editor’s perspective

The exhibition squarely addresses, just before the closure, the question of how to preserve works that depend on equipment, light and video. Its attempt to show the processes of conservation and restoration raises issues that also apply to the field of digital art. Kenta Ishige, who presents a new work, is also taking part in the international art exhibition TOKYO ATLAS, now under way in Tokyo. Events in November are compiled in our November 2026 art event calendar.

Overview

Name: From Today to Tomorrow: Passing On Artworks
Dates: Saturday, October 31, 2026 – Sunday, April 18, 2027
Hours: 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; until 17:00 on January 2 and 3)
Closed: Mondays (open on November 23, January 11 and March 22), November 24, December 29 – January 1, January 12, March 23
Venue: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Galleries 1–6 and exchange zone
Address: 1-2-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture
Admission: Adults 1,200 yen, university students 800 yen, elementary, junior high and high school students 400 yen, 65 and over 1,000 yen (web sales and groups of 20 or more: adults 1,000 yen, university students 600 yen, elementary, junior high and high school students 300 yen)
Organizer: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa [Kanazawa Art Promotion and Development Foundation]
Concurrent exhibition: Series “With Noto,” Hitoshi Ushijima and Hiraki Sawa: Landscapes Together (until Sunday, April 18, 2027; free)
Official website: https://www.kanazawa21.jp/data_list.php?g=17&d=1853
*Information as of October 19, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, August 2009 (photo: Takeshi Kuboki, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on a press release from the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (February 4, 2026) and information on its official website.

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team