Art Collection Management and Operations Committee

2019/04/17

Image: Statue of Tekona

Keio University owns many works of art. The Art Collection Management and Operations Committee (hereinafter referred to as "the Committee") was established in 2002 to ensure the smooth and appropriate storage, management, and operation of these works. Centered on the Keio University Art Center (KUAC), which possesses specialized expertise, the Committee includes members from various departments such as the affiliated schools, the Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko), the Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese Studies, the Media Center, and the Office of Communications and Public Relations. The Office of Facilities and Property Management, which is responsible for managing the "physical assets" of the Juku, serves as the secretariat. In this way, the Committee is a forum for exchanging opinions on the ideal state of the art collection from a wide variety of perspectives, making it a truly university-wide initiative. Below are examples that embody the purpose of the Committee's establishment.

First, there is the development of the art database. After the Committee was established, it began identifying artworks within Keio. Paintings and sculptures that had been lying dormant in scattered warehouses and library stacks were unearthed, and their acquisition history and value were investigated. The art database was developed by adding these survey results to the artwork information.

In addition, the cleaning and restoration of sculptures and paintings that had not been maintained for many years are being carried out sequentially. Keio University has many outdoor sculptures, and these are now regularly cleaned. Recently, students in the Major in Aesthetics and Art History in the Faculty of Letters and Yochisha Elementary School pupils have been given the opportunity to experience part of this work. Not only do these works captivate viewers with their beautifully maintained appearance, but they are now also used in educational practice.

The restoration of the indoor sculpture "Tekona" by Shikai Kitamura can also be called an achievement of the Committee. This work was damaged in the Great Tokyo Air Raid of 1945, resulting in missing arm parts and blackening of the surface, and had long been dormant in the basement warehouse of the Old University Library. However, its handling was brought to the table by the Committee, and a restoration policy was set to keep restoration to a minimum and preserve the state it was in at the time of the disaster. This was because value was found in the state of the work as a testament to the horrific nature of the war damage, from a historical perspective as well as for its artistic value. Precise restoration work was required, but it was successfully completed, and the work was exhibited for the first time in about 60 years at the "Yukichi Fukuzawa and the Future" exhibition held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the university's founding.

Artworks are scattered throughout the indoor and outdoor areas of the Mita Campus, and the Committee also took the lead in installing explanatory captions for them. These were prepared out of a desire for not only students but also visitors to the Mita Campus to enjoy the artworks.

This kind of activity, where the faculty and staff organization works as one to contribute to the management and operation of artworks, can be said to be a rare example for a university organization, and Keio University intends to promote it further.

(Office of Facilities and Property Management)