Keio University Art Center (KUAC)

April 30, 2024

Image: Art Space, the exhibition room of the Keio University Art Center (KUAC) (located in the Mita South Annex)

The Keio University Art Center (KUAC) was established in July 1993 as one of the university's Research Centers and Institutes and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023.

In Japan during the late 1980s, against the backdrop of an unprecedented economic boom and coupled with a rising momentum for corporate social responsibility, museums and other cultural facilities opened one after another, making the training of art management personnel an urgent task. Under these circumstances, the Faculty of Letters first launched the "Art Management Course" in 1991, the first of its kind for a comprehensive university. The subsequent establishment of the Keio University Art Center (KUAC) attracted widespread attention from various sectors as an initiative to create a space for theoretical exploration of the nature and significance of artistic activities in the modern era, as well as for practical activities, from a collaborative standpoint involving fields such as economics, administration, law, and information engineering.

In the first few years after its opening, in addition to research projects commissioned by local governments (Aichi Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture, Minato City in Tokyo, etc.) and the establishment of courses in the field of art management, efforts were focused on lectures, performances, and symposia on contemporary art and culture, as well as research groups themed on physical and visual expression. In particular, the connection with the local Minato City continues today through the "Cultural Narrative of the City" project, which explores historical shrines, temples, and historic sites within the city.

Then, in April 1998, the "Hijikata Tatsumi Archive" was established as the first experimental "Art Archive," following the deposit of numerous primary materials related to the Butoh of Tatsumi Hijikata, an avant-garde artist active in the 1960s. Since then, archives for Shuzo Takiguchi, Junzaburo Nishiwaki, and others have been developed and made public, now totaling 13. The center welcomes researchers from Japan and abroad who visit daily to consult these materials.

On the other hand, the "Art Management and Operations Committee," newly established in 2002, serves as the secretariat alongside the Office of Facilities and Property Management. It supports operations through expert advice and guidance on the research, preservation, and restoration of artworks and buildings across the entire Juku, including affiliated schools.

Furthermore, in September 2011, "Art Space," a small-scale exhibition room, was newly established on the first floor of the South Annex across from the Mita Main Gate. The Keio University Art Center (KUAC) took over the planning and operation of exhibitions and moved to the second floor of the same annex, where it remains today. In October 2013, it was designated as a facility equivalent to a museum under the Museum Act, becoming an essential training facility for Keio students seeking museum curator certification. At the same time, it serves as a university museum that is open to the public, albeit small, beyond just school education within Keio. (Preparation for re-application is underway due to amendments to the Museum Act.)

While the environment surrounding the Keio University Art Center (KUAC) has undergone various changes, the "exploration of the relationship between art and contemporary society" stated in its founding principles will continue into the future.

(Yoshio Kojima, Administrative Director of the Keio University Art Center (KUAC))