November 8, 2018
On October 13, the third installment of the Faculty of Letters public lecture series "The Bridging Faculty of Letters," titled "Delivering Art," was held at the South School Building Hall on Mita Campus as an endowed lecture by Kyokuto Securities Co., Ltd. Following an address by Professor Yoshimitsu Matsuura, Dean of the Faculty of Letters, lectures were given by Professor Fumiko Goto and Associate Professor Wataru Fukuda of the Aesthetics and Art History Program.
Using the concept of "Gemeinschaft," which indicates a form of community, Professor Goto explained the role that the meeting and collaboration between architect Yoshiro Taniguchi and sculptor Isamu Noguchi—two figures with deep ties to Keio University—played in the creation of the Shin-Banraisha, or the "Noguchi Room" conversation lounge, as a new, sensuous, and integrated postwar space for interaction.
Associate Professor Fukuda spoke about classical concerts as venues for delivering music. He marked the mid-19th century, when the focus shifted from vocal to instrumental music, as a turning point. By contrasting the periods before and after this shift, he showed that concerts were originally everyday, open events that allowed for diverse interpretations by the audience.
After the lectures, there was a lively exchange of opinions with the audience. The main points of discussion included the definition and scope of art, the nature of future changes, and how to approach the diversifying world of artistic works. Although the age range of the attendees was on the higher side, there were many questions and comments from the younger generation, including high school students, and the third public lecture concluded on a high note.