The Miyagi Museum of Art

 In Japan, autumn is expressed with various words: Autumn is the season for good appetite, harvest, reading and so on. Another word that cannot be missed is art. As most students know, the Miyagi Museum of Art (宮城県立美術館) is just in front of Tohoku University's Kawauchi campus. It is one of the largest and most prominent museums in Miyagi prefecture.

 The exhibitions there range from large-scale ones to works by famous artists from the local area. Recently, there was a two-month special exhibition of Marc Chagall, a French artist who used all kinds of means, such as painting, tapestries, ceramic, stage sets, and stained glass, to express himself. One of his amazing works is a painting on the ceiling of the Opera Garnier in Paris. This work was reproduced on the ceiling of a wide room in the museum using an advanced camera.

 The upcoming exhibition is a collection by Toru Sunouchi (洲之内 徹), an art dealer who was active from the 1960s through the 80s. He was also a popular art critic, and there were many fans who appreciated reading his essays in various media. Even though he was a dealer, he did not relinquish works that he felt attached to. There are anecdotes that he sometimes had trouble with customers because of not selling his favorite paintings. The displayed collection at the museum includes the ones he retained this way, so you can enjoy seeing some Japanese modern art.

 Just next to the main building sits “The Sato Churyo Gallery (佐藤忠良記念館).” The sculptor Churyo Sato was born in Miyagi prefecture in 1912. He has been highly acclaimed both inside and outside of Japan. Most of his sculptures are male figures, and some can be found in the museum garden too.
 Since the museum is just across the street, we recommend you stop by for a change of pace!