Kankuro Ueshima, Collector and Founder of Ueshima Museum.
Kankuro Ueshima. Courtesy Ueshima Museum.
So, tell us why you wanted to start your own museum?
Not being able to present in public is a big issue for artists, especially in Japan. Normally, when collectors buy a piece, they bring that piece to a warehouse or to a very private space and no one other than the owner—or even the owner—can see it. That’s a bad habit.
I ran into that issue after I started collecting art. I had a desire to make my collection public. At the beginning, I made it public through my website and Instagram, but after continuing this for a while, I realized I wanted to present it to the public in a real way.
Ueshima Museum. Courtesy Ueshima Museum.
Why are so many Japanese collectors so private?
Space is a big issue. In the US, wealthy people have large private spaces where you can invite guests. In Japan, that isn’t the case for most people. Even when you’re wealthy, there’s very limited space to present your collection.
What needs to change about Tokyo to make it a global arts destination, competitive with Seoul and Hong Kong?
More museums! [laughs.] There are many museums in Tokyo, but they mostly focus on “modern art,” not what we call contemporary art. The Japanese in general love Impressionism, like Monet and Picasso, and they stop there. There should be a big space presenting contemporary art. In Seoul and Hong Kong, contemporary art is more popular than “modern” art. However, there is some movement here. Both the public and collectors are starting to take interest in contemporary art.
Exterior, Ueshima Museum. Courtesy Ueshima Museum.
What are some of your favorite galleries to buy from in Tokyo?
Well, I bought from about 90 galleries so far this year. I bought from the global mega galleries such as Gagosian, Pace, White Cube, Blum & Poe, Perrotin, etc. As for Japanese galleries, I bought from Ota Fine Arts, SCAI, ShugoArts, Taka Ishii, Taro Nasu, Tomio Koyama, and Gallery Koyanagi, among others.
