Togo Murano (1891-1984) is one of the most significant Japanese architects of the modern period, known for his design achievements based on a humanist perspective. He took on various styles, from avant-garde modernist design in the prewar era to dynamic yet delicately expressed design in the postwar era, in order to create architecture that would represent each city he worked in. Above all, Murano's interior design is where one might best see his approach, aesthetic, and philosophy on architecture reflected all at once. He worked on a ship interior right before WWII, where he created a theatrical environment that is reminiscent of the bottom of the ocean, consisting of guest rooms and a tea room, full of meticulously thought-out details handcrafted by specialists, which one might not notice at first glance. All the furniture and fabrics have a touch of playfulness and were designed by the architect himself. From the blueprints and models, we can learn about the working process that transpired between him, his staff, and the artisans he worked with. This exhibition also introduces the garden at his residence, as well as his last project, the Tanimura Art Museum. This exhibition looks closely into Murano's architecture and interior design, showcasing his blueprints, photographs, scale models, and furniture. Also, for the first time, Murano's ship interior, which was destroyed in the war, has been visualized and reconstructed through 3D computer animation. In addition, his sketch books, diaries, and other related personal effects are on display.

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum is pleased to present “Summer Villa: The Sculptures, Drawings, and Prints of Katsura Funakoshi in Art Deco Space.” Katsura Funakoshi was born in Morioka, Japan in 1951. He studied sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University and graduate school at Tokyo University of the Arts (the former name: Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music). In the 1980s he began carving human figures out of camphor wood and partially coloring them. After many domestic shows, his work appeared in major international exhibitions, including the 1988 Venice Biennale and Documenta IX in 1992, establishing a reputation both here and abroad for his fresh approach to figurative sculpture. Funakoshi went on to cultivate new territories of sculptural expression, partially deforming his figures in a solo exhibition of 2003-2004 and further developing these forms to create the enigmatic, androgynous Sphinx series, begun in 2006. This exhibition introduces the challenging Sphinx series, including new pieces, as well as a selection of the best work from each previous period of the artist’s career. To Funakoshi, drawings and prints are important modes of creative expression in their own right on the same level as his sculpture. His drawings are not just studies for sculpture but comprise a world that is complete in itself. In his prints, which he began making as a student in England in 1987, he employs a variety of techniques, including drypoint, aquatint, lithography, and woodcut, to produce freely expressive artworks that are not subordinate to the sculpture. This exhibition gives equal attention to all three forms of expression to provide a fuller understanding of the artist. A particular point of interest on this occasion is the encounter between the Art Deco space of the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum and the work of Funakoshi. The distinctively decorated rooms of the museum, quite different from the “white cube” galleries of most museums, will come together with Funakoshi’s sculptures, drawings, and prints to create a rich tapestry, a rare space and time that cannot be experienced anywhere else. The museum will be transformed into a summer villa filled with magical surprises.

This exhibition introduces the past, present, and future of city development in Sengawa (Chofu City, Tokyo), along with the ongoing design of road layout. The project consists of 6 facilities that designed alongside the road, and is one of the largest projects that the world has seen.