In our modern age, a “home” is structured as a social system. Although the architectural, physical “house” is easy to generalize, the meaning of “home,” which is entwined with emotions, customs and culture, is difficult to capture unless it is considered multilaterally. In particular, nowadays when mobilization has become permanent by means of globalization, can “houses” or “homes” be found anywhere – or possibly, nowhere? Based on this question, within some of the unused spaces of Kanazawa, contemporary artists from Japan, China, and Korea will present their works on the theme of “home.”

Culture City of East Asia 2018 Kanazawa Core Activity

The “Culture City of East Asia” initiative selects cities in the three countries of Japan, China and South Korea, with the aim of developing art and culture, and in those cities various kinds of events related to contemporary art culture, traditional culture and culture from everyday life are held. In 2018 the initiative is being held in the three cities of Kanazawa (Japan), Harbin (China) and Busan (Korea). “Altering Home” is a large-scale contemporary art exhibition set in the city of Kanazawa, and as we develop this core activity of the “Culture City of East Asia” initiative, we adopt the mission to “live together with the world as it is now.”

Kanazawa becomes the venue – new works are born through connecting with the town

Moving beyond the boundaries of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, artworks will be on display throughout the downtown area. Many new works made especially for this exhibition are also scheduled to be presented at venues consisting of private residencies and buildings in three areas of central Kanazawa city (Hirosaka, Teramachi/Nomachi/Izumi, Ishibiki). We will further develop our mission to be a museum that will “live in the town, make with citizens and engage in participatory planning and interchange,” putting these words into practice through interactions with residents of these areas. Furthermore, these places are key historical locations related to the period of feudal rule, including Kanazawa castle – home to the Kaga daimyo Maeda – as well as the temples nearby connected to the Maeda family. Nowadays, being areas that contain government offices, a religious district and many tourist destinations, they are familiar sites to many people, but they are also areas where people live.