It's not all roses being the director of an independent art museum, but for Toshio Hara, the human interaction of the art world is still a more attractive prospect than that of being a businessman. In 1979 he turned the family seat — a small cluster of white modernist buildings in a quiet residential street in Shinagawa, Tokyo — into the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, which has been one of Japan's foremost venues for exhibiting art ever since. An inherently eclectic and informal space, the museum celebrates its 35th anniversary this December and its director shared some thoughts with The Japan Times.
Firstly, is there a question that you dislike answering?
Questions about the future of art. The art we deal with is extremely individualistic and reflective of the society around it. The many ways art can change depends on the societal changes that occur in each era. I feel great pleasure when I encounter something totally unexpected.
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