Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka — Attraction in Osaka

The exhibition is good, but not if you are an art student interested in learning about techniques like composition and brush strokes, and process of painting.

The building is quite big and has nice architecture, but admission prices are based on exhibitions, so you will not get to see everything on display unless you purchase tickets for each one. I went to see the Claude Monet exhibition as a student and it cost 1500¥.

Firstly, I was really amazed to see the artwork and the curator did a good job creating a linear narrative of Monet’s work. I think there can be more creativity behind the exhibition, while I enjoy seeing Monet’s work, he may have been influenced by Japanese artists (Hokusai), but they don’t make the connection to that aspect. The space should take influence from other museums and galleries and have multiple wall spaces dispersed throughout. It’s basically an assembly line to look at the art …. So backtracking is quite hard as it can create congestion, especially because there’s so many people. It’s almost impossible to enjoy the art, even the works have a difficult time breathing because they are so close together.

The lineup to get inside.. it was very long but it does move relatively fast, but it goes to show that there was way too many people, especially because people can only access one floor at a time, and once you leave the exhibition space you can’t go back in.

You are only allowed to take photos of works that have a sign that says photo okay. You can’t even take pictures of signs that were created for the show (ie. the map showing where Monet painted at and even the wall texts…). If you are interested in photographing artworks for reference just go to the MoMA or the MET if they put on their own retrospective.

The lighting is quite dark, some of the light also shines directly on the varnish making it hard to actually see the paintings (The Luncheon was difficult to see up close)

And lastly you can’t even draw / study the art. I brought a small sketchbook and was using pen, and one of the staff said no pen, and gave me a pencil. Then 15 mins later another staff said I was not allowed to draw. I can understand that it is a cultural difference, but I wasn’t in the way of other guests… spending less than 2 mins per drawing. Please put that on the signs or on the websites and make it clear/easy to find out this information for foreigners!

Lastly, once you exit the exhibition to go to the gift shop you can’t enter back into the exhibition space, and it’s so crowded like peak hour on a train ride. It’s impossible to look at all the goods individually…

For those reasons I have said above, it’s why I think it’s better to go to New York to study the art if you are a foreigner or a...

This was my first visit to any museum in Osaka. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. This was on one of my last days on my most recent trip to Japan. I love the multi-level architecture and design of the building. They had an interesting concept for one of the exhibits, which I had not seen at a museum before. They handed you a paper ballot and a small, leaded pencil and you would mark on the paper whether you thought the item on display was “design“ or “art“. Then, you would proceed to a nearby display terminal and put in your votes on each of the artworks. It made you really think whether the item was something with a simple design function, or if it was “art”. Of course, all of that is subjective and up to one’s interpretation.

One of the main attractive pieces at this museum was a very tall metal “Robot“ that had the look of “Casper, the friendly ghost“. I’m not sure if that was by design or simply just art! It was a very fun day, and I spent hours touring all of the exhibits in the museum. They also offered a nice museum store with a wide variety of goods. If you have a little free time while visiting a Osaka, I highly recommend the Nakanoshima ...

My last day in Japan was a fitting end to a truly extraordinary trip. I spent the afternoon at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, an awe-inspiring testament to the Japanese mastery of blending functionality with artistry. The building itself is a work of art—it stands out among the other buildings as a dark gray cube with sleek lines. I was particularly drawn to the "Trio: Modern Art Collections from Paris, Tokyo, and Osaka" exhibition. It was a captivating journey through time, showcasing the evolution of modern art across three iconic cities. The curation was impeccable, and the diverse range of artworks, from paintings to sculptures to video, left me truly inspired. I was fascinated by the works of Chagall, Magritte, Harue Koga, Rothko, and Yoshitomo Nara. Each piece offered a unique perspective on the human experience, evoking a range of emotions from wonder to contemplation. As I wandered through the galleries, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and gratitude. The experience was both intellectually stimulating and emotionally moving. It was a perfect way to say goodbye to Japan, a country that has...