The Tokyo National Museum and Cartier are presenting "Cartier and Japan: A 50-Year Journey, 'MUSUBI' – A Dialogue on Beauty and Art" at the Hyokeikan, Tokyo National Museum, until Sunday, July 28. This exhibition, commemorating 50 years since Cartier opened its first boutique in Japan, explores the two bonds between Cartier and Japan, and between the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art and Japanese artists, through various stories connecting them.

For the first time in a single exhibition, Maison Cartier, celebrating its 50th anniversary in Japan, and the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art come together. This exhibition delves into the bond and history between Cartier and Japan.

The right side of the venue showcases over 170 precious works, including pieces from Cartier's heritage collection, archival materials, and works by contemporary artists. Reflecting on Cartier's exhibitions held in Japan since 1988, it presents the most valuable and iconic works from those past displays, allowing visitors to feel the trajectory of dialogue between Cartier and Japan's ever-evolving culture over half a century.

The left side of the venue introduces the dialogue between the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, established in 1984, and Japanese artists. As a pioneer in discovering and rediscovering Japanese artists since its inception, the Foundation, which was among the first to present Japanese artists' works in Europe, presents approximately 120 works across genres such as painting, photography, architecture, design, and video by 16 artists from Japan and abroad, visualized in a "kaleidoscopic" vision. This allows visitors to sense the trajectory of the Cartier Foundation's focus on Japanese artists.

Further, at the center of the building, is the work "50 Views of Japanese Sky" by Sho Shibuya, a Japanese artist based in New York.

Commissioned to commemorate Cartier Japan's 50th anniversary, Mr. Shibuya traveled across Japan for 35 days to create a series of 50 paintings. This poetic map, depicting the sky's scenery on the front page of a local newspaper each day, visiting all 47 prefectures, seems to reflect a vision of passing time in rhythm with the daily news.

This work, much like the exhibition's concept of merging the past, present, and future of Cartier's connection with Japan, signifies the continuity of connection and symbolizes Cartier's history of constant evolution and renewal.

Cartier and Japan: A 50-Year Journey, 'MUSUBI' Exhibition – A Dialogue on Beauty and Art
Exhibition Period | Until Sunday, July 28, 2024
Closed | Mondays
Opening Hours | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM, Fridays and Saturdays until 7:00 PM (Last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Venue | Hyokeikan, Tokyo National Museum, 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8712
Admission | General ¥1,500, University Students ¥1,200
* Free for high school students and younger, individuals with disabilities, and one accompanying caregiver. Please present student ID, disability certificate, etc., upon entry.
Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art and Japanese Artists – An Eternal Conversation Exhibition Artists (in Japanese syllabary order) | Nobuyoshi Araki, Junya Ishigami, William Eggleston, Rinko Kawauchi, Takeshi Kitano, Jean-Michel Alberola, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Tabaimo, Yukio Nakagawa, Tatsuo Miyajima, Erina Matsui, Takashi Murakami, Issey Miyake, Yasumasa Morimura, Daido Moriyama, Tadanori Yokoo