Announcement of the Taguchi Art Collection Exhibition 'ART☆MILKY WAY' Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Takaoka City Museum of Art

The Taguchi Art Collection is pleased to announce the exhibition 'ART☆MILKY WAY: The Taguchi Art Collection' at Takaoka City Museum of Art, held in commemoration of the museum’s 75th anniversary (Exhibition period: September 19 to November 29, 2026).

This exhibition marks the first public presentation of the Taguchi Art Collection in the Hokuriku region. Drawing from a collection of over 770 works, approximately 50 pieces have been carefully selected to illustrate the charm of diverse artistic expressions, likened to a 'microcosm = Art Milky Way' shaped by the gravitational forces between artists and artworks. Visitors will experience the intricate relationships between works and the infinite possibilities they generate.

Featuring iconic works by Keith Haring, which inspired the founding of the collection, as well as pieces by renowned Japanese artists such as Yoshitomo Nara, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Chiharu Shiota, and newer works from the 2020s by Lu Yang (Lu Yang) and Exonemo, the exhibition invites audiences to explore through four guiding keywords: 'Pop→Step!', 'Savoring Art', 'Art/Heart', and 'Present/Future'. Navigate this artistic cosmos like a celestial journey.

During the exhibition period, an outreach display will also be held at the 'Fushiki no "Fu" Art Festival' in the Fushiki district of northern Takaoka City (venues: Kōkō-ji Temple, Kitamaebune Historical Archive, Meteorological Data Museum; period: October 11–18). Works by Yoko Ono and Asako Fujikura will be exhibited, offering more people the opportunity to engage with contemporary art.

Participating Artists – 37 groups

Ross Bleckner｜Elmgreen & Dragset｜Exonemo｜Sam Falls｜Subodh Gupta｜Keith Haring｜Damien Hirst｜Heimo Kohn｜Bronwyn Katz｜Tadashi Kawamata｜Lu Yang (Lu Yang)｜Naofumi Maruyama｜Beatriz Milhazes｜Yasumasa Morimura｜Richard Mosse｜Zanele Muholi｜Vik Muniz｜Takashi Murakami｜Yoshitomo Nara｜Maria Nepomuceno｜Yoko Ono｜Julian Opie｜Ged Quinn｜Marc Quinn｜Thomas Ruff｜Tomoko Sawada｜Chiharu Shiota｜Hajime Sorayama｜Hiroshi Sugimoto｜Hiroshi Sudo｜Superflex｜Keiichi Tanaami｜Yuki Taminaga｜Jana Winderen｜Andy Warhol｜Gō Watanabe｜Erwin Wurm

Highlights

Screening of Lu Yang’s (Lu Yang) video work 'DOKU the self'

The exhibition will screen Lu Yang’s (Lu Yang) video work 'DOKU the self' (2022, 36 minutes), an artist based in Tokyo and Shanghai who has gained international acclaim. As part of the 'DOKU' video series referencing the Mahayana Buddhist teaching of 'Dokushō Dokushi' ('one is born alone, one dies alone'), the artist’s digital avatar traverses Buddhist realms and multiple dimensions, exploring themes such as 'life and death' and 'body and mind'.

Exhibition Structure Spanning Eras, Regions, and Media

Leveraging the Taguchi Art Collection, formed over 30 years since the 1990s, the exhibition creates a cohesive 'microcosm = Art Milky Way' where diverse works resonate with one another. From traditional forms like painting and sculpture to works utilizing 3D CG and digital technology, visitors can enjoy the relationships between artworks and discover new connections.

Collaboration with Takaoka City Museum of Art

In commemoration of the museum’s 75th anniversary, the exhibition will jointly display Shinohara Ushio’s 'Angel Queen' (1993, entrusted to Takaoka City Museum of Art), a close associate of Keiichi Tanaami, alongside Tanaami’s 'The Space Beyond and the Space Here' (2016) from the Taguchi Art Collection. Experience the collaboration between the museum and the collection through the works of these two visionary artists, pioneers of Japanese pop art.

Featured Works

Lu Yang (Lu Yang), 'DOKU the self', 2022 © Lu Yang, Courtesy the artist and Société, Berlin

Keiichi Tanaami, 'The Space Beyond and the Space Here', 2016 © Keiichi Tanaami, Courtesy of NANZUKA

Tomoko Sawada, 'School Days / E', 2004 © Tomoko Sawada, Courtesy of ROSE GALLERY

Hajime Sorayama, 'Sexy Robot_Floating', 2019 © Hajime Sorayama, Courtesy of NANZUKA

Richard Mosse, 'Come Out (1966) I', 2011 © Richard Mosse, Courtesy the artist and carlier | gebauer, Berlin/Madrid

Maria Nepomuceno, 'Nariz rosa', 2024 © Maria Nepomuceno, Courtesy the artist and nichido contemporary art, Photo by Victor de Beija

Beatriz Milhazes, 'Tonga I', 1994 © Beatriz Milhazes

Related Events

[Opening Commemoration] Special Talk

Speakers: Miwa Taguchi (Co-Director, Taguchi Art Collection), Masashi Shiobara (Art Office Shiobara)

Date & Time: September 19 (Sat), 14:00–15:00 | Venue: 1st Floor Special Exhibition Gallery

※ Admission ticket required (Please come directly to the venue)

Unique Venue TAKAOKA Museum Performance

Performers: Kōhei Motai (Dance), Yuka Kawanishi (Installation), Maruboro (DJ)

Date & Time: September 26 (Sat), 14:00–15:00 | Venue: Patio (Museum Courtyard)

※ Free admission

Dialogue: 'Fushiki no Fu' Meets Taguchi Art Collection

Speakers: Miwa Taguchi, Masashi Shiobara, Masakatsu Yoneda (Artist)

Date & Time: October 11 (Sun), 14:00–15:00 | Venue: Basement Bitalk Hall

Capacity: 80 people

※ Free attendance (Please come directly to the venue)

Gallery Talk by Curators

Date & Time: October 24 (Sat), November 7 (Sat), 14:00–15:00 each day | Venue: 1st Floor Special Exhibition Gallery

※ Admission ticket required (Please come directly to the venue)

Exhibition Overview

[Exhibition Title] Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Takaoka City Museum of Art: ART☆MILKY WAY – The Taguchi Art Collection Exhibition

[Period] September 19 (Sat), 2026 – November 29 (Sun), 2026

[Closure Days] Mondays (except open on September 21, October 12, November 23), September 24, October 13, November 24

[Opening Hours] 9:30–17:00 (Last entry at 16:30) ※ Opening at 10:30 on September 19

[Venue] Special Exhibition Gallery, Takaoka City Museum of Art (Address: 1-1 Nakagawa, Takaoka, Toyama)

[Organizers] Takaoka City Museum of Art [(Public Interest) Takaoka Citizens Cultural Promotion Foundation], Hokkoku Shimbun Co., Ltd.

[Co-organizer] City of Takaoka

[Support] Toyama Prefecture, Takaoka Board of Education

[Planning Cooperation] Public Interest Foundation for the Promotion of Public Welfare – Taguchi Contemporary Art Fund, Artsplus Institute for Contemporary Art, Art Office Shiobara

[Admission Fee] General: 1,500 yen (Advance/Group/Senior: 1,2