The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo to Launch 'Let's Talk Art!' -- English Program for Foreign Visitors to Enjoy Artworks through Cross-cultural Conversations

TOKYO, March 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan's first national art museum situated near the Imperial Palace, will launch Let's Talk Art! -- an English program enabling international participants to enjoy appreciating masterpieces of Japanese art since the 20th century -- this coming spring.

In each Let's Talk Art! session, participants will not listen to explanations of artworks but enjoy artworks through a delightful conversation among them and a facilitator.

Specifically, participants will take an hour to explore three works from the "MOMAT Collection" on display and discuss the art and culture of Japan as well as those of participants' countries, based on what are depicted in the works. In response to participants' interests, the facilitator provides basic information on the history of locations and others found in the works as well as tourist information.

(Photo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201902263583?p=images)

The museum aims to provide new attractions of Japan to foreign visitors through the program, including a venue for communication in which participants will mutually respect diverse cultures and values.

The MOMAT Collection is Japan's sole exhibition of artworks enabling visitors to sense more than 100 years of the history of modern Japanese art.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, regularly holds the "MOMAT Collection" exhibition where about 200 works from its collection of more than 13,000 works are displayed. The museum will not notify in advance the three works for discussions in each Let's Talk Art!, hoping that participants will look forward to knowing the selected works under a theme on the very day of the program on the spot.

Besides the Let's Talk Art! program, there are signs explaining artworks on display and audio guidance in English (paid) while free guide apps in English, Chinese and Korean are also available.

Let's Talk Art! Overview:

• Pre-registration necessary, up to 6 people
• For foreign visitors aged 11 or over
• Fee: Adults: 1,500 yen, discount offered for students and seniors
• Schedule: Friday, March 22, from 18:30. After that, every Friday evening

*The exhibits are changed according to exhibition periods.
*For further information, visit the museum website: http://www.momat.go.jp/english/